Dogsled.com: Mushing news, Iditarod, Yukon Quest, sled dog events

"I owe it all to an incredible dog team," declared Lance Mackey to those in attendance at the Wasilla Chamber of Commerce's Salute to the Iditarod.  "It was an honor to see the front page of the Anchorage Daily News acknowledging their accomplishment."  The ADN did a brief profile on the Mackey dogs, noting the personality and contributions of each.

Mackey was in Wasilla on Tuesday as keynote speaker for the Wasilla Chamber of Commerce's Salute to the Iditarod.  Introduced by the Iditarod's public relations director, Chas St. George, Mackey quipped that Chas neglected to tell him he had to talk for his meal until he got into town that morning, but there was no doubt that he had plenty to say, most of it was tribute after tribute to the dog team that got him "from Whitehorse to Nome," as many have dubbed his accomplishment of winning the Yukon Quest and Iditarod back-to-back.

"I just kinda lived up to my dogs' expectations of me," said Lance, who'd gone into the Yukon Quest planning to run two different teams in the two races.  Although the Quest victory certainly wasn't an easy one for Lance, he wasn't pressed to the degree he'd expected, which lead to him running essentially the same dog team in both races.  And, to answer the question going around at race time, thirteen of his Quest dogs ran the Iditarod with him. 

"I had hopes, a dream, and a vision," he said.  "I was racing me, not anyone else in particular."

Taking one day at a time seemed to be his motto.  Noting that he's tended to thrive on the underestimation of some, Lance emphasized that he didn't get wrapped up in what everyone else was doing, either before or during the race.  "Some teams went by me early on in the Iditarod," he said, "making it look at times like I was tied to a tree."  He flashed that trademark Mackey grin.  "I figured I'd see them again, tho', and I did."  He paused, letting it sink in that he meant he'd passed the teams that flashed past him earlier, teams that never saw anything but his back for the rest of the race. 

While some have argued that Lance Mackey was simply lucky in the past, it's hard to anyone to argue that anymore.  He might thrive on being seen as an underdog, but his skill and natural dog savvy deserve recognition.  He's done what no musher before him thought possible, win the two premiere long distance sled dogs races in the same year.  As Jeff King quipped early in the race after watching Lance pass him on one runner, "It's not chance, it's Lance."

Lance had his share of problems in both races, but his Iditarod experiences were maginified by the fact he broke his sled in the Quest.  As a result, he didn't send out a second sled in the Iditarod, a mistake he noted he'd never make again.  150 miles into the Iditarod, he broke a runner, just the beginning of his problems.

"I did the Gorge and Burn on one runner by choice," he notes however.  He had the option of waiting a day, perhaps more, for a sled to be flown out to him during this early stage of the race.  He chose to continue on his busted sled. 

"It wasn't the most fun I've ever had," he deadpanned, "but it was certainly memorable." 

He recalls following Martin Buser along one stretch of trail, getting some source of inspiration watching Buser, on two good runners, take a spill.  Of course, he notes, "while I was chuckling, I fell over myself."  Such is life on the Iditarod Trail, tho' Lance took obvious pride in remembering passing Martin on one runner. 

At Rohn, long time checker Jasper offered Lance the use of some old skis, perhaps circa the '80's, laughed Lance, "and the MacGyver in me came out."  Fashioning the old skis into runners, Lance was able to make it up the trail.

"It wasn't pretty, but it worked," he said.  Probably feeling as if he were inside a giant pinball machine, he hit tussock after tussock, was tossed over the handlebars, dragged, dirt in his mouth instead of snow, and in general was miserable.  He vowed at one point to rip the makeshift runners off the sled as by that point he was thinking it'd been easier with just one runner.  He didn't have to rip them off, however.  They broke, too. 

That was when Alaska Amber came to his rescue.  Remember, Lance hadn't shipped out a second sled.  Alaska Amber chartered a plane and flew a sled to him in McGrath.   

While having an unbroken sled certainly helped, it wasn't easy, even then.  His dogs picked up a virus and he felt the need to back off from the pace.  "At that point, I figured I wasn't going to win the race," he admitted, but was determined to finish with happy, healthy dogs.  He credits the vets with making it possible to continue and eventually win his race. 

Taking his 24 in Iditarod, he cited the teamwork that came into play with a former neighbor, Paul Gebhardt.  Both had planned on going further, but the trail did not allow that.  There was no snow and it was rough, "even on two runners." 

At that point, "there was no room for mistakes," said Lance.  "Absolutely none." 

photo by Brenda Borden - cooldreams.net

The rest, as they say, is history.  Lance's joyful run up Front Street in Nome will long be remembered.  Chas St. George noted that "Lance was up and down the chute, thanking everyone, embracing the moment, talking to the fans, pulling them into the moment."  As he ran, barely escaping being tackled and knocked to the ground by brother Jason, Mackey pointed to the #13 bib adorning his chest.  Improbable as it might seem, he'd done exactly what he set out to do, win the Iditarod on his sixth try, wearing the same number his father Dick Mackey and brother Rick had worn during their victories, both also on their sixth Iditarod.

photo by Brenda Borden - cooldreams.net

Asked later what he'd like people to remember Lance Mackey for, Lance barely paused before answering.

"I want people to know that I love life and I love my dogs," he declared. 

Speaking for the 'little guy, he went on to note that the sheer fact he was standing there before them was proof positive that someone with "a beat up truck, devotion to and dedication to their dogs, and a love of the sport" could succeed. 

From this, Iditarod Dreams are kindled.

Comments (4)

Subscribe to this comment's feed