Bailey finishes her rookie double!
Chatanika, Alaska musher, Jodi Bailey, delighted teachers, mushers and sled dog enthusiast at the Midwest Sled Dog Symposium held in Curtis, Michigan with her keynote speech. Jodi stands alone in the mushing record books. In 2011, she became the first rookie musher to finish both long-distance sled dog races in the same year. Only eighteen other women have run both races and no musher in history, male or female, has run them both successfully in the same year on their first attempt.
Friends and relatives have asked Jodi, “Are you insane, why would anyone want to tackle two 1,000 mile races in the same season?’ Jodi is enthusiastic, energetic and suffers from a severe addiction to mushing but she’s not insane! The long distance races are an opportunity to challenge oneself. Jodi says that goals are created to place a question mark in your mind. The question has to be answered. The idea of having your name on a small piece of history is a great motivator for Bailey. She calls it the Miss America Phenomenon – there are three women standing on the stage holding hands waiting for the announcement of the winner. Only the women in that small group know what it has taken to get there – the dedication, sacrifice, time, effort and cost. That’s how it is for Quest and Iditarod finishers. It’s both empowering and humbling.
Bailey gave a colorful narrative comparing and contrasting the Quest and Iditarod. Most importantly she emphasized each race has its own identity. Quest is run in February when there are 6 hours of daylight and the average temperature is well below zero. Iditarod takes place in March when there is twice as much daylight and average temperatures are slightly above zero. The number of checkpoints is drastically different, nine in the Quest and twenty-two in Iditarod. Much different from Iditarod, Quest mushers can be isolated for 2 to 3 days at a time. During the Iditarod run, mushers have daily contact with villagers, spectators and race volunteers at the checkpoints. Quest is on the road system while Iditarod is not. Having handlers in the Quest makes the checkpoint routine very different from Iditarod. In both races, cash flow is severe.
"I love you, Dogs!"
When asked about spiritual moments on the trail, Bailey says there have been many. There was one time in the Quest while running above the tree line with a full moon and stars as bright as light house beacons when she was overcome with what was happening and where she was – not once but many times she shouted, ”DOGS, I LOVE YOU!” You’re competing against people you really care about. She credits Michelle Phillips and Kelley Griffin for their inspiration. About the sport of mushing, Jodi used the old phrase, “You can’t push a rope. I ask and the dogs choose to let me. They are bi-lingual yet we’ve never spoken a word of their language.”
Jodi has signed up for her second Iditarod. Why? “I want to see the northern route. I want to learn and improve. I want to better understand the race. As a rookie, I made mistakes I can learn from, AND I can make new ones.” Bailey’s rookie time in the Last Great Race was 11 days, 40 minutes and 18 seconds for 31st place. To read more from Jodi, check the Dew Claw Kennel web page – www.dewclawkennel.com.
