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Hardcore Huskies Newsletter 08 Race Edition.pdf [ Archive ] |
| Eight Hour Rest Ends - Team Heads Back to Oil Well | Sat, Jan. 26th, 2008 | |
Heather and the Hardcore Team ended their mantatory eight hour rest at 2:18 PM AKST (6:18 EST). Heather started with 12 dogs and so far has dropped one. She is currently in 6th place.
The team will now head back to a checkpoint at Oil Well Road, about 34 miles from Joe Mays cabin. The weather is reportedly cloudy and 28 degrees below zero but not much wind.
With all of the teams that have been on the trail, officials say the return trail should be fast. And so far that has proven to be the case as some mushers have shaved almost 30-45 minutes of their time between Mays and Oil Well Road. Heathers time on this leg was 4:03 so we`ll see if that improves.
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| Heather Arrives At Joe Mays Cabin | Sat, Jan. 26th, 2008 | |
It took her a little more than four hours but Heather and the Hardcore Team arrived at Joe Mays Cabin at 5 AM ASKT this morning (9 AM EST). Heather left from Oil Well Road at 00:57 this morning AKST (4:47 AM EST). after resting for nearly four and a half hours.
When Heather and the team left Oil Well Road, they took the "106" trail back to the Parks Highway, crossed the Parks at (under) Susitna Bridge and continued up the river several miles, then through the swamps to Joe May¡¯s and an 8 hour layover. This leg was approximately 34 miles and it took Heather 4 hours and 3 minutes.
Race officials say all went smoothly for the start, with a slightly cloudy morning at around 6¡ãF. The five or more inches of snow they received last night will slow down the trail, and they have had intermittent flurries¨Csome heavy¨Csince around 3pm Friday. The trail is very well marked with reflective tape and pie plates on stakes, so no one should have problems finding their way (whiteout conditions excepted).
Stay tuned for more updates and information is made available.
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| Heather 2nd to Arrive at First Checkpoint | Sat, Jan. 26th, 2008 | |
It took 8 hours and 16 minutes to get to the first checkpoint, which was the second fastest time. Molly Yazwinski, who is running a team of 14 dogs compared to Heathers 12, made the trip in 7 hours and 3 minutes. Yazwinski and her team averaged 9.36 mph while the Hardcore team was clocked at an average of 7.98 mph.
Race records were last updated at 23:52 AKST last night and showed Heather had not yet left the Oil Well Road checkpoint.
Weather should not be a factor with the race. Current temp is minus 13 under a clear sky with very little wind. The high today should reach near 6 above with abundant sunshine and a light wind from the north at 5 mph..
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| Off They Go! Heather Leads the Bowers Race | Fri, Jan. 25th, 2008 | |
The 2008 Don Bowers 300 Memorial Dog Sled Race began at 12:02 PM AKST this afternoon (4:02 PM eastern) when Heather and 12 members of her Hardcore Team left the Willow Community Center for the start of the race. Heather drew bib number one so she was the first one down the trail. Let`s hope that is a good omen.
After leaving the Willow Community Center the trail drops down onto the Big Su using the Corral Hill trail. The team will then enter the Deshka River and proceed to Deshka River Lodge. From there they proceed up the Deshka River several miles then overland to the tent checkpoint near Oil Well Rd. This leg is approximately 50 miles. Looking at times from previous years this leg could take anywhere between 7 and 14 hours.
In addition to Heather and her team, there are 11 other mushers in the 300 mile race and a total of 11 mushers racing 200 miles. At the start of the race the temperature was 4 degrees below zero under a mostly cloudy sky and the visibility was about 15 miles.
Check back during the weekend as we`ll do our best to keep you up to date with their progress.
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| HARDCORE TEAM ENTERS DON BOWERS 300 | Thu, Jan. 24th, 2008 | |
Heather and the Hardcore Team are off to Willow, Alaska this weekend to compete in the Don Bowers Memorial 300 dog sled race which starts on Friday, Jan 25, 2008.
The race is named in honor of Don Bowers, author, airman, dog driver, who started a combined 200-300 mile dog race in Willow, Alaska in 2000. Following his death that year, a group of volunteers continued that race, now renamed in his memory. The race is a qualifier for both the Iditarod and the Yukon Quest. It is sponsored by the Montana Creek Dog Musher`s, Mile 94.2 Parks Highway Alaska.
Heather says this tune up race will be good for both her and the dogs.
`It will give me a good feel of where we are in preparation for the Iditarod,` said Heather.
Iditarod 36 is set to begin on March 1, 2008 in Anchorage.
According to race officials, the 2008 Bowers race is expected to follow the same course as last year [see map].
- Musher`s will leave Willow Community Center and drop down onto the Big Su using the Corral Hill trail. From there they will enter the Deshka River and proceed about 15 miles to the Deshka River Lodge. After leaving the Lodge musher`s will proceed up the Deshka River several miles then overland to the tent checkpoint near Oil Well Rd. This leg is approximately 50 miles.
- From Oil Well musher`s will take the `106` trail back to the Parks, cross the Parks at Susitna Bridge and continue up the river several miles, then through the swamps to Joe May`s for an 8 hour layover. This leg is approximately 34 miles.
- Return along the same course, except for the 300 mile race. They will leave Deshka River Lodge [checkpoint-food drop] and proceed to Trail Lake via Su-Landing and the old Iditarod Trail. From there the trail proceeds to the Yenta River then turns south to Yentna Station. Musher`s will return to Willow back along the same route [but without stopping at Deshka River Lodge].
Check back during the weekend for race updates. Updates will be posted as information is made available. Based on finishing times in prior years the 300 miles should take between 48 to 60 hours to complete.
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