March 22, 2004 Outbound Backup

Just wanted to take a moment to say 'HI' and let you know that all is really well with all of us up here in Nome.

With so many mushers and some bad weather over the last few days, flights out of town are extremely backed up. We are scheduled to head back to Willow with the team on Wednesday evening. It's a little longer then I wished to stay in Nome, but now that I found out the library has free internet access, I might survive!!

I've just had a moment to glance at a few of the emails on the NorthWapitiNews list and it looks like I have alot of catching up to do. :) I look forward to reading and answering all your emails once I'm back in Willow.

The Race was a fabulous experience for us. I am so proud of my dogs I can barely stand it. As I said at the Musher's Banquet last night - they are my heroes.

For the record, the dogs dropped were:

Draco (Galena) - He jammed a toenail back into his nailbed and it wouldn't heal without some time completely off his feet

Camilla (Unk) - Camilla had a sore hip for some of the Race. I suspect that it was related to a collision my sled had with a tree on the Happy River Steps (long story that will be told at a later date) 

Olena (Koyuk) - a suspected ulcer

Squeaky (White Mt) - just not feeling well. I knew the final 77 miles to Nome were going to be hot and hard for the dogs and didn't feel it would be fair to take him along.

The finishers were: Grover, Kara, Chester, Loki, Odie, Gus, Hector, Hilda, Herman, Crunchie, Surge, and Moses.

All for now.... more soon...

Fondly,
Karen