One Racer's Story

This past weekend was the K300 (Kuskokwim 300) Race which is somewhat of a legend among mushers. There is also a smaller race, the Bogus Creek 150 that’s run on a parallel route (www.k300.org) which is a 150 mile race run mostly along the Kuskokwim and Kwethluk Rivers here in the Delta Region. This year’s race held some exciting possibilities as it was going to run right through Kwethluk and include one of my students, Solomon "Sully" Olick, and the father of two other students, Herman Phillip.

Solomon at the finish line.

Solomon excitedly talked about the race in the weeks coming up to it. It was the longest race he’d ever run and he felt nervously ready. When I asked him if he had his sights on the Iditarod, he wistfully answered, “Someday…”

A Freshman at Kwethluk High School, Solomon is a 5’10” Yupik teenager as full of life and uninterested in school as most teenage boys. His jet black hair is cut short to reveal eyebrows that raise in confirmation when he talks about his dogs.

The race began Friday night in Bethel and Solomon took off 6th in a stream of nine racers. He was soon in 4th place, and by the time he reached Akiak, 30 miles from the start, he was in 3rd place. It was late into the night with temps hitting 20 below zero and 40mph winds coming from the north, hitting Solomon’s sled broadside. The westerly trail became hard to maneuver and Solomon’s lead dogs kept veering right, wanting to run with the wind instead of letting it plow over them. Solomon dimmed his headlamp to take a look behind the sled to see if he saw the other racers. When he turned back forward, the dogs had taken a right and he was headed off on another trail. It took him several miles to realize his mistake and by then, he’d lost his lead. Angry, he let the dogs know it, biting the ear of one of the leaders before getting them back on the run.

Solomon cruisin' down the river.

He got his dogs back on the trail and they continued on. He ended up dropping three dogs before the end of the race. One just gave up, burnt out. Two had frostbite.

He spent his mandatory 6-hour rest hanging around the bonfire at the check-in point, not sleeping, not eating, hyped up on race energy.

The last 20 miles into Bethel on Saturday morning, the dogs were at a walking pace, spent and ready for a nap. Up against 50mph winds and 50 below windchill temps, the dogs repeatedly stopped in the trail and Solomon had to get off the sled and pull the leader by the collar while verbally encouraging the team on. He finished the race 8th with only seven of his original 10 dogs, earning a $1,250 purse and the title of Red Lantern Winner.

Solomon makes it through the Kwethluk checkpoint.

Today, he was solemn when talking about the race. The wind is temporarily knocked out of him, he no longer had his sights on the Iditarod. However, he is looking forward to the 48 mile Camp-Out Race coming up in March. He took 4th place in that one last year.

After he told me the story of his race this weekend, I asked him why his lead dogs acted that way and he explained that those dogs were pretty new to him. They were part of 16 dogs that he keeps at his sponsor’s site in Bethel. You see, his original 10 dogs that he kept in Kwethluk were all shot this past fall, “before freeze-up” were Solomon’s words. They were chained up in the dog yard and while Solomon was away for the day, a local police officer shot them all one by one and drug them away to get his $30/head that he earns for shooting stray dogs. However, these dogs weren’t strays. They were tied up. Five of Solomon’s best lead dogs were killed that day. When he got back to the dog yard that afternoon, he was stupefied that they were all gone. Then, he saw the blood. He went to a neighbor’s house and they confirmed that they had seen the dogs shot and taken away.

One of Solomon's pups just got plumb wore out!

I was talking with two other boys along with Solomon and they all confirmed that this is a common occurrence – the shooting of tied up dogs with known owners. Many of the cops out here are corrupt, on drugs or drunk, and just out to make a buck. I asked Solomon why he didn’t file suit or report the offense. He just shrugged his shoulders and the other boys confirmed that this happens all the time. It’s just the way life is. The dogs will be replaced. The lawlessness will continue.

At the end of the day, Solomon came to let me know that he’d already acquired one nice adult sled dog. He was happy. His story will go on.

(As a side note, Herman came in first.)

Solomon heads for the finish line!