March 8 Kaltag—3am—Buser into Kaltag, Aliy blows checkpoint and takes Lead

Why is all the action at 2AM? Martin Buser, who has all the best reasons in the world to be drowsy at 2am, arrives first into Kaltag with alacrity. Quickly signing the checker sheet, he asks to be moved to parking near the octagonal log building serving as the community center. He has been on the Yukon River at -20F with his team of 14 dogs all this evening defending his lead and wants to quickly put his dogs on straw.

One of the checkpoint officials jogs ahead of the team to the parking area about 50 yards away. The dogs know the drill and pound the harness while Martin stands on the brake. In place, the dogs wait for the straw then quickly make a nest like a guy hitting the couch after a hard day’s work. The team of vets immediately begin an examination of each dog while Martin strips booties, then moves down the line to offer a kibble in pans. His dogs have a little stomach bug so he is using the kibble to settle them. Talking to him later, he thinks he has the problem solved.

As a note, considering the population of a thousand dogs on the trail, it’s no surprise that bugs circulate—one reason mushers welcome the veterinary exam. Medications are available to help the dogs get over the hump and veterinary insight is key.

A local tells me that the temperature in Kaltag, located on a high bank on the north side of the Yukon, is minus 11 and probably -20F on the river, a fact confirmed by Martin. After a kibble snack, Martin offers clear water in his black plastic bread pans while also distributing fatty lamb snacks.

Martin finishes chores and then lights his alcohol cooker. Incidentally, alcohol, like the kind you burn in a chemistry class bunsen burner, is the preferred fuel because it doesn’t leave a residue in the ration. Diesel, for example, taints the food, and for a tired and picky husky , makes it uneatable. He will leave the cooker burning. When he returns after an hour nap he will have warm water for a hot soup for canines.

Martin pulls out a sleeping bag and enters the octagonal building, now warmed by a wood stove. One of the locals throws in another round of dry spruce. Buser comes over to a table occupied by Andy Anderson, race judge, and myself with a seal-a-meal of jumbo shrimp and rice. Now 3am, it smells and looks incredible.

Martin is now the Ginger Bread man. We discuss his role to the front. He must say, “Catch me if you can.” Even if he grudgingly gives small increments of time to the pursuing pack, his schedule is tight enough that it does not allow an easy opportunity to catch him. Therefore, he is hoping that any bold move by the pack will be thwarted. His job is to maintain the team, travel at respectable speeds, and dare the competition to break their own schedule. Like a runner in a race, a surge by a dog team takes energy and is difficult to maintain, a simple fact Martin is counting on to protect his lead.

We hear from a snowmachiner that AliyZirkle is five miles out on the river.

Dinner consumed, Martin moves to a wooden bench that extends all the way around the perimeter of the log building. He looks at his watch and asks Andy if he can be woken in 1 hr 45 minutes. A local fan asks for a picture. Another asks, “How long are you staying?.” Six hours, he says, “I’ll be leaving at 8 in the morning.” Taking off his boots, he lays down using his sleeping bag as a blanket.

Now, our attention is turned back to the checkpoint and see Aliy emerging from the night. She arrives at 3:11 am and someone determines that she made the run from Nulato about 15 minutes faster than Martin.

Aliy’s team at the checkpoint preparing to exit Kaltag in the direction of Unalakleet. Note high boots on some of her dogs. Protects from frost/ice crystals on the front of the legs, which can sometimes wear hair on legs.

Clearly, she is not stopping as she sets the ice hook, walks briskly to the end of an alphabetical row of feed bags to find the ones marked Zirkle. She opens several and grabs bags of kibble and assorted meat bags and loads them in zippered compartments on her sled bag. In a few minutes she pulls the hook and without urging the dogs, some of them pounding the harness in place, leave Kaltag in the direction of Unalakleet.

She has taken control of the race. We are confident that she will now travel about 30 miles on the 90 mile portage trail to Unalakleet and stop to rest at a point called Tripod. Here sits a cabin built by the Dept of Interior. Our film crew snowmachiners must document the front runner and therefore make plans to also depart Kaltag for Tripod. Their plan is to arrive early, get the wood stove cranking, and take a nap. They know the race is stepping up in intensity.

Here begins the conversion of strategies. Aliy will be ahead at Tripod, but most certainly Martin will depart Kaltag and contact her on the trail. The question is, of course, the intentions of Aliy. Does she intend to defend or decide to gradually nibble away at his time advantage.

Meanwhile, Dallas Seavey, the 2012 champ, has made a move and will probably be third into Kaltag. He is known for appearing in the last third of the race—and guess what—here he is. Where did that guy come from? He blew through the Nulato checkpoint and in one deft chess-like move propelled his team to the front.

He is followed on the Yukon by Lindner, Petit, Sorlie, King, and Burmeister. In particular, we are watching Petit as a dark horse as he has the condition and hydration of his team has impressed vets and race fans. Additionally, Petit may be, for the moment, the fastest team on the race.

Aliy now the first on the trail. Buser must respond to defend.