2003
Kuskokwim 300
Race Photos
Here are the dogs in Bethel... amazingly they adapted to
being dropped in someone else's yard, close together, and
snuggled together in their half crates.They were so good
during this trip, I was so proud of them.
On the right:  Debbie, my host family member, who  
welcomed me to Bethel and drove us all around town.
The kids, a mixture belonging to three families,
great kids with true community spirit.  We really
enjoyed the families we met in Bethel.
My host family took us on a tour of Bethel and I took this
picture from one of the newer subdivisions a bit out of
town, looking back toward Bethel.  It's flat as far as you
can see but has character.  We met so many nice people
there with such community spirit, it was a good
experience for us.



Jan in the K300 start chute





Riyah and Piglet in the K300 start chute (what hams!)


Photos: K300.org
The next group of pictures are general trail pics.  During the times we were either
on a slough, portage, or on a part of the trail the dogs could actually follow, I
was able to take some photos.  The one that shows not much trail, mostly ice is
more representative of what we experienced and why the dogs had a hard time
following it.  I didn't take any pictures while we were off trail, crossing the trail
or otherwise wandering around on the Kuskokwim River... but this should give
you an idea!!!
The sunset on the Kuskokwim River was beautiful.  At one point we were passing
by huge chunks of ice that heaved up from the river and as the sun shone
through one of them I snapped a photo.  I'm surprised it turned out this good as
it was just a chance shot with a disposable camera, but it was so beautiful out
there.  The river was quite an amazing place and it was the first time I'd been on
such a huge river before.  I should apologize for the graininess of these photos.
I did not use my usual digital camera and the
disposables went through the airport x-ray machines (they're wrong, they do
ruin the film... some of them were completely ruined, these are the best ones we
got).  So DO NOT let them put your film through their x-ray machines, no matter
what they tell you at the airport... it does fry the film.
Here we are at the Tuluksak Checkpoint.  Yes, we're already
far behind the rest of the pack, but it was fun anyway.  The
dogs and mushers were both tired.  I think it's much easier
on both if you travel faster, get to where you are going and
then rest... instead of taking the scenic route!!! :-)  
Apparently they had never seen any mushers take pictures
before, so this is where they joked that maybe we'd be faster
now that we ran out of film (when I finished a roll).
Zena, Ace and Teela in the foreground, tangled around the
power pole in Kalskag.  We finally made it there and while I
was inside the school the dogs got themselves
into quite a mess.  Even the vets took a picture of that one!  
:-)


The whole team and their t
angled mess... hmmmm, what do we do now mom?
And, last but not least... the infamous Jim Leach,
DVM, the Race Marshall (in fur parka, probably
discussing the two lagging mushers... who could
that be?)

and

The mighty Kuskokwim River from the airplane we
chartered to get ourselves out of Kalskag and back
to Bethel.  Somewhere down there is a trail... but
we couldn't find it from land or air!  :-(  maybe next
time.