Life is funny, isn't it? So... COVID happened. IS happening. It's been a turning point in history that we're still currently experiencing and don't entirely know its effects in their entirety yet. And that, in short, is the big picture...
The little picture? The one this blog is focused on? The 2020 Yukon 1000, the race we originally got accepted for, was postponed twice. It seems like ages ago that Blake and I were sitting in our office at Northern Tier High Adventure and heard about the race via email from a coworker (thanks, Ozzie!). We laughed at the idea that we could ever do something like that! But... Could we?
So, here we are... The race was supposed to be completed around a year and a half ago. We're here staring it down from 5 months away now. COVID-19 has dealt us a rough hand. They say life is what happens when you're busy making plans. Life does indeed happen. While the race was postponed, school marched on, either in-person or in front of blue light computer screens in our apartments and dorms. Work was open, it closed, it reopened again, slowly. Work hours and pay were lost, but a drawn out battle with unemployment (looking at you, state of Michigan) eventually covered the cost of rent and food. Gyms closed. Work out apps were downloaded. Virtual yoga sessions-turned-happy hours with friends helped keep some semblance of sanity. And so, so much more has happened... All the while, the race has been looming off in the distant future. But that future isn't so distant anymore. In just under 5 months, Blake and I will be departing for Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Canada with our gear in tow, for the 2022 Yukon 1000.
In the meantime, life has happened some more. Blake has returned to Northern Tier full-time, the place where it all started, as an Associate Director of Program, doing what he's very, very good at and helping continue a program that many of us love. He does so with his photography skills, his people skills, his knowledge of canoeing and its history, his incredible work ethic, a lack of sleep (probably), and a whole load of dedication. He's also kept himself busy working with some furry, four-legged co-workers at Chilly Dogs Sled Dog Trips in Ely, MN. If you can run to keep up with those canine athletes, you know you're in good shape!
During all the turmoil of the last couple years, I managed my way through my college career and finished school as a graduate of Northern Michigan University in December of 2021. I must say, it was one of the most incredible experiences of my life, returning to finish college after many years of putting it off. To be honest, I'm going to miss it. But it's also a relief to have it off my plate and to focus on new adventures!
I currently find myself in the woods of northern Maine, working at a lodge and living in a yurt... A YURT! In the frigid Maine winter! Our little woodstove does its best to keep up in a living space that isn't very insulated. But hey... do what makes the better story, right? I found my way here when, during the summer of 2021, I met the owners while I worked at a different canoe base, though another one owned by the Boy Scouts like Northern Tier. Paddling the local Old Town canoe down Class III whitewater or poling up the very same whitewater is the name of the game to get around on the rivers and lakes around here. We (the rest of the staff and I) lived in what was once a lumber camp that was converted to a privately owned hunting camp and then into a canoe base in the 70's. The history here is rich with river drivers, lumbermen, and Native Americans. The Northern Forest Canoe Trail ran right by us, a path that some of our former co-workers from Minnesota embarked on last summer. There's no shortage of canoes and paddles around here!
The winter provides its own challenges and opportunities. My job focuses mainly on hospitality, cleaning rooms and cooking phone, taking phone calls and booking reservations. However... we're still in the wilderness. There was a wolf howling about 100 yards from the yurt last night, probably down on the lake. We went skiing around the local trails today for a work out. Snowmobiling is the big attraction in this area, so finding a decent ski trail can be tougher, but we managed.
All that said, a lot has happened... for us and for the world. But the show goes on! We received word that the 2022 Yukon 1000 officially has a start date! Blake and I will be hitting the water on July 3rd and that'll be here before we know it! There's a lot to do, even in the midst of hard water season. Though Blake or I can't get paddles in the water yet, we're staying focused and doing our research and training in our respective winter living situations. Blake stays busy running with sled dogs and I've got my ski trails. More to come on the mental training, so stay tuned!
-Dan
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