When I was introduced to the sport of long distance mushing by a good friend in Alaska, there was this enthusiasm of the those in the know about an inside tip: Keep an eye on the rookie, Lance Mackey, I was told. And so I did, reading the daily accounts by Libby Casey in the Fairbanks Fairbanks Daily News-Miner. Rookie. Toughest of the 1000 milers. Chess player. Pedigree. The accounts began to take more and more account of the new guy. At the conclusion, he bolted out of Chena Hot Springs and I was fortunate to be on the bank at a point near North Pole, where he had claimed the lead and was on the way to claiming his first 1000 mile victory. He fist-pumped to the few of us who had gathered to watch there. The big crowd would be waiting under the bridge in town. Ive seen him play with Zorro unleashed in the snow at Mile 101, the tremendous rapport between musher and lead dog before the challenge of Eagle Summit. Ive seen him in the fire house at Circle City, mechanically eating bacon and eggs with a thousand yard combat stare, having crossed through the perfect storm that trapped a half dozen mushers and teams, requiring an unprecedented Air Guard Dust-Off helicopter evac when the weather finally cleared. At the time, he was on his way to his second straight Quest win. At the time, from his point of view, he was busy trying to survive. Ive seen him scrambling around for booties in the yard at Dawson at 2 in the AM, trying to get ready to launch at the minute his 36 hour layover was complete. And Ive seen him and the team, barking with enthusiasm, lunge out of the gate, eager as hell to get out on the frozen river in the dark to slide in frozen darkness toward the next checkpoint. Ive seen him at Cold Spot Feeds, shaking hands and talking mushing. I chatted with him at the cafe at Fairbanks airport as he was on the way to cheer on the Raiders in Seattle and I was headed back to the outside. But god-dammit, I have not yet seen him on the cover of Sports Illustrated. Robert Seale , will you shoot this guy with me? SI needs to get this story told. And you are the eyes that can capture it. Ill toss in a few words for effect.
Posted on: Tue, 30 Dec 2014 21:05:53 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015