by elsietee » Mon Mar 14, 2022 9:13 pm
Lev in Koyuk:
Liz "you just came in a minute ago..."
Lev: "er, it was an hour and half ago.
[typing this as he speaks, so it might be off]
"Time flies. I think I remember most of it.
It has been a rough trip in a few places, but the dog team looks pretty good. It was rough coming over to Koyuk - I wasn't expecting 40 mph headwind, I was expecting a 20 mph headwind.
The dogs found a scratched in trail - in places the stakes were missing which was nerve wracking... you're hoping you're going the right way. It's easy to get turned around - the wind is always in your face, but it moves around a few degrees and you wouldn't see a stake for a minute of two, and I'd get really twitchy.
The dogs handled it shockingly well. I'm down to my last two (good) leaders. Half way across, I pulled over to feed - and thought the leaders would be stressed out, but instead they were rolling in the snow. The team were all ready to go - tails wagging. They are a veteran dog team."
Liz - did you have good training?
Lev: "Good question - don't know if they'd've done better with a couple of long runs on them, but I don't know. I would have been more comfortable with a couple of 50-60 mile runs the week before the race, but its immaterial now....
Right now, I'd like to get two hot meals in them - I think that run merits that, being out in the wind so long. "
Liz: Are you nervous about what's ahead?
"Not nervous, but ID has a funny way of throwing curve balls. I've left WM before in wet snow... and then there's Jeff getting caught in the drift. So I'm not going to celebrate until dog team under the arch and Suicide [his lead dog] is eating fish.
Suicide is still as rambunctious and unmanageable as ever. I can't bring myself to wreck that free spirit - because that might be part of the magic. I'm afraid if I place boundaries on the dog - as far as "Would you actually listen to me, you Fuzzy Garbage Disposal??" I might lose the magic, so I'm just letting him be a wild child, and he got me here so far, so I'm not really complaining.
I'm over the wind. I 'll leave when I leave, not going to spend time worrying about it. This race has been challenging in some way, smooth in others. "
Liz: Do you want to say anything to your fans?
Lev: "I have fans?
If there are ppl following - thank you. If you're following along, try to follow someone cooler.
This was my first live interview, I didn't know what to expect, so thanks for making it painless.
Liz: "Thanks for keeping it family-friendly".
: ) ) ) ) ) ) )
[Love Lev - so fun to actually hear him in person after following him so long on FB]
Last edited by
elsietee on Tue Mar 15, 2022 1:13 am, edited 1 time in total.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
elsietee AT ponyhill DOT org
Repotted english person in the Sierra foothills, CA
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *