Rohn Buser Inbound to Finish

Rohn Buser is at the Church Slough Cutoff headed for the bluffs and Hoffman fishcamp. Looking at a finish around 11:15 at this pace. John Baker and Paul Gebhardt in Kwethluk. Jenn traveled the KWT to Finish route in1:39 yesterday. Go on down and cheer on this young protege of Buser Kennels. Martin Buser has been a great supporter of the K300 over the years and to have his son set to win is a sweet victory for all of us!

Pete and Team Kaiser can leave in another 30 minutes or so. That would put them into the Finish by 3pm or so.

It’s very cold, so dress warm and come on down and congratulate your favorite musher!

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Good Sunday Morning! Into Tuluksak and We are still Racing!

None the worse for wear, Team Kaiser is into Tuluksak this morning at 6:54am. The team rested in Kalskag for 2 hours and 45 minutes or so and headed back out on the trail. His time enroute to Tuluksak is awesome and one of the top times over the route.

The Tuluksak checkpoint has a 4 hour mandatory layover which will allow the Pete and the team to get back on the trail at 10:54am.

Race Fans – THE RACE IS NOT OVER!!

Pete got into the Kalskag checkpoint a couple of hours after the teams of Mike Williams Jr. and Ray Redingtion, but went out back on the trail at the same time that they did. In other words, he went farther and rested less, but his time between the checkpoint of Kalskag and Tuluksak was very similar. Mike Jr. has about a 20 minute lead on him. We’ll see how that plays out. Bottom line is that this isn’t over. It’s not for the win, but it can be for the top 10 which is also a mental boost. Mushers like to indicate Top Ten finisher in the races they have finished.

The weather this morning is absolutely brutal. Very cold temperatures and strong winds have windchills into the lower -40 to -50’s.

The race is on at the front of the race where John Baker has been working on moving into the front. Martin Buser must be bursting with pride at the performance of his son, Rohn, who has been leading the race for quite some time. He is just approaching Akiak, with Paul Gebhardt and John Baker about two miles behind. Rohn is in sight of Akiak at this point, which should make for a finish late this morning.

Nothing like Dogsled Racing!!

Here is the KYUK Morning Report for 8am.

[audio:http://kaiserracing.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/tlkmorning.mp3|titles=Sunday KYUK Report from Tuluksak]

 

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The Story Arrives… An Expensive Poptart!

Just off the radio from KYUK- Will Peterson gives us the story. Pete is in good spirits and has had time to run the emotional gambit. Just proud of how this Musher makes his way through his career. It is inspiring to watch!

As I was listening to the report it brought to mind the year I was running the officials on the trail. That year we went up to Aniak and back and there wasn’t much sleep to go around. We were leap frogging in front of the mushers as they came down the river. We got to Akiak in front of Myron, who was really moving down the river pretty fast. It was a record pace. In any case, we finally got into Kwethluk awaiting him. We had the Kwethluk Checker with us in the truck. After what seemed like a very short time, rolled down the window and asked a group of guys if they had seen the musher yet. “Yeah,” they said. “He passed by about 10 minutes ago” We had dozed off and not even knew it!!

Bottom line is that sleep deprivation is a wild thing and you never know what is going to happen!!

Apparently, as you will hear, Pete was digging in his sled bag and completely missed the turnoff marker. Listen to the story. (Almost can hear Will get choked up telling it- What a great reporter!) The report is that the team actually looked great coming into the Kalskag Checkpoint.

[audio:http://kaiserracing.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/petekalskag2.mp3|titles=Pete’s Wrong Turn by KYUK]
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Kalskag at Last!!

Pete and the team are into Kalskag. He made great time from from Whitefish Lake to Kalskag. Presently there are 6 teams out of Kalskag, and 5 resting at the Checkpoint. Mike Williams Jr. turned up in Kalskag as I thought he would. Official times have left a bit to be desired from K300 HQ, but the Tracker gives us a great deal of data.

This has been a long mentally challenging run for Team Kaiser. I am looking for a good break here. Water, soup, and a bit of warmth, as well as many kind words await our Musher in Kalskag. For the last bunch of hours he has undoubtedly been beating himself up over missing the turn, but the Checkpoint will bring a better perspective into the race and I am sure bring him around.

John Baker appears to be making his move and has moved up to 2nd place. He is chasing Rohn Buser who has been leading for the last 100 miles. Lance Mackey was right behind him, but after the Kalskag checkpoint, the order has once again shuffled. The next checkpoint, Tuluksak, will offer a mandatory 4 hour layover before heading on the homestretch to the Finish.

Rohn is posting a real nice race time. Once he gets to Tuluksak we will have a better idea of a finish time here in Bethel.

Go Team Kaiser!

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