ASK THE MUSHER VOL 16: Martin Buser

[fladogfan]

Re: 2010 Iditarod Mushers in Trouble
by fladogfan on Mon Mar 30, 2009 3:11 pm

I love hearing the tricks mushers play/use on each other. And this from a young one. GoDallasGo !
Be great if he can be the youngest musher to win the Iditarod.

Has anyone written a book of musher tricks

There, of course is Lance's, 'shh don't wake Jeff' , but just the check point or two before, there was Jeff using Lance's boots as a pillow. Must be lots of trick stories out there.
fladogfan

The above is from the thread talking about the trick Dallas played this year with his head lamp. Di wrote suggesting I ask you this question.

Do you know of any book that has been written about musher on musher tricks?
Would you be interested in writing such a book

It appears I'm in the middle of a song, so let me end with,
"stand up, stand up, stand up and tell us your age!"

[Buser]

Re: 2010 Iditarod Mushers in Trouble
by fladogfan on Mon Mar 30, 2009 3:11 pm

I love hearing the tricks mushers play/use on each other. And this from a young one. GoDallasGo !
Be great if he can be the youngest musher to win the Iditarod.

Has anyone written a book of musher tricks

There, of course is Lance's, 'shh don't wake Jeff' , but just the check point or two before, there was Jeff using Lance's boots as a pillow. Must be lots of trick stories out there.
fladogfan

The above is from the thread talking about the trick Dallas played this year with his head lamp. Di wrote suggesting I ask you this question.

Do you know of any book that has been written about musher on musher tricks?
Would you be interested in writing such a book

It appears I'm in the middle of a song, so let me end with,
"stand up, stand up, stand up and tell us your age!"

I'm not sure if there is any one book that tells about musher tricks but there might be some mentioned in one of Lew Freedman's books, Iditarod Tales. Emmett Peters was nicknamed the Yukon Fox for being sneaky. I once tried to sneak by Rick Swenson and Susan Butcher who were holed up in a shelter cabin but a photographer wanted to get it on video and Susan heard and came running out the door. I'm not sure how much sneaking will be done with the tracker now instituted.

I'm trying to get a book together of my own. Someone would have to be a race historian to write that book.

[Buser]

Martin, I just looked at my Iditarod calendar and noticed that yesterday was your birthday. So here's a belated Happy Birthday. All the Idita-buddies, let's join together in singing:

Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday dear Martin
Happy Birthday to you!

For he's a jolly good fellow
For he's a jolly good fellow
for he's a jolly good fellow!
That nobody can deny!!!

Thanks to everyone for the birthday wishes. At 51, I have to rely a little more on experience and less on energy. But there is some truth to the notion that the older you get the less sleep you need. Well, maybe not in all cases on Iditarod. I still have a great time with my dogs and will keep on keeping on as long as I can manage and take care of them.

[saltybird]

Martin, Thanks so much for being the role model to younger mushers and kids who follow the races. My students really liked the segments with you we were able to see on the computer from Channel 2. It is readily apparent you love your dogs and they are what makes you a very happy man (other than your family of course!). They especially thought your dogs in the dog yard would be great fun to train. Are you helping any younger, or up and coming mushers, as far as training techniques, teaching them how to get and keep a great string of dogs, or anything of that nature?

As I read your previous posts I was thinking how much fun it would be to have Martin Buser as my substitute teacher! I think the kids would be in for such a fun day and learn so much from you. Care to come to Oklahoma to sub?

I also wanted to thank Kathy for her personal email about how to get the Alaska Airlines shirts. I was not expecting such an immediate personal reply, figuring you guys were too busy to answer your emails right now. Thanks for that effort Kathy.

After watching you in the YQ & this year's Idit I am now a die hard Martin fan. You do not give yourself enough credit when you say maybe people over 50 shouldn't do both. I was quite impressed with your showing as a rookie, regardless of your age. I am just amazed you did both of them, finishing in the positions you secured. If only I was able to get on a dog sled and drive a team of 4 dogs! What great fun that would be.

Thanks for your great sportsmanship and proving the humanitarian awards you have received in the past were right on the money, especially when you don't run it for the glory!

And Happy Happy birthday to you!

Susan

[fladogfan]

Thanks Martin for the idea of looking in those books.
Sorry your sneak around Susan and Rick didn't work, media and fans get in the way, sometimes, of a good sneak

[luvmy4huskiesn1mal]

WooHoo....I'm adding my Happy Birthday wishes too. I LOVE BIRTHDAYS...no matter which one it is or when it is celebrated!!
I'm going to send you a PM (private message). You can find it up at the top in the User Control Panel and it will show a new message.
Thanks to both of you for your time on the forum.....you do have a LOT of fans here!!!

[ThisSpaceForRent]

MARTIN.....you rock!! I think sometimes I work as much as you I am reading thread and will have later....did I mention you rock?

oh...and HOWDY!

daniel...tsfr

[Tom_Tuk]

Hello, Martin and Kathy!

We are truly honored by your presence! Thank you for all the time you're devoting to us in this thread.

Like most in here, I'm a great fan of yours. Unfortunately, this is only my second year following the Iditarod. (I was somewhat inspired by Susan Butcher, but back in the pre-Internet days, you'd be lucky to see an occasional two-column-inch mention of the Iditarod in the local papers, even though Susan was a mushing superstar. So I've missed your greatest triumphs, unless you count finishing this year in all the horrible weather one of them.)

Story - I am going to write a detailed reflection for 09. We are working on compiling all our Iditarod stories in a book for publication. The reflections do help me process each race but I also need to digest the race before I write about it.

After last year, my first Iditarod, I purchased "For the Love of Dogs." I've played that wonderful DVD over and over. I'm delighted to hear that you'll have a book available soon, and can't wait to buy my copy!

I had to laugh, thinking about Rohn as a freshman in school. I can just see it. "What did you do last year?" "I worked at McDonalds. What did you do?" "I went to Disneyland with my family. Rohn, what did you do?" "I finished my first Iditarod." ... Dead silence...

I don't have a particular question for you. I just want to share my best wishes with you and Kathy. I think you're both wonderful people, and am delighted to have this opportunity to say "Howdy!"

All my best,

Tom Lackamp
Tukwila, WA

[mushing loon]

Martin, I want to thank you for your wit and wisdom. You always have a smile on your face and you take the time to talk to us - fantastic!
I love the way that feel about your "athletes". That attitude is what mushing is all about!

I encourage everyone out there to log on to your website http://www.buserdog.com/ and order your video: "For the Love of Dogs". The insight on your kennel is invaluable, and seeing your operation is great. Your love of your family is as obvious as your love of your dogs, and it is good to see Kathy, the "woman behind the man"! Kathy, I loved your blog posts during both races - you really gave us the "musher's family inside story".

Thank you to both of you for your open and honest communication - you are an example for us all.

Mushing Loon

[BB Backer]

Martin, these are tough economic times for everyone. However the Iditarod and Quest both seem to have taken a big hit both in reduced prize money and increased expenditures for mushers to run the race. How do you think this will affect the future of these races and the sport of mushing? Do you have any suggestions for the ITC and Quest on how to improve the situation?

Also Hugh Neff posted in our "Ask the Musher" series:

I also firmly believe that we should have 'floating fours' on the coast where mushers must choose to stop twice at whatever checkpoint between Kaltag and Elim for 4 hours.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on that idea. Do you think it would be in the dogs' best interest to give them more rest at this stage of the race without compromising the race itself?

And finally, the GPS...as fans we love it, but the mushers - not so much . In your opinion, is the money/fans it brings in to the race worth it? And how has it altered the race for the mushers?

Thanks so much for answering all our questions. You have a very inquisitive group here, that are loving all the information you can share with us.