Saturday/Sunday February 28-March 1, 1998
It was -5 degrees when we left home in Willow, but warmed considerably by race time. Mushers needed to be at the race site (Aurora Dog Track, Big Lake, AK) and ready for their sled bag checks by 9:00 AM. I arrived at 8:30, pulled the sled off the truck and organized my gear. I unloaded my dogs, gave them water, and checked repeatedly to make sure I was ready for my adventure.
I knew once I was on the trail I would stop worrying and just enjoy the run and if I were missing something I would just deal with it. But in the last moments before the race I was racking my mind trying to be sure not to forget anything. I had my cooker, dog dishes, cooler, and 20 lbs. of dog food plus trail snacks. I added the required 3000 calories human food plus snacks, two head lamps, snowshoes, ax, sleeping bag, 40 booties, spare gloves and socks, lighter, HEET, rain gear, knife, and many other items I would need on the trail.
Soon I was sure I was ready and by this time many friends had come to the start to wish me luck. My father, Uncle Charlie, Jenni, George, Evelyn, Shawn, Krystal, Orlene, Joan, Bruno, Ted, Carol, Jon, Brad, Jamie, Maureen, Romano, Larry, and many others were there. I was amazed to see so many people come!
My lines were stretched out in front of my packed sled. The team stood booted, harnessed, and ready to go. I stood near my sled and with all 10 dogs watching my every move, howling and begging to go, when I realized this was it. I had worked and worked all winter toward this event and I was there and ready to go. I wasn't sure what would happen on the trail, but I was sure I had tried my best to prepare my team for this event. I tried to calm the dogs and hug them, but they sensed my excitement and looked at me as if to say "Let's go then, let's go!" My friends helped to hook up the team and I watched them all pull and leap into their harnesses. It took many hands to control the team as my dad and I rode the sled runners to the start. The officials called out the countdown and my team burst out of the chute and down the trail toward Yentna. I was very happy.

My excited dogs ran much too fast for the first few miles though I was standing on my brake. I caught Andy Moderow just 2 miles out of the chute. His team is faster than my team so I knew my dogs needed to slow down and pace themselves. Once I passed him they began to listen to me and settle down into a pace I thought was best. I had Galena, Chero and Pooga at a trot and most of the other dogs loping. Andy ran behind me for several miles, and soon we caught Esther Keim from Skwentna, AK. I passed her and the three of us traveled together for about 3 miles. Andy called up his team and we didn't see him again until Yentna. Esther and I ran along together for probably 24 miles. This part of the trail followed the same route as the Ship Ahoy race. When we came to the little wooden sign which pointed to "Nome" we continued toward the Yentna River instead of turning back as we did in the former race.
Esther and I had a raven following our teams for miles. He would soar over our heads, land on a tree about 1/4 mile ahead of us, watch us pass him, fly over our heads again, stop and wait and so on. I am sure he was waiting for a scrape of meat.
Just past the Nome sign we caught Stacy Johnson and then one of the Hepler brothers. We ran in a group for a few miles. The trail continued into a familiar area along which Shawn and I had traveled on our camping trip last December. This straight and long section of trail is heavily used by snowmachines. It might be boring except the Susitna Mountain is directly to the left of the trail. I just pedaled along and gazed at the awesome view of the mountain. My team pulled away from the other teams covering this section of trail as though they were looking for more interesting trail.
I had already seen many small airplanes during the race, but in the swamps airplanes began to fly lower to see the teams. Several photographers flew out with the bush pilots to get photos of the teams, and in this swamp I am quite sure Jeff Schultz was buzzing my team. Sometimes they really came low! Soon the trail dropped onto the Yentna River where we traveled for about 22 miles. The river trail was pretty nice this winter, and was covered with snowmobile tracks so I really didn't really feel alone in the wilderness. My father, Uncle Charlie, and Marilyn Stevens arrived in and airplane while I was on the river. The yellow Cessna flew over me and my team many times, then landed on the river ahead and everyone hopped out to take photos as my team trotted past them. I didn't really expect to see them out there!
About 1/2 mile away from Yentna on the river, the race trail left the river and followed a 14 mile loop around Yentna and dropped back onto the river about 4 miles upriver from the Roadhouse. This trail was pretty good, but punchy in some spots. I arrived at Yentna just after 7:00 PM. The run had taken a bit longer than I had expected, but considering the temperature, it had been good day's work.
I signed in with the official and parked my team. I fed my dogs the meat broth I had carried on the sled, removed their booties and checked feet. The dogs rested as I walked to the building to retrieve my drop bag #1, HEET, and straw. While snow melted in the cooker, I bedded the dogs in straw and looked them over for any injuries. After I applied wrist wraps to a few of the dogs, I ate my own dinner. By then it was time to feed the dogs, so I picked up drop bag #2. I tried to organize my gear so that I could depart quickly in the morning. I talked a bit with a few mushers, who were sitting around the campfire enjoying the beautiful night. Soon I climbed into my sled and tried to rest. I was still feeling the effects of my cold and had a slight headache and needed to rest. It was fun to sleep in my sled with pine trees and a clear starlight sky over my head. About a dozen of the other mushers were joking and laughing around the campfire, my dogs were curled up in little balls sound asleep, as I peacefully drifted to sleep.

Day 2:
At 1:00 AM I had to go into the lodge and defrost my toes a bit and then I returned to my sled. At 3:20 AM I got up and feed my dogs breakfast and melted a few Capri Suns in my cooker to have with my breakfast. I rested in my sled until 5:00 when I began packing up for the trip home. Teams had been departing since about 4:30 and at 6:15 AM I was on my way back to Big Lake. For a few hours it was nice and cool (about -25) and my team made good time. We passed 3 teams before leaving the Yentna River. By the time we were in the huge swamps, the sun was strong and we slowed down, but we were still able to pass two more teams. As we crossed the Susitna River, we were in 7th place and I felt that we could hold on to that position.
It was a beautiful run home, and I was so pleased with having all 10 dogs running well. I couldn't believe the Junior Iditarod was almost over. I didn't want it to be over so soon! At the 73 miles point we past within sight of the finish line and parking lot, but still had a two mile loop to complete. This was hard on my dogs as they gazed at the trucks to their left, yet I commanded them to go "Gee!" Jordan hauled into her harness and soon the others went back to work. When we finished that section of trail, the team pulled the sled up to the finish line officials where we stopped for my sled bag check.
All the dogs rested while the race judge checked for my mandatory equipment. I called the team up to take us to the truck, and all but Blackjack stood up. Poor Blackjack, at nine years of age, had worked the entire 150 miles for me. Now he was down for a rest, and was not going to take another step. George Bailey stepped up and asked, "May I?" I grinned and nodded, and George unhooked the lines and scooped Blackjack up onto his shoulder. Blackjack seemed a bit embarrassed, but accepted the short ride graciously. The team had soup and meat chunks waiting for them at the truck thanks to Shawn and my Dad. I called my mom in Minnesota on the cellular phone to let her know that I had finished the race. My team was in 7th place of the 20 teams entered. Sixteen teams finished the race and four mushers scratched. After the dogs had rested, we loaded them into the truck and brought them back to Howling Dog Farm and got them settled for the night. That evening I sat with my family and friends at the Awards Banquet and enjoyed a perfect end to my Junior Iditarod.

Monday, March 2 1998:
What an awesome and wonderful experience! I can't quite believe the Junior Iditarod is already over. Twenty dog sled driving teenagers got together for 2.5 short days, and had a wonderful time which we will remember forever.
I must go out to take care of my dogs, and feed the eagles.
Wow! I have received 76 emails from people. That is awesome! I had no idea so many people knew of my team! I have to check all the dogs over carefully again today. They are really looking great!