A sucessful weekend

  The weekend in Ft. Nelson is over. It was cold again today . 30 below with a wind. Rachel finished in fourth place and sixth place yesterday. Ben finished seventh and third yesterday. It is a mass start race. This means that it is very difficult to get a true feel for how your team is running. All the teams leave the starting line at the same time. It ends up that four or more teams run side by side. This is a major distraction to the dogs. It means that they do not run to their full potential and is frustrating for the dog driver. It is also frustrating to the parent watching the race. As a matter of fact I cannot watch the race until Ben and Rachel and the  dogs are near the end of the race. The whole race is visible from the starting area but I cannot watch it all. 

  Our helper turned out to be good help for the weekend and I hope he can stick it out for the rest of the winter. He seems to be distracted by things back in Germany. Ben and Rachel were given three dogs from the winner of the six dog team. The more the older mushers see the work that Ben and Rachel put into their teams the more they want to help them out by giving them good dogs. We leave Ft. Nelson with 27 dogs on the truck. 

  The truck needs to see a mechanic tomorrow. This is due to a air pump that is driven by the fan belt of the truck. The air pump helps to boost the brakes on the truck. The pulley on the pump is not turning and the belt is slipping over the pulley. The brake light comes on and the brakes fail to work. This problem was just fixed. The truck ran all weekend to keep everyone warm.  I started to hear some grinding noise and belt squealing noise coming from the engine compartment. Then the brake light started to come on. I hope to leave here by Tuesday morning the latest.

  We went to Terry Streepers for supper after the race. It seems to be an annual thing to do after the race. Deb Streeper and family looks after everyone who was there to race. Just a great time. 

  I met the Erharts from the village or Tanana. This a village is northern Alaska. Great people and a pleasure to meet. I hope that they stop by when they are heading north through Whitehorse. 

  We had a great weekend as usual when we come to the Canadian open in Ft. Nelson B.C. We are now qualified to race in the event next year when they have a very high purse to race for.

  Ben and Rachel did an excellent job with the dogs. It is amazing what they do with those dogs. Not even the cold weather can stop them from racing their dogs. To say that I am proud of them is an understatement. 

   We were planning to go on to a race in Taylor B.C. but the race has been cancelled. So we will head back north to Whitehorse in search of races to prepare for the World Championships in Anchorage. Not the original plan. 

 We will be in touch again when we are home.