Dawson City, YK - While the front runners slept, massaged dogs and prepared their sleds for the second half of the Yukon Quest, a handful of teams trickled into Dawson city overnight. There are at least three teams that have spent much of the race running solo.
Fairbanks musher Cody Strathe’s lead dog Sable is a little shy, so she wasn’t all that excited to lead her team into Dawson where e a small crowd of people waited for their arrival. Strathe has spent the better part of the race travelling alone. He says the Yukon River was a definite challenge. “It’s going alright, that river’s mean, that’s for sure," he said to a crowd at the checkpoint. " It’s throwing everything at us out there, just rough conditions, rough ice, open water, swimming, lots of wind, fun stuff!”
Strathe says he and his dogs are more than ready for a long rest. “Yes! I’m ready for beer and pizza and giving my dogs some massages because they deserve it," he smiled. "They’re doing pretty good. They’ve worked really hard and I’m really proud of them.”
A few hours later, 10 dogs pulled Matt Hall across the line. He says he was worried his dog wouldn’t want to leave his hometown in Eagle. “They did great. They cruised right out of there. Every time we hook up and go, they’re a little bit stronger and a little bit faster, so they’re doing great,” says Hall.
John Schandelmeier’s team also sped into the checkpoint. The former Quest champion prefers to run his team alone. He hadn’t seen anyone on the trail since he passed the Kandic River on his way into Eagle, but he says he never felt lonely. “I’m traveling with 12 dogs, so that’s probably the best part of it," says Schandelmeier. He says he’s been learning from his dog team the whole way. “It’s interesting to have a dog team with no veterans in it, so they don’t understand where the ends and beginnings of runs are so it’s been kind of fun trying to figure them out.”
There is a large group traveling at the back of the pack. They are expected into Dawson throughout the night.