We're Finally Training on Snow!!!
December 15, 2002

Seavey's Iditarod Racing Team--Sterling, AK
By Jim Gallea

Well, I don't think we forgot anything back in Sterling.  We've been training at Wolverine Lodge in west central Alaska for four days now, and things are awesome!  Tyrell, Mitch, myself, and the dogs are all glad to really be on snow.

The snow here is no secret in the mushing world, and we are not alone out on the frozen lakes around Wolverine Lodge.  Over the past few days, numerous Iditarod mushers including Martin Buser (the 2002 Iditarod Champion), Vern Halter, Paul Gebhardt, and Jim Lanier have been training up here.  

In many ways, this is a preview into the this year's Iditarod.  When we are working with the dogs, we always are looking over our shoulders to see what the "other guys" are doing.  How far are they running?  How fast are they going?  How often do they train?  How did their teams look after that long run?  And on and on.....

In the evenings, we all relax in the main room of the lodge to swap stories, enjoy a hearty meal, and attempt to pry training and racing secrets from each other's lips.  The spirit of camaraderie and sportsmanship so prevalent in the Iditarod is also very noticeable around Wolverine Lodge.  

As for our own teams, Tyrell, Mitch, and I are all extremely happy with what we are seeing.  Because we used the four-wheelers much later into the season than normal, we were a little unsure how the dogs would handle the transition to sleds and the accompanying increase in speed and distance.  However, these uncertainties were quickly forgotten the moment we took off on our first runs.  Tyrell and I are doing 30-mile runs at a fast pace, but the dogs come back to the lodge looking strong and ready for more.

The temperatures have ranged between 15 above and 15 below zero (Fahrenheit) and the weather couldn't be better.  Today I caught a great glimpse of Mt. McKinley and Mt. Foraker as we were heading back to the lodge.  Yesterday, we were in an ice fog that was so thick we couldn't see the shore of the lake less than a quarter mile away.  Such fog makes you feel completely isolated from the rest of the world and creates an unparalleled feeling of mystique.

We're looking forward to several more runs here.  We'll keep you posted and hopefully capture a few great photos that we can post in our next update.  Until next time.

Jim Gallea