DOGTEC - 2001 Wyoming Race Follow up

FOLLOW OUR TEAM DURING THE 2001 IPRMSSSDR

On this page we will try to bring daily summary of the of each stage during the race.

We would like to thanks our Wyoming sponsor for this year race :
Teton NewMedia and particulary Mr John SPAHR.
Our main sponsor remain the same for now 14 years :
ROYAL CANIN DOG FOOD FRANCE
We work also in collaboration with the
National Vet School of Alfort -France-
and Professor Dominique Grandjean DVM.

At 10:00am we went to the Vet check and after the vet check all feet, shoulders and muscles of the dogs all the dogs got approved to race.
The 16 dogs Jacques entered in the race are : Arashi, Spade, Hyder, Smallet, Runner, Bonzai, Snickers, Iset, Haines, Pepsi, Crow, Binky, Dior, Cardin, Niki and Big Blue
During the Vet check kids from the local "4H" program came to watch the dogs and get authograph of the mushers.
Around 6pm we went to the Opening banquet of the race at the "Teton Pines" next to Teton village. It was great to meet all our friends mushers and their "spouse/handlers".
We enjoy nice western music and dancers. We also enjoy the good food.
This year 22 mushers are entered in the race, and 7 are from Alaska. One of the rookie musher is only 15 years old: Rachael Scdoris.
Click here to see pictures of the Vet Check

Jacques's time today: 9mn 45 (Winner stage 1: Bruce Lee 8mn 01sec)
Dogs that run in our team, leaders: Arashi and Smallet ; Team: Binky, Runner, Big Blue and Cardin.
Today was a ceremonial start and finish inside Jackson Hole. The weather was great, very sunny and 9°F. Our team took it as a "fun run". The mayor of the City was the first musher out and second was Steve from Pedigree Dog food.
Since the race is run in reverse start our strategy was to go slow today so Jacques could start as early as possible tomorrow morning so the dogs run under cool temperature in the morning.
After the run we headed back to John and Page's house where we are unloading, cleaning and repacking the truck for the "real" start tomorrow at 9:00am in KOA Moran !
Click here to see pictures of Day 1

Jacques's time today: 3h 34mn 29 -second place- (Winner stage 1: Hans Gatt 3h 29mn 32sec)
Today started the "real" race. Jacques took 10 dogs leaders: Spade and Hyder ; Team: Runner, Iset, Bonzai, Dior, Niki, Pepsi, Crow and Haines.
The stage was 45 miles the dogs did good even in the "hot" wyoming sun and they weren't very tired after the stage, when we stop the team at the dog truck Runner was barking like crazy!
. During the stage the teams go over To-Gow-Thee pass at over 10000Ft !
Tonight we are staying with Irene Broderick who host us for the last 5 years!
She is a wonderful person and own a Bed & Breakfast, she is also a school teacher. She owns a land in a beautiful part of Dubois.
In one of the old cabin on the homestead Butch Cassidy came and stayed!
Tommorow the race start in Dubois adn Jacques will go for an over night camping at Elk Ridge Lodge and may be I can get there too and take few pictures.

Click here to see pictures of Day 2

Dubois Snow Oval to Elk Ridge Lodge, 58 miles (campout)

Jacques time: 5h 11mn 05sec (lead stage Melanie Sherila 4h 41mn)
Jacques took 10 dogs: Leaders: Spade & Arashi. Team: Runner, Bonzai, Dior, Blue, Binky, Cardin, Snicker, Smallet.
Today Jacques experienced some problems. The weather first was pretty warm and after 25 miles Smallet seems tired and got to be inside the sled bag for 40mn for rest and then run the end of the stage. Binly after 40 miles go tired too. He finished the stage but was pretty tired.
During this stage of the race handlers can come and pick up the dogs that the mushers are no willing to use for the morning. Jacques dropped Binky in the evening so he can rest inn the truck.
On the "handlers" side we had to drive back to Jackson and stop at John and Page's house to pick up the dog food aqnd the meat and then continue to Pinedale.
We spend the evening at Elk Ridge and slept in Erick Laforce camper ! we cozy... so we were right there to pick up the dog in the morning.

Click here to see pictures of Day 3

Jacques time: 2h 24mn 26sec (lead stage Ken Anderson 2h 21mn 06sec)
Jacques had 8 dogs to go down to Pinedale, he dropped Spade in the morning. Spade is in great shape but he wanted him to get one day off, this is what we can call a "strategic" decision... Jacques used in Lead Arashi and Bonzai. Smallet one more time run in the sled bag for the last 15 miles.
The vets looked at Smallet and except that he is little stiff on the back legs nothing seems wrong with him.
The wind was blowing very hard in the flat lands ! Arashi did very well, I guess Jacques's Japanese is getting better
We are staying with Stan and Madeline MURDOCK, they are both cattle rancher and have around 400 cows. They are very nice people and have a very nice place.

Click here to see pictures of Day 4

Today Jacques left Irish canyon with the 10 following dogs: Leaders: Hyder & Spade ; Team: Runner, Snickers, Iset, Haines, Pepsi, Crow, Big Blue, Niki.
I will have no picture from the over night camping since I cannot access it from the road. Sebastien and I had 5 hours drive to Lander. We are staying with Howard and Princess Killebrew who owns the "N-C" ranch and they own raise and sell Black Angus Cows. The meat from those cows is GREAT ! we are havings a great diner with T-Bone sirloin steaks !! Hummm...

Click here to see pictures of Day 5

Jacques time: 3h 25mn 34sec (lead stage Hans Gatt 3h 18mn 18sec)
Today Jacques had the 10 following dogs: Leaders: Hyder & Spade ; Team: Runner, Snickers, Iset, Haines, Pepsi, Crow, Big Blue, Niki.
Jacques enjoyed the campout the snowmachine snowpokes club organize for the race. He really appreciate the effort the club does for the mushers and the dogs.
The teams looked very good today except that Hyder had to ride in the sled bag for 8 miles, so Spade cross the finish line in single lead.
Crow have a little hole on one of his pads so the vet came and put a patch on it.
The banquet in Lander is great ! Super food and great Indian dance show !

Click here to see pictures of Day 6

Jacques time: 1h 59mn 00sec (lead stage Ken Anderson 1h 55mn 57sec)
Today Jacques had the 10 following dogs: Leaders: Hyder & Bonzai ; Team: Arashi, Dior, Haines, Pepsi, Cardin, Binky, Smallet, Crow.
The stage got shorten because of no snow in Atlantic city.
Jacques tried again Smallet and Binly since the run was short and he wasn't satisfied with them.
The other did very good.
After the race we went to Atlantic city for lunch.
After we ehaded toward Evanston, very long drive. We got in Evanston around 6:30pm and and by the time we got the dogs take care of we had diner around 10pm.
Our host family in Evanston is Pam and Adam Fuller and their little boy Benjamin. They are very nice people ad jsut moved in a new very large house. This is the 3rd year we are staying with Pam and Adam

Click here to see pictures of Day 7

Jacques time: 3h 22mn 05sec (lead stage Hans Gatt 3h 13mn 46sec)
Today Jacques had the 10 following dogs: Leaders: Hyder & Bonzai ; Team: Runner, Snickers, Iset, Arashi, Crow, Big Blue, Niki, Cardin.
Jacques was very happy with is run and he said the dogs did good and also mention he never ask them to speed up the all way !
The Team look pretty good for the 64 miles stage tomorrow.

After the stage we stopped in Mountain View where we meet the poeple of the city and have a great lunch. After we head on to Kemmerer and there we are staying with Steve and Janice JOHNSON. This is the third year we are staying with them, they are very nice people. Steve is the Manager of the P&M Coal Mine.

Click here to see pictures of Day 8

Jacques time: 6h 13mn 53sec (lead stage Hans Gatt 6h 02mn 54sec)
Today Jacques had the 10 following dogs: Leaders: Spade & Bonzai ; Team: Runner, Iset, Dior, Arashi, Pepsi, Big Blue, Niki, Haines.
This is the longest stage of the race, Mushers have a pretty long run. Jacques had a pretty good run, Dior was tired at the end and he was "stiff" after the stage.
The end of the stage is along side the road and is very soft so it is kind of hard for the dogs to run fast in it.
At the finish line it was rainning ! not very nice to work on the dogs... and check there feet.
In Smooth we stay with Ernie Pogetie and Jerrie Taylor, they live in California and come in they "summer house" just to host us ! They have a wonderful log house, go look at the picture.
Click here to see pictures of Day 9

Jacques time: 5h 49mn 04sec (lead stage Melanie Sherilla 5h 33mn 36sec)
Today Jacques had the 11 following dogs: Leaders: Hyder & Spade ; Team: Runner, Snickers, Iset, Arashi, Crow, Bonzai, Niki, Cardin, Haines.
So Jacques left for the last camp out we had to drive to Alpine to meet our host family. The road was windy and foggy and the truck were following each other like a "caravan".
Along site the road we saw place were the state feed the Elk! pretty big and nice looking animals.
When We got to Alpine I got a snowmachine to go up to Box Y (thanks Dan for letting me use you Yamaha) and I could see the dogs, Jacques and take pictures.
Jacques said everything went fine except Iset was "stiff" on her shoulder. For now 6 days we are massaging her with Algyval and keeping her shoulder warm before each start with a shoulder warmer made by Katahdin Mushing Supplies. This really help a lot. I hope she get a good night sleep and can run good the last 30 miles of the race to go down to Alpine. Click here to see pictures of Day 10

Jacques time: 1h 59mn (leader of the stage)
Today Jacques had the 11 following dogs: Leaders: Hyder & Spade ; Team: Runner, Snickers, Iset, Arashi, Crow, Bonzai, Niki, Cardin, Haines.
Well Jacques had a pretty good run ad posted the fastest time today. Dogs were very happy of the cool temperature -10°f and also appreciated the hard trail.
In Alpine we are staying with the Collyar's very nice people.

Click here to see pictures of Day 11

Today Jacques had the 11 following dogs: Leaders: Bonzai & Spade ; Team: Runner, Snickers, Iset, Niki, Cardin, Haines, Pepsi.
Jacques posted the second fastest time only 3 second slower than Ken Anderson. Ken worked very hard to try to make up time on our dogs but our dogs are definitely faster.
Jacques is overall happy with the race, the dogs did has good as they could and this all we can ask. Many of our main dogs are getting old and for few of them this will be their last Wyoming race.
After the race was over the Junior race was going on ! The junior musher are selected in every stage the race goes and to be able to run in the event the junior musher have to do at leasdt 10 hours of community service and also donate a small amount of money to a charity of their choice. Jacques junior musher was ANNA NEARY. Anna run with 3 dogs and did very good ! she pasted 5 teams !!!!
Anna seems very happy with her race.

Click here to see pictures of Day 12