Tom's trip from Sault Saint Marie, Mi to Toke, Ak SITREP#4 (17 Feb10)‏

"Note: Tom is sending me emails and I'll post them for him"

Today at 6:30am Team 2 took off with four sledders.
 The mood was jovial, the air cold and the riders
very cocky, holding their helmets as if they were
going to combat. As these guys took off, they stood
on the pegs as if in charging stirrips on horses.
It looked grand but a little too much on the theatrical.
 I knew trouble was ahead. Two wives were there to
take "send off" pictures for the local newspaper.

A number of them stayed up till 2:00am getting their
 courage in a bottle. They must have had headaches
(as Phil would say: a nail in their heads).

We unloaded each sled from our trailer this morning in
20degree weather. I am starting to get used to the cold.
 I didn't shiver as much today. That's hopeful.

The Mayer of Sault St Marie was there to watch the
three teams take off. The next team (last) will start
 this Friday. After take off, our team sledded around
 the stadium track to the applause of several people
 - not exactly a crowd.

We truckers are starting to bond. I got a lot of help
 from them as we rescued a member of our team (2) with
 a broken down sled. I  had to return drive about 75
 miles to fetch him on a country road. It was a miracle
 that I could find him and had to turn around in someone's
 driveway - a hairy task with a 36 footer. The guy froze
 a piston and scoured the cylinder liner. We are going
 back to to Sault St Marie to a big dealer with the
sled to try to get it repaired and leapfrog the next
 town and get back in the "que"

The weather was a medium snow with dusting on the
highway. Off the State highway, I had to drive in 4
 wheel drive. The truck will do this at 40-60 mph.

Today the team averaged speeds of 45 to 65 and  had
 to deal with bad trails. They were extremely tuckered
 this evening and should enjoy some sleep.

The overall organization is quite poor. Only two of
 the support trucks have CB's, so it's tough to
communicate. My Iphone with ATT is mostly dead and
has worked with a weak signal in only several
locations. Two of our four satellite phones don't
work, but we do have our SPOT devices if in an
emergency situation. By the way, if you go to
www.michcanska.com and go the team locations you can
 see the progress of the sledders. We have to
basically stay with them, not too far ahead or
behind in case of breakdowns.

Tomorrow, I will have to deal with the damaged sled,
 pick or arrange to have it shipped. SKIDOO will be
very embarrassed with one of their top notch machines
 being the first in the whole assemblige to break down.
 I think we can get it fixed. We wonder who is next
to fall out.

That's it for tonight.........Take care..........
Tom (call sign: trucker2)