Thank you, my Handlers!

Photo by Scott Chesney

Carmacks. The checker was checking for the mandatory equipment: Vet book, axe, snowshoes and sleeping bag. They checked for booties when we'd sign out of the checkpoint. That's Alyssa Quaile, Tammi's handler and fellow musher, standing on the sled. Alyssa raced in the 06 Quest 300 and spent 2 nights on the top of Rosebud Summit, as she was just above me when we all got pinned down by a blizzard that dumped over 2 feet of snow with 90 mph winds, which obliterated the trail and wiped out trail markers. Alyssa, her friend Laura, and a German visitor, Inge were my "entourage" while on the 07 Quest 300. They truly gave me and the dogs the "royal treatment" and spoiled us all rotten. A HUGE thank you goes out to them. I couldn't have done it without them. Handlers are truly the most overlooked, but most important part of running any race. They are the ones supporting the musher, who is generally the one in the limelight. The handlers take care of the dogs, scoop the poop, pick up the straw, sort the left over drop bags, etc. They are the unsung heroes of the Quest.

THANK YOU, Our wonderful, loyal Handlers!!!!