With Quest positions set, mushers relive memories of past 24 races
Published Friday, February 8, 2008
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A Frenchman and a German will bookend the start of the 25th Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race, and neither is happy about their position.
“I’m not comfortable with that. That is just terrible for me,” Didier Moggia said with a laugh after drawing a dog tag out of a bunny boot that assigned him bib No. 1.
At least Moggia, a 47-year-old carpenter now living in Whitehorse, Yukon, found a silver lining to the selection.
“I’m not number one for long,” said Moggia, a 1,000-mile Quest rookie who completed the Yukon Quest 300 in 2006 after overcoming the infamous storm on Eagle Summit.
At the other end of the spectrum, Becca Moore, originally from Heidelberg, Germany, and now residing in Wasilla, drew No. 24.
“So I get to stand there for a long time and get to be even more nervous,” said Moore, a rookie who at least has plenty of experience to draw upon from her husband, Iditarod veteran Ramey Smyth. The musher who drew first, Brent Sass of Fairbanks, actually wanted to lead the way out of the start chute Saturday morning on the Chena River, but pulled bib No. 8 instead. He earned the right to pick first after signing up before anyone else seven months ago.
More than the drawing of bib numbers, though, the large crowd that gathered Thursday at the Carlson Center for the Yukon Quest start banquet witnessed a night brimming in history.
LeRoy Shank of Fairbanks and Roger Williams of Christian Pass, Miss., shared the masters of ceremonies role, a fitting tribute since they co-founded the race on a leap of faith in 1984.
Shank, wearing new bib overalls and a tie fashioned from blue tarp, was full of stories. He related how Williams was the organizer and he was the talker.
“I just yapped and took credit for (the Quest),” Shank said.
Williams, meanwhile, struggled to control his emotions upon thanking the 500 or so folks who turned out Thursday.
Earlier, 61-year-old Bill Cotter of Nenana, who with Frank Turner of Whitehorse are the only mushers who’ll participate in both the first and 25th Quests, recounted how in 1984 he and Sonny Lindner had to cut through a portage on the Yukon River.
“We thought they should have changed the required gear from an ax to a chainsaw,” he said.
Like many mushers, Cotter expressed gratitude not only to sponsors and others who made his race possible, but most of all his dogs.
“I’d like to thank my dogs. They’ve given me a life I would trade for no other,” Cotter said.
Turner, meanwhile, revealed a story that helped clear his conscience 24 years later: He bent the rules by leaving his bunny boots behind and wearing running shoes to ascend Eagle Summit. Then a couple of days later, he camped on the Chena River, not realizing he was just 20 minutes from the finish line.
Veteran Kelley Griffin of Wasilla, about to start her seventh Quest, had a word for Shank and Williams.
“I’d like to thank these two gentlemen for ruining my life,” she said jokingly.
Rookie Andreas Moser’s sentiments were shared by many.
“I’m really looking forward to seeing the trail the first time and I hope to see you all in Whitehorse,” the Swiss musher said.
The mushers will leave the Quest starting line at three-minute intervals beginning at 11 a.m. Saturday in the following order:
1. Didier Moggia; 2. William Pinkham; 3. Michelle Phillips 4. Ann Ledwidge; 5. Dan Kaduce 6. Phil Joy; 7. Jean-denis Britten; 8. Brent Sass; 9. Paul Geoffrion; 10. Hugh Neff; 11. Lance Mackey; 12. Kyla Boivin; 13. Cor Guimond; 14. Andreas Moser; 15. Frank Turner; 16. Bill Cotter; 17. Donald Smidt; 18. Kelley Griffin; 19. Bruce Milne; 20. Ken Anderson; 21. Julie Estey; 22. Dave Dalton; 23. Mike Ellis; 24. Becca Moore.
Community Discussion
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Roger and LeRoy have provided something for Fairbanks that they can be proud of for the rest of their lives. There are several more that were there to help bring the Yukon Quest to where it is today. The one that comes to mind that is not here for the first time in Yukon Quest history is Lefty Roberts. He is here in spirit and in the memories of many of us. Godspeed Lefty and good luck to all the mushers, handlers and volunteers that have made this Yukon Quest possible!!
Good Luck to the Men and Women on the Trail tonight........May their Matches always find fire, may they never camp out under spruce boughs loaded with snow....and may they keep their Huskies Mushing under the Northern Lights......
Wish I was there........I'll Never forget the Yukon Quest of 1991....talking to Charlie Boulding, John Schandelmeier and Sonny Lindner at the Circle City checkpoint that year....I had driven the "family van" over Eagle Summit earlier that day and got "stuck" on the Yukon River side of the Summit.....because the Snowplows shut down about 2pm that day.....My Wife was "angry" at me for INTENTIONALLY getting stuck......my defense was that it was a perfectly "sunny day" for a trip to Central.....but I knew I was in trouble when I met the Snowplow at the top of Eagle Summit........and he had come to a Stop!!
Called my Wife from Central and gave her the "bad news" while enjoying a visit with Jim Crabb and visiting with the Trail pack of mushers........then I made an "executive decision" to travel on to Circle City....another 30 highway miles up the Road.....and What a long and winding road....got into Circle City at about Dusk...and purchased a Valentine heart key chain for my wife from the Yukon Trading Post...then went back to the Circle City Community Hall to await the arrival of the mushers....
I kept warm in the Circle City schoolhouse, went out frequently to start the van to warm up the dogs on a -30 degree night on the Yukon,....finally drove back towards Fairbanks 10 miles, paid $20 to bunk overnight in an upstairs loft bed, and caught a few zzzzzzzz's at Arctic Circle Hot Springs Resort...after visiting most of the night at the Circle City checkpoint munching on Volunteer Pot Latch food......the mushers were all friendly!!
Before leaving Circle City, I let the dogs out to run on the Yukon Quest Trail heading south on the Yukon that had only been traveled by snowmachine....as no mushers had left Circle City yet!!
I'll never forget that Unforgettable night under the Northern Lights!!
--Dakotah John Skilbred--now living in Vermillion, South Dakota
I remember covering the very first Quest as a magazine reporter and photographer. I remember learning that you can't change film outdoors at those temperatures! Where have the years gone? I remember being a dog handler one year and running dogs to the start line. Great memories!
Lol great story John! Thanks for sharing.
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