YUKON QUEST 2020 over: Go to SP KENNEL WEBSITE HERE...
Awesome news for YQ300 rookie & #4 in YQ1000... finishes...fourth!
Our YQ day-by-day reports of both YUKON QUEST 1000 . YUKON QUEST 300
From Fairbanks AK to Whitehorse, Yukon Territory (1000 miles). Dawson City half-way (36 hour rest).
YQ300 2020...
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NOTE: Rosebud and Eagle Summit in play YQ300 - two peaks surround the 100-mile mark - "Mile 101" - as shown in official map.
Last night I dreamed of Braeburn's cinnamon buns...
SOME HISTORY OF THIS LESSER KNOWN 1000 MILE RACE
BLACK TEAM WON IN 2018 YQ1000
YQ1000 2020
- The start is February 1st this year, Fairbanks to Whitehorse, YT. Black Team has won this race three times!!!
- Chena ran in wheel with
Junior in 2018 victory!!! Commando and Dutch crossed the finish line
in Whitehorse in lead.
ROSEBUD, EAGLE SUMMIT, AMERICAN SUMMIT, KING SOLOMON'S DOME - Click for view of famous four high points on the YQ Trail
Odd-numbered years in opposite direction...Yukon Territory to
Fairbanks - finish line not too many miles past entrance, always a test
for 2 and 4-leggeds to keep diving into SP KENNEL.
This year, Braeburn and its famous cinnamon buns come just before the end of the race.
The two-legged team member can probably
keep awake better, just by imagining the smell...drool-inducing and
delicious to humans!!!
SP KENNEL FIELDS 2 TEAMS IN THE 2020 YUKON QUEST: BLACK TEAM in 1000 miler as well as the R&B TEAM in 300 miler...
RED TEAM Leader play-by-play, day-by-day!!!
YUKON QUEST 1000
BLACK TEAM MUSHER - above. Bib #4, has 2 of my favorites - Commando & Clyde
Who made the 14 - member squad...https://spkennel.com/2020/02/yq1000-team-lineup/
DAY ONE
- Out of the gate, a race with usual suspects. About to face the first climb.
- Resting at Mile 101 - ROSEBUD done, Eagle Summit about to hove into view...after rest.
DAY TWO
-
SP KENNEL PLAY-BY-PLAY report here: https://spkennel.com/2020/02/yq-hills-morning-day-two/
- ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ prior to attacking Eagle Summit. Previous team in action above...
- And Black Team is out of Mile 101 @3pm EST. In third place. On the way to Eagle Summit and over the top...
- And down and into Central - in 2nd place, we think...
DAY THREE
- Overnight, the Black Team appears to be moving ahead smartly!!!
- After resting, the Team heads up (r) and...down, really fast, we'd guess, Eagle Summit...
- And now resting in Circle City. We assume they are riveted by the closing arguments of the House Impeachment managers.
- Monday night update: https://spkennel.com/2020/02/yq-monday-night-update/
DAY FOUR
DAY SEVEN
- Where did the days go? 36 hour rest represents "two"
days? And we are 4 hours later here on the East Coast...which
means another three days to go???
- Hard to tell, but it looks as if at this point that we may have a
changing trail due to weather conditions...but what do I know!!!
DAY EIGHT
- From the Yukon Quest: https://www.yukonquest.com/news/day-8-long-gone-pelly
- Looks like a "dog fight" in the 2 top positions, but one never knows. Down to 11 dogs each for leaders.
- Meanwhile, looks to me as if front two mushers in what looks like a
match race - meaning running head to head with aggressive passing -
"leap-frogging."
DAY NINE
- All my questions answered. Thank you YQ 1000 website!
- I think Black Team 10-miles behind 3rd place team which has 10 dogs;
- Awesome post from YQ1000 here: https://yukonquest.com/news/day-9-overland
- BOTTOM LINE: Black Team has 13 dogs in line.
- LAST TWO CHECKPOINTS - then cinnamon buns, then race to the finish.
DAY TEN - here's where it gets confusing as so many people hit the website that it starts to get slowed down with traffic.
- TRACKER ALERT - as we see it, Black Team is making a race out of 3rd place - just as there is a race for 1st place, as well!!!
- Both third and fourth-place teams in Braeburn now...till on mandatory rest. @13 miles behind 3rd team for Black Team.
- Meanwhile, Brent Sass, barring some sort of melt down, looks to have
the win in hand. Or paw. @22 mile lead with @14 miles to
go.
DAY ELEVEN - Wednesday in Weston CT...970 miles almost done...finish line at 977...
- 14 plus miles to go at 1:43pm EST...
- YQ report: https://www.yukonquest.com/news/day-11-back-back
- 10 miles to go at 2:19pm EST...
- 8.6 miles at 2:37pm EST - seems as if they're kicking it in...8.2 at
2:41pm EST...7.8 miles at 2:47pm EST: Black Team moving at 4.8mph.
- Who's to be in lead at the end??? 7.4 miles at2:51 EST...6 miles to go at 3:12pm EST (972.1 miles at 3:18pm EST)...
- Fourth Place for #4 - we knew sleds had brakes for this one also has
BREAKS and more woes...awesome finish for best adapter yet!!!
BLACK TEAM ROCKS!!! And they can now rest and get ready for IDITAROD!!!
YUKON QUEST 300
R&B TEAM MUSHER- above - Bib #63. Junior (r.) is there in lead to take charge! WOOF
Who is on the R&B Team (12 doggies)? Here we go: https://spkennel.com/2020/02/yq300-team-line-up/
DAY ONE
- R&B taking care to control speed for youngest on team, so it
seems. When we checked on Saturday night, speedy first
effort;
- Sunday morning back to near the back of the pack, as the race plan directed! Woof!!!
- We note that first "scratch" made @68 miles.
DAY TWO
DAY THREE
This is a transition day for support team - Dawson City 36-hour rest for YQ1000 and exchange of Crew in the works...
- Great report from Red Team leader, who is playing the role of "update" or "pupdate" analyst.
- R&B leader ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ after getting up and down; roads for cars, trucks snowed in.
- Report from SP Kennel Crew in NZ: R&B Team now 10 strong
after cautionary drop of young Faff...turning about to retrace steps
back to check point...
- With under 50 miles to go, back up Birch Creek to the finish, the
remaining 10 team members didn't need to carry extra weight in the sled.
R&B's back home!!! Great race!!! And did we mention...best race wrap since Jack London!!! WOOF!!!
