White Mountain- Safety- NOME SWEET NOME
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Re: White Mountain- Safety- NOME SWEET NOME
by elsietee » Tue Mar 14, 2023 3:39 pm
Matt Failor's blow hole in the Topcok hills - he's zipping along at 2.4 mph, downhill:
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elsietee AT ponyhill DOT org
Repotted english person in the Sierra foothills, CA
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elsietee AT ponyhill DOT org
Repotted english person in the Sierra foothills, CA
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elsietee - Posts: 3265
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Re: White Mountain- Safety- NOME SWEET NOME
by elsietee » Tue Mar 14, 2023 4:44 pm
I don't know if I'll be able to transcribe them all, but since the sound was out for Richie's finish, I'm going to at least do him:
Richie seems *really* tired.
Greets his wife with a kiss and asks if the baby (buried under blankets) is awake?
Q: What was it like to do this race with such a close friend? Was there any discussion on who was going to come in first?
R: er, no, we didn't discuss that. At one point I asked Pete 'how long are you going to stay', and he said 'I don't know, I'm going to see what my competition does'... and I was his competition.
Q: was there anything that made this year special?
R: there was so much that happened this race - a lot of ups and downs - we battled. It's hard to put it all together, I'm so tired. But these dogs ran a real good race...
Q: Any particular dog you're proud of?
R: My main leader - Bruiser - he's the big boy in front, he'll do anything for me, and that's how he's been the whole race.
Asked about the front three being native AK:
"I think it's really cool, a good showing for rural AK. We're living in a day and age where in Aniak, the price of a gallon of gasoline is almost $9, and here we are - have great support all around us, great family, sponsors, everyone supporting us and in me and Pete's case, we've got the Kusko 300 race organization that does many races that have good payouts too. It shows that in some parts of rural AK mushing isn't dying, which is cool."
Q: What did you think of Ryan's race and being a Redington?
R: Pretty cool - congrats to him.
[and I just happened to be reading an article about this:
https://ictnews.org/news/five-indigenou ... sing-costs]
Richie seems *really* tired.
Greets his wife with a kiss and asks if the baby (buried under blankets) is awake?
Q: What was it like to do this race with such a close friend? Was there any discussion on who was going to come in first?
R: er, no, we didn't discuss that. At one point I asked Pete 'how long are you going to stay', and he said 'I don't know, I'm going to see what my competition does'... and I was his competition.
Q: was there anything that made this year special?
R: there was so much that happened this race - a lot of ups and downs - we battled. It's hard to put it all together, I'm so tired. But these dogs ran a real good race...
Q: Any particular dog you're proud of?
R: My main leader - Bruiser - he's the big boy in front, he'll do anything for me, and that's how he's been the whole race.
Asked about the front three being native AK:
"I think it's really cool, a good showing for rural AK. We're living in a day and age where in Aniak, the price of a gallon of gasoline is almost $9, and here we are - have great support all around us, great family, sponsors, everyone supporting us and in me and Pete's case, we've got the Kusko 300 race organization that does many races that have good payouts too. It shows that in some parts of rural AK mushing isn't dying, which is cool."
Q: What did you think of Ryan's race and being a Redington?
R: Pretty cool - congrats to him.
[and I just happened to be reading an article about this:
https://ictnews.org/news/five-indigenou ... sing-costs]
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elsietee AT ponyhill DOT org
Repotted english person in the Sierra foothills, CA
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elsietee AT ponyhill DOT org
Repotted english person in the Sierra foothills, CA
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
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elsietee - Posts: 3265
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Re: White Mountain- Safety- NOME SWEET NOME
by elsietee » Tue Mar 14, 2023 6:26 pm
This is the area (circled in red) that Matt Failor, Eddie, and Mille are travelling through right now - gusts of 45+ mph:
(the area circled in blue is where Matt (and the others behind him) was crawling in the snapshot above)
(the area circled in blue is where Matt (and the others behind him) was crawling in the snapshot above)
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elsietee AT ponyhill DOT org
Repotted english person in the Sierra foothills, CA
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
elsietee AT ponyhill DOT org
Repotted english person in the Sierra foothills, CA
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
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elsietee - Posts: 3265
- Joined: Thu Mar 19, 2009 10:46 pm
- Location: Garden Valley, CA
Re: White Mountain- Safety- NOME SWEET NOME
by elsietee » Tue Mar 14, 2023 8:15 pm
Hope you guys get to see Kelly Maixner's arrival - don't know how much they'll put in the finish video, but it was pretty cute with all his children waiting in the chute (along with Dallas and his daughter Annie). As he pulled out to go to the dog yard, he had two in the basket and one hanging off the back, like a bag lady with kids. 
He said he had such a great race - until the very end when the wind hit... then he stopped having fun.
He said he had such a great race - until the very end when the wind hit... then he stopped having fun.
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elsietee AT ponyhill DOT org
Repotted english person in the Sierra foothills, CA
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elsietee AT ponyhill DOT org
Repotted english person in the Sierra foothills, CA
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
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elsietee - Posts: 3265
- Joined: Thu Mar 19, 2009 10:46 pm
- Location: Garden Valley, CA
Re: White Mountain- Safety- NOME SWEET NOME
by elsietee » Tue Mar 14, 2023 8:53 pm
Gah, I can't resist doing these - I start listening, vowing I'm not going to transcribe - and then they get going and say good things and I can't resist sharing. I wish I could do the intonation in Matt's voice as it's so good to listen to. He's a good raconteur.
Matt Hall - 4th place:
"Woo! We made it!"
Chute lady: "Before the race, you mentioned that you wanted to crack the top five, ... you did it! How does it feel?"
Matt:
"It feels pretty good.. I wanted it, yes ...I mentioned it... but actually being here and feeling it is a little different. So yes, it's very exciting.
When I was leaving Eagle Island, I txted Elkie on the InReach - and I think I was in 11th or 12th or something - and I said <musing> 'I've got a really nice dog team in front of me... I think we might have a top five here, knock on wood.
And 48 hours later we were up there and - yuh... all we've got to do is hold onto it <said in a scared, squeaky voice>. "
Chute lady: "Is there any particular dog that stands out in that group?
Matt: "Well, there's seven of them."
<crowd cheers>
"They're a good bunch. The two siblings here <motions at his wheel dogs> have pretty much finished everything they've ever, ever entered.
The most stand out is of course, Dayide [that's what it sounded like?], the single leader up there. Especially - it was really challenging trails today, coming into here, being able to maintain speed over 4.5 mph because the trail itself was drifted in. So you have to keep your leaders and sled-width on either side of the trail, which is the complete opposite of what they're trained to do - they're trained to follow the trail. It literally brings you to a stop - if you get on to the trail and you just stop. The dogs feel so much resistance, so they stop and look back at you, so you have to run on the edges of the trail. I'm a little hoarse from gee-ing and haw-ing for hours and hours and hours, just trying to keep them right on the edge. But he'll do it, so he's a pretty good leader.
Chute lady: "I've watched you drive dogs for a long time and always joked that you could parallel park a dog team, and I think you really could.
You train in Two Rivers [outside Fairbanks] where it's a little colder, typically. Our winter was fairly nice this year. How did you deal with the warmth at the start of the trail?"
Matt: " It was challenging for sure. There was one of the checkpoints early on in the race, not even 200 miles in, just by timing as to when you started, you're forced to run through the heat of the day at the beginning of the race. I did a 20-mile run, I'd taken a four-hour rest and I ran 20 miles before I was like "nope" and stopped and we camped for just a few more hours until it dropped a few more degrees and then we started going again.
Yes, it was a mild winter which helped from what it could've been, but definitely a very warm Iditarod for Interior dogs."
Lady: "What does that do to your feeding schedule? Do you change that too?"
Matt: "Somewhat, but they're the ones mostly telling me what they want. I'm giving them options and they're taking what they want, and then I roll with that for the next feed. And if they don't like something, we'll do samplers. But ultimately you've got everything in your drop bags for every temperature, and they're telling you what they want.
Sometimes you'd think they wouldn't want the fats when it's really hot, and they do. So it's kind of up to them. They can be picky - but they deserve it. "
Lady: "What's your favorite trail snack?"
Matt: "This year, the Mountain High Beef Stroganoff really grew on me. I know it's a meal not a snack, but it's pretty good."
Lady: "Congratulations for finishing in 4th place in 8 days, 23 hours, 40 mins, and 20 seconds. ... uh, that's not quite right, nine days 2 hours..."
Matt: "I was going to say! I broke the 8 days - woo!"
Lady: "No, no, nine days...2 hours 21 mins 54 secs"
* * *
After this interview, not shown in this footage was her talking to him about how he said if he didn't get a top five finish, he was going to stop doing Iditarod for a bit. But now he's gotten his top five finish, what to do? He said he didn't know, they'd have to think about it.
I hope he stays because he's a musher I really enjoy - a good dog person, a good racer, and a really nice guy.
Matt Hall - 4th place:
"Woo! We made it!"
Chute lady: "Before the race, you mentioned that you wanted to crack the top five, ... you did it! How does it feel?"
Matt:
"It feels pretty good.. I wanted it, yes ...I mentioned it... but actually being here and feeling it is a little different. So yes, it's very exciting.
When I was leaving Eagle Island, I txted Elkie on the InReach - and I think I was in 11th or 12th or something - and I said <musing> 'I've got a really nice dog team in front of me... I think we might have a top five here, knock on wood.
And 48 hours later we were up there and - yuh... all we've got to do is hold onto it <said in a scared, squeaky voice>. "
Chute lady: "Is there any particular dog that stands out in that group?
Matt: "Well, there's seven of them."
<crowd cheers>
"They're a good bunch. The two siblings here <motions at his wheel dogs> have pretty much finished everything they've ever, ever entered.
The most stand out is of course, Dayide [that's what it sounded like?], the single leader up there. Especially - it was really challenging trails today, coming into here, being able to maintain speed over 4.5 mph because the trail itself was drifted in. So you have to keep your leaders and sled-width on either side of the trail, which is the complete opposite of what they're trained to do - they're trained to follow the trail. It literally brings you to a stop - if you get on to the trail and you just stop. The dogs feel so much resistance, so they stop and look back at you, so you have to run on the edges of the trail. I'm a little hoarse from gee-ing and haw-ing for hours and hours and hours, just trying to keep them right on the edge. But he'll do it, so he's a pretty good leader.
Chute lady: "I've watched you drive dogs for a long time and always joked that you could parallel park a dog team, and I think you really could.
You train in Two Rivers [outside Fairbanks] where it's a little colder, typically. Our winter was fairly nice this year. How did you deal with the warmth at the start of the trail?"
Matt: " It was challenging for sure. There was one of the checkpoints early on in the race, not even 200 miles in, just by timing as to when you started, you're forced to run through the heat of the day at the beginning of the race. I did a 20-mile run, I'd taken a four-hour rest and I ran 20 miles before I was like "nope" and stopped and we camped for just a few more hours until it dropped a few more degrees and then we started going again.
Yes, it was a mild winter which helped from what it could've been, but definitely a very warm Iditarod for Interior dogs."
Lady: "What does that do to your feeding schedule? Do you change that too?"
Matt: "Somewhat, but they're the ones mostly telling me what they want. I'm giving them options and they're taking what they want, and then I roll with that for the next feed. And if they don't like something, we'll do samplers. But ultimately you've got everything in your drop bags for every temperature, and they're telling you what they want.
Sometimes you'd think they wouldn't want the fats when it's really hot, and they do. So it's kind of up to them. They can be picky - but they deserve it. "
Lady: "What's your favorite trail snack?"
Matt: "This year, the Mountain High Beef Stroganoff really grew on me. I know it's a meal not a snack, but it's pretty good."
Lady: "Congratulations for finishing in 4th place in 8 days, 23 hours, 40 mins, and 20 seconds. ... uh, that's not quite right, nine days 2 hours..."
Matt: "I was going to say! I broke the 8 days - woo!"
Lady: "No, no, nine days...2 hours 21 mins 54 secs"
* * *
After this interview, not shown in this footage was her talking to him about how he said if he didn't get a top five finish, he was going to stop doing Iditarod for a bit. But now he's gotten his top five finish, what to do? He said he didn't know, they'd have to think about it.
I hope he stays because he's a musher I really enjoy - a good dog person, a good racer, and a really nice guy.
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elsietee AT ponyhill DOT org
Repotted english person in the Sierra foothills, CA
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
elsietee AT ponyhill DOT org
Repotted english person in the Sierra foothills, CA
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
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elsietee - Posts: 3265
- Joined: Thu Mar 19, 2009 10:46 pm
- Location: Garden Valley, CA
Re: White Mountain- Safety- NOME SWEET NOME
by elsietee » Tue Mar 14, 2023 9:03 pm
Jessie Holmes talking about how he, Brent, Richie Beattie(sp?), and Jeff Deeter went to Golovin to help out after the typhoon - and when he went through there last night everyone came out - and it was really emotional - in a good way.
Despite his injuries, he was out training dogs ten days later.
Trip was everything he wanted it to be.
He didn't expect to see Kelly who was two + hours ahead of him, so expected to take a nice trip and he was glad because he could just cruise. He was lollygagging around, snacking the dogs, having a smoke before Safety and pulled in there and they said "You're going to give him a run for his money"
"What? Give me that vet book - we've GOT TO GO!"
Kelly asked if he could follow Jessie up the hill and they worked together because it was pretty stormy, couldn't see much.
All his dogs are special - the real heros on this trail are the dogs and the volunteers.
Polar, his white lead dog was priceless for him - coudln't have done it without him.
And the four that really stand out are the four that he dropped - four of his best - they wouldn't be here without them and look forward to having them in the team next year.
Despite his injuries, he was out training dogs ten days later.
Trip was everything he wanted it to be.
He didn't expect to see Kelly who was two + hours ahead of him, so expected to take a nice trip and he was glad because he could just cruise. He was lollygagging around, snacking the dogs, having a smoke before Safety and pulled in there and they said "You're going to give him a run for his money"
"What? Give me that vet book - we've GOT TO GO!"
Kelly asked if he could follow Jessie up the hill and they worked together because it was pretty stormy, couldn't see much.
All his dogs are special - the real heros on this trail are the dogs and the volunteers.
Polar, his white lead dog was priceless for him - coudln't have done it without him.
And the four that really stand out are the four that he dropped - four of his best - they wouldn't be here without them and look forward to having them in the team next year.
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elsietee AT ponyhill DOT org
Repotted english person in the Sierra foothills, CA
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
elsietee AT ponyhill DOT org
Repotted english person in the Sierra foothills, CA
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
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elsietee - Posts: 3265
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Re: White Mountain- Safety- NOME SWEET NOME
by fladogfan » Wed Mar 15, 2023 3:12 am
Once again elsietee I thank you for all the reporting you do. I 'see' a lot more of the race reading your words. The scene with the children hanging on Matt's sled is in my mind, thanks to your words. Of course that wasn't shown on the tape but I can still see it in my mind. Reminded me of the time I watched DeeDee in the chute how she talked to her dogs and got them all running towards the dog yard with DeeDee running along side her team. But none of that was shown on the ITC film.
All my children have four feet and fur.
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Re: White Mountain- Safety- NOME SWEET NOME
by tanglefoot » Wed Mar 15, 2023 6:48 am
Hunter K hasn’t moved for about 6 hours i think, he is still 50’miles from nome and at the bottom of the hills before the beach to safety, i wonder id he is waiting out the storm?
Believe in your dog team and your dog team will believe in you. – Frank Turner
TANGLEFOOT SLED DOG RACING TEAM
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Re: White Mountain- Safety- NOME SWEET NOME
by mira » Wed Mar 15, 2023 8:23 am
I think that is the spot of the shelter cabin?
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Re: White Mountain- Safety- NOME SWEET NOME
by tanglefoot » Wed Mar 15, 2023 8:50 am
Wonder if he will tag on to dan kaduce’s caboose of teams following him.
Believe in your dog team and your dog team will believe in you. – Frank Turner
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