The First 36 Hours

• 1st night met another rookie - trail - attacked by moose - dog died, both teams' dogs quiet.
• Restart after 1st check point - Knick - went well - kissed wife bye - crying - worried - mistakenly reported dead for 2 h on radio later in race.
• Very soon - sled bumped - rolled - Paulsen dragged on face, clothing packed with snow - unzipping coat - shed snow - trust Cookie - lead way - only time she made mistake.
• Followed snow machine track of trapper instead of sled marks - went on 60 miles - wrong way - until Cookie stop dead before huge cliff.
• Turn back - see 27 sleds coming toward them - other teams followed them.
• All try to turn back - chaos/dog fights.
• Moose appears - teams turn and run, Paulsen follow, moose attack team behind him - killed lead dog - musher cry.
• Paulsen offer to help - felt responsible - lead man to moose - drag meat for his dogs to follow, after a few miles - man switch to another dog - went ahead.
• Wind blow clouds away - reveal huge mountain peaks/valleys - very beautiful.
• Try - go back on track + nearly missed checkpoint until Cookie made a turn.
• met volunteer - so tired - couldn't converse right, checked in - finished 100 miles.
• remained - Skwentna checkpoint - 4 h - rest dogs/check feet/feed/water/mend harness.
• Dogs awoke - wanting to go - ran - sunshine/clear skies - across rivers/lakes.
• Most - race -didn't know where he was - just dogs/sled/musher/tracks.
• dogs - didn't want to rest - kept going.
• dark: - landlamp/batteries - check dog feet/snack dogs - trust Cookie - lead the way.
• next checkpoint - trapper's cabin - "Finger Lake" - with other slower mushers.
• some mushers arguing.
• a volunteer told Paulsen - extra bale of straw - bed - he can use - after feed/check dogs.
• check dog feet for "tiny razor snow" cuts while dogs sleep.
• dogs wake - found his meat pattie thawed into slump (dog chow made of unborn calves).
• didn't sleep/talk to other people - thought dog.
• left checkpoint after sunrise. - been going continuely for 36 hours.