Last week I spend 5 days camped out at the Sawbill Checkpoint for the John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon just outside Tofte Minnesota and close to the shores of Lake Superior. I've visited the Sawbill Checkpoint on a couple of prior races but only for a short time and always missed most of the action, so this year I drove up a day prior to the race start and was really able to be part of it.
Admittedly this was no deep wilderness adventure. I did use my toboggan to haul in gear, I did rely on wood I gathered to fire up my stove, and there was no cell-phone coverage. My car, however, was just 150 yards from my campsite, and on two evenings I opted to drive 15 minutes to the local bar for a burger, pint, and wifi access rather than cook my own food. Still, I was camped out with my tent and stove in Minnesota's great north woods just south of the BWCA and the Canadian border. It's my belief that all time spent outside is better than all time spent inside. Next month I'll try to push my limits on an adventure - this month car camping is just fine. And car camping means a few extra luxuries can be had.
Camp set up went swimmingly, though it was a bit warm at about 35ºF. I was pleased with how easily the snow stakes (pegs) I recently purchased to anchor my tent guy lines went into the wet snow - though would be frustrated 5 days later when I tried to dig them out. This was definitely a case where wooden disposable stakes would have been better. One advantage of the warm weather was it made it easy for me to "sculpt" a holder for what I now call my "snofa" - an 4 foot insulated folding bench I that I whipped up from scrap the day before heading up. I just threw hinges on two 4 foot by 15 inch chunks of plywood, and glued some rigid pink foam to the back for insulation - and combined with a thick carpet over the top I had a very comfortable place to lounge for the next several days. I will never happily sit on a milk crate again. My blanket covered folding chair may have looked good but didn't really work as the legs kept sinking into the snow. Overall, however, this was probably the best, most comfortable camp set up I have ever had - at any time of the year.
In addition to the official checkpoint volunteers, there were several other canvas hot-tenters who showed up to hang out and watch the race events. Shortly after I had my camp set two neighbor campers stopped by to say hello, and I was a bit caught off guard when one saw my olive-oil can candle lantern and more or less said "are you on Wintertrekking.com? Are you Jawax?" Ugh, yeah, that's me! Turns out is was Slush Walker! Of all things to be recognized by an empty olive oil can! Surprise aside, I was very happy to meet Slush Walker and we stood side by side helping steer dog teams off the road and onto the trail until well after 3:00am one night. Very happy to get to know you, Slush Walker. Any photos to add?
I know there are several active members on this forum who run dogs for recreation, racing, tourism or trapping. I hope you will add comments or corrections as you see fit. I have to say I have been mesmerized since the first time i saw racing teams getting set up to run. I could not, and still can not, fully understand the unbelievable urge they have to run. I dare say, no human I have ever known or are likely to know, will ever wake up after a short nap with such a fierce urge to get to work that they must be physically restrained. If I possessed a fraction of a sled dog's spirit to work, I would in but a few years make Warren Buffet look like a poor man. I am also in awe of what the mushers on long raced go through. I've never been very good with sleeplessness, but it seems to be a key competitive variable in a longer race. The Beargrease, for those unfamiliar, is about 380 miles long, is an Iditarod qualifying race, and is the longest race in the lower 48.
Overall it was an amazing and unusual year to be at the Sawbill Checkpoint. As usual, all of the Marathon (380 miles) racers came through, and then after a loop cam back dow toward the finish line a day or so later. In addition, because the race start was moved north from Duluth due to snow conditions, all of the Mid-distance racers came into and out of Sawbill as well. It was a very busy place from about 5pm to almost 4am, and then after a day's break, got busy again with all the downbound marathon teams.
My Canadian cousins, your folk were well represented in this race. Newcomer Jason Campeau set a very early fast pace, and ended up coming in just second to 4 time winner Nathan Schroeder. Jason was an Iditarod finisher, and former professional hockey player. Quebecois Julie Albers ran, and Carl Routhierr finished his first Beargrease and won Best Kept Team. I was at the finish when his team came in, and was amazed at how gentle and calm his dogs were after a 380 mile run.
It was an amazing experience to watch all these teams start, run and finish this race. It's just an amazing display of endurance, dedication, will, and passion. If you have never seen such a race up close, I suggest you have a watch. If you, like me, are always looking for another reason to toss your tent up and do something in winter, I'd suggest you contact a race volunteer coordinator in your area as each race is always looking for more people to help manage starts, finishes, checkpoints, and road crossings.
Overall it was a terrific 5 days, with some traditional camp stuff like heating water and processing firewood, and some more dog oriented. On the last day after getting most of my own camp broken I helped tear down parts of the checkpoint - like restacking unused firewood, hauling unused bales of hay, or dropping and folding the gargantuan Snowtrekker tent. I was the last one to leave the checkpoint and head south, but I ended up not getting far before one last stop before heading to watch the last finishers. At the mouth of the Temperance River just south of Tofte, I found what I had hoped to see with a northeast wind - waves. As if winter camping isn't odd enough, I anticipated the winds and prepared for one of my other favorite north shore pastimes - surfing. Waves were moderate, but more than sufficient as my skill level has waned in the past few years, but it was amazing to paddle out as a way to finish a winter camping trip. After a few waves, it was back into my parka, wool pants, and mukluks, and down to Billy's for the last finishers and a pint. I'm already looking forward to next year's race.
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