Martin Buser:
All the way to Nome!
“Do you want a hotdog?” At first we
didn’t know who it was. The team was getting closer. I could hear
the rhythmic breathing of the dogs.
“No thanks I’ve got sixteen of em
right here!” Ah, Martin Buser. Right on time. Right on cue.
He’s been hitting us with that line
for over fifteen years. Every year we ask, “Do you want a hotdog?” and
every year he comes back with “No thanks I’ve got sixteen of em right here!”
Despite the customary Buser
denial, we managed to hand off our hot dogs to over ninety percent of the
mushers again. We have a good spot. Our Igloo/ bonfire is about
sixty miles into the race. Most of the mushers are hungry by then.
Buns are warmed on a propane
grill then loaded with a big Costco wiener hot out of the boil and nestled atop
a conservative smear of our secret sauce. (pssst- it’s ketchup, mustard,
and relish-we call it ketchtard. Patent pending.)
Before we could begin cheering
for Martin though, he pulled another one on us. Quick as a wink he
flopped two big bags of dog treats on the snow in front of us. Vacuum packed
loosely, one was filled with about twenty frozen salmon steaks; the other was
filled with about five pounds of bacon. Hmmm, Interesting.
Before we could contemplate this move our
friend Bill sounded off with his telltale call: “All the way to Nome!”
A grateful “Thanks.” was
heard from Martin as he turned to look back at us. Commence
cheering.
This wasn’t the first time we’d been
graced with Buser’s droppings. It’s been about ten years but one time he
plopped several neatly vacuum-sealed meals on the trail at our feet after
cheerfully denying a hotdog. Portion sized squares of lasagna, garlic
bread, and even a plastic fork were all pressed neatly together in each of the
clear plastic bags. Hmmm, Interesting.
I learned later that these
sealed meals are dropped into the boiling pot with the dog water, ten minutes
later Presto; a hot home-cooked meal. Beats Ramen.
Always the shrewd tactician, Buser is
known for his innovations and carefully calculated moves. I remember the
year he started using a ski pole on the flats to lessen the burden on his dogs
as much as he could, and what about the year he constructed a wind sail with an
extra pair of pants strung between poles to help when the wind was right.
What’s next, a solar powered booty defroster?
But why was he giving us this
food? My guess is that he wants to go as light as possible between
checkpoints and anytime he can drop some extra weight he knows it will speed
him up. I imagine its all these little things coupled with his attention
to detail that make the difference when competing at such a level.
Buser is making a
strong bid this year. After passing our little soiree at top
speed, he continued all the way up and over Rainy pass in one big push. Then,
in a move that surprised everyone, he took his mandatory 24-hour rest in Rohn.
Most mushers save their 24 until later in the race. During those
24 hours over thirty-five mushers passed him but with the long rest and lots of
nourishment for the dogs, Buser’s team was raring to go. Over the
next few days he slingshot himself back into the lead.
Will he be the first one to
pass under the burled arch this year? It’s very possible but one thing’s for
sure, like usual, he’ll keep us guessing all the way to Nome.
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| prep work for our little soiree |
