Mike Dillingham: Alaska Dogs and Iditarod Mushers: The Adventures of Balto, Back of the Pack, Honor Bound, Rivers

The miles glided by and before we knew it, we were at the checkpoint for the overnight stay. After we pulled off the trail, the race officials checked our gear, to make sure we had all of the required stuff, and the trail vets gave us the once-over. They told Randy we all were okay, and told him where to set up camp for the night. Randy asked them if Dylan had come into the checkpoint. No, they told Randy, Dylan had not checked in yet. That meant he was behind us. Nitro was not happy with that.

Randy set up camp. He made a fire in the camp stove and cooked us a hot meal. Sure tasted like Mary’s cooking…

Randy said, “Ms. Mary made us some special chow for the trail. Told me to make sure you all cleaned your bowls. So, please do that so I can tell her, and make her happy. You know she loves to cook for all of us. And she made me something special also.”

Lakota took his head out of his bowl long enough to tell me that Randy sat down near us and was really enjoying his chow. Ugly made a comment that Randy was sure enjoying his food. “You would think the kid never ate, by the way he is devouring his meal.”

We all figured that Randy did not eat well at the foster home. We guessed that was why Mike and Mary always scheduled chow time for when Randy was with us. Christmas told me that Mary always gave Randy a basket of food before he returned to the foster home.

After we ate, Randy gave us all a lot of individual attention and TLC. You could bet your last dog biscuit that we heaped a bunch of TLC on him also. After that, we just loafed. Ugly was telling some joke, while Nitro was telling bedtime stories to the pups, just like he used to do for Christmas.

I heard the sled pull into the checkpoint. Then I head several voices that were arguing. I could not make out what the voices were saying at first, but it sounded like a very intense argument. It became louder and I heard Musher GB and Musher Stan. Apparently, the musher who came into the checkpoint refused to let the vets check his dogs. I heard Musher GB tell the musher that if the vets did not check his dogs, the musher would be disqualified.

“Dylan, I am warning you for the last time. Let the vets check your dogs or else I will disqualify you from the race.” That was Musher GB.

So, Dylan was behind us. I told Nitro and all of the dogs to keep quiet so I could hear what was going on.

“GB.” It was Musher Stan. “These dogs have fresh welts on their rumps, and there is a jiggle stick with a strap attached to it on the top of the sled bag. These dogs have been whipped!” I could hear the anger in Musher Stan’s voice.

“Did you beat these dogs, Dylan?” Musher GB asked.

“None of your business, they are my dogs,” Dylan replied.

“True, but dog beating is illegal and I will report you to the State Troopers,” Musher GB added. “Consider yourself disqualified from this race. Park your sled and I will have the vets tend to your dogs.

“No way, old man,” Dylan yelled. “Hike, Hike.” Then I heard the sled take off down the trail.

“You want me to go after him, GB?” Musher Stan asked.

“No, he has to show up back at the starting point in order to get home. I will call the troopers and ask them to be there in case he shows up before we do. He will have to stop to rest. By the looks of it, his team is in very bad shape and will lie down on him before long.” Musher GB continued, “Let’s tell the other mushers to keep an eye out for Dylan on the trail, but also warn them that he may cause them trouble.”

In a short while, Musher Stan and Musher GB came by our camp to tell us about Dylan. Randy thanked them and told them that he had known Dylan was on the trail. Randy told Musher GB and Musher Stan that Mike had told him what precautions to take.

“You do what Mike told you to do, Randy,” Musher Stan said. “But if you need any help or have any trouble, just call out. I am camped a little ways down the trail from you.”

“Thank you Mister Stan, I will do that. Think I want to turn in now. I am kind of tired,” Randy said.

Good night Randy,” Musher GB said. “Have a good race.” I heard their footsteps fade in the night as they walked the trail to another team.

Bark about an interesting night. Lakota told me that Randy moved Doc into the sled basket as Mike had suggested, and then put Tundra in there also.

“Doc,” Randy said, “you did very well today, but I know you pushed yourself the last few miles. I know you are very tired so I am putting Tundra in the basket also. You rest while she guards the gear. Besides being a great watchdog, I know Tundra will like being near you tonight. Just do not tell her too many trail stories. You need your rest.”

Nitro told us that Randy moved the team into a circle instead of a straight line. Nitro said that Randy moved all of our gear to the center of the circle and laid out his sleeping bag by the gear. From the way Nitro described it, anyone or anything that wanted to steal our gear or bother Randy had to get through the ring of dogs. Nitro then told me that Randy took Lakota and Nitro out of the team and told them to stay by the gear and sleeping bag. That way, even if someone or something did get past the ring of dogs, they would have to deal with Nitro and Lakota, the team’s biggest dogs, while still having the ring of dogs around them.

This was very smart. I started to wonder how Randy came up with this idea. I heard Sky and Stormy talking and they said “musk ox.”

“Musk ox?” I asked.

“Yes, Uncle Rivers,” Sky said. “When musk ox fear they will be attacked, they stand shoulder to shoulder and form a tight circle around their young. They face out toward the attacker. Musk ox are very big, so the attacker can not get into the circle, because they can not get past the musk ox.”

“Oh,” I said. “How did you know that?” I asked.

Stormy replied, “Randy told us. Actually, when we were smaller and could not run with you, Randy would read to us. He told us that he was practicing his reading so that he could speak and read better. Randy said it was fun to read to us because if he made a mistake, we would not make fun of him. He wanted Mike to be proud of him, since Mike had encouraged him to read and write stories.”

“So,” Sky added, “he read to us about the musk ox and how they live in herds.”

Then Stormy added, “It looks like he remembered them, and decided that the circle would be a great way to protect us tonight, especially with that Dylan boy out there.”

Son of a dog! Randy read to the pups. No wonder they had learned so fast. Mike told Randy to use his wits and I bet Mike would be very proud of how Randy was doing just that.

Before Randy crawled into his sleeping bag, Brownie told me that Randy repositioned the dogs. Fin and Christmas were the lead dogs. Brownie and Sky were in the swing dog positions. Ugly and Stormy came next. The next position was empty since Nitro was inside the circle and Tundra was in the basket. I figured Randy would team them together. Lakota, who was also in the circle, would run with me. I had a hunch that Doc would get to ride the basket home.

“Doc,” Randy said. “You are riding home in the basket tomorrow. I do not want to take a chance on hurting you if I have to run the team very fast because of problems. I know Mike is proud of you for racing this far with us. Thank you.”

Ugly told me that Doc just nuzzled Randy. “It is okay, team,” Doc said. “Randy is right. This was a very smart decision he made. I want to lead you across the finish line, but my musher and my team must come before what I want to do. Christmas and Fin will do a great job of getting you home and keeping you out of trouble if necessary.”

Doc continues to amaze me. He is a true leader, in additional to being great friend.