Bill Beard is a handler for Normand Casavant for this year's Quest. He's agreed to take a few pictures on the trail and send them in to be posted here. It'll provide a "behind" the scene look at the Quest from a handler's perspective.
Here are some of his photos:
Day 12 (Feb. 18)
Normand finished the race in style at 07:41 this morning. He was tired the dogs looked great. They could have easily gone another 200 miles!
The run in from Two Rivers was pretty smooth for the team. He is very, very proud of his team They were well trained and in excellent condition. It really showed when a small 8 dog team just breezed through Rosebud and Eagle summits. Many of the other larger teams experienced a lot of hardship getting through these sections.
The handling team is very proud of him.
Normand is happy with his race with the only regret being that he didn't have more healthy veteran dogs.
We had to make a run into Fairbanks yesterday to get Trippante (dropped in Circle City ) looked at. She was still having trouble breathing. It turns out she has pneumonia so we are treating her for that. She is doing better now.
She is disappointed that she has to ride in the dog box in the back now. She was liking riding front getting spoiled!
Thanks for all your support.
Day 10 (Feb. 16)
Bill checks in from Central today. He writes "Waiting for Normand to arrive at Central. He is down to 8 dogs now. The race has become less important to just finishing. Started to snow here now so the summits could be interesting."
Day 7 (Feb. 13)
After the mushers leave Dawson City, the handlers have to break camp, clean up the camp site (rake up that straw), pack up the vehicles and head out on the 1,450 km trip to Fairbanks. In the summer, there's a road between Dawson City and Tok, Alaska. But it's not open in the winter. So the handlers have to drive back to Whitehorse before heading up the Alaska Highway to Fairbanks. Bill and 2 other drivers took turns and drove through the night. They are in Fairbanks, catching up on some sleep.
Norman has dropped 5 dogs so far. The handlers call them "the tourists". (And for good reason. They had a great ride from Dawson City to Whitehorse.) They're all back home in their Tagish dog lot today.
Day 4 (Feb. 10)
Made it to Dawson
Ever wonder what a handler does? They set up camp. "We are ready for him now. Have a nice cozy doggy camp set up."
This tent is for the handlers. Dawson is the only checkpoint where the handlers can give the musher a break from dog care. So they sleep near the dogs.
This is for the dogs. Give them a quiet cozy place where they can rest for the final half of the journey.
Dig out the picnic table.
Another spectacular view.
On the way to Dawson.
A beautiful – but cold – sunrise over a valley.
These are the dropped dogs taking a break.
Day 3 (Feb. 9)
When you go camping along the Quest Trail, make sure you take LOTS of wood.
Sunset in Pelly Crossing. The dogs getting some well deserved rest.
The morning sunrise over McCabe Creek dog drop. Vast, cold land.
Day 1:
Early morning – before sunrise. Time to feed the dogs. It's cold (-33 C.) and dark. But the work must get done.
The sled needs to be packed.
Time to get ready for the start. Time to put the harnesses on.
