The Final Leg

The mushers award banquet is starting now at the Paxson Lodge with a room full of red faced happy- to- be finished mushers. Teams are still coming in as far as I know. We had to push back the award time from 2 to 5 with trail boss John Schandelmeier barley making it in time himself as he ran back from Maclaren with the last group of dropped dogs, 42 miles in with wind and cooling temps. It's sitting at -32 on Paxson Lake.

As race organizer and director this year working from the Paxson end with minimal information coming in throughout the race, I did my best to keep concerned mothers, fathers, husbands. wives, friends and fans informed as you called in on the phone. It was Very cold out there for the mushers this year and with some brutal conditions. Theresa Daily posted some great photo's from the Maclaren checkpoint.

Congrats Jodi Bailey! 2 time Champion of the 2008 Gin Gin 200! Her team was smoking hot when they arrived the finish line, still pulling hard and ready to go. I was there anxiously awaiting to check her in ---- with this bad bug I caught over the weekend, I didn't dare give her the hug I wanted to give.

CONGRATS TO ALL THE MUSHERS OF THE 2008 GIN GIN 200.


zd

Today there are no frogs

Too cold for frogs. Minus 44 on the Maclaren. This place is emptying quickly as teams head for balmy, 20 below, Paxson. Still blowing on 13 mile, though not as hard. A load of dropped dogs just arrived in Paxson. 7 teams are in--- with another 25 or so on the trail. Jodi Bailey was the fastest overall for the 2nd year in a row---Brent Sass is the fastest guy and 2nd overall. Colleen Robertia; 3rd overall. Congratulations to these 3 teams in particular for staying focused and moving steadily in extremely adverse conditions.
john