Brent's Blog

Hello, Well I made it back to town. I had a great drive back this morning; I left Eureka really early so I didn’t run into anyone on the road for the first 80 miles, which makes for a great trip. Being back in town and back in the rat race really makes me appreciate Eureka even more. I am extremely fortunate to have such a great place to live and train the dogs. I am really excited about my team this year and feel I will be bringing the best 14 dogs anyone has seen from Wild and Free. This years Quest is a big one, with the field growing more and more competitive; it is going to be a great year for the dogs and I to really prove that we can compete with the best mushers in the field. Training is going well and the dogs look stronger then ever, however my optimistic ways have put me in a tight spot. Being back in town brings me back to the realities and the challenges of running a competitive racing kennel. I am an extremely optimistic person, always have been, and always will be, but sometimes this is a fault. I am facing some real challenges putting together enough funds to pull off the season and accomplish everything I want to. I am a vey proud person, and have a really hard time asking for support but times are tight. I worked very hard all year to get myself prepared physically, mentally, and financially for the season, but because of where the economy is many of my sponsors have not been able to contribute as much as planned. On top of that, a few costly equipment repairs to my dog truck, fourwheelers, and other equipment vital to our success has really put me in a challenging situation. Owning and operating this kennel is my life, there is not a day I get out of bed that I am not working towards being the best musher I can be. I cant thank all of you enough for following me along this path that has proven to be very exciting but challenging at the same time. The bottom line is that I need some help to put this all together and bring the strongest dog team I can to the 2009 Quest. Some specific areas I need help in are: Quest food drop costs, gas, travel expenses and getting the team and I to a couple races before the Quest. These races, the Gin Gin 200 and the Copper Basin 300 are very important to help me test dogs and decided which 14 are the best dogs, not only on the training trail but also in race competitions. I truly appreciate all of you for following me along on this journey, whether you have joined in for this season, or have been there since my first race in 2006, I hope the ride has been as exciting for you as it has been for me. Please spread the word about Wild and Free and lets see if we can help send this very determined team on a path of success. Every little bit helps! The more people that get involved the greater the reward. I am already extremely fortunate to have the most supportive sponsors, family and friends in the world, without them none of this would be possible. Thanks so much for taking time out of your busy day to check in. If you have any questions about how you can help please feel free to email me at brent@wildandfreealaska.com Or, if you like, donations can be made through my site at: http://www.wildandfreealaska.com/join.htm One thing is for sure I will be on the top of Eureka Pass with the temperature at -20, the wind blowing 30 mph, and an eager dog team ahead of me updating you with my iPhone every step of the way!!

Staying Wild and Free

Brent