Rendezvous race notebook

Many dog trucks have unique characteristics, but Randy DeKuiper took a novel approach to his set-up.

The Michigan native and his wife Chris drove to Anchorage for the Fur Rondy in an International semi-truck, hauling a trailer that used to be the Muskegon County Bookmobile.

The rig was parked along Fourth Avenue along with the rest of the sprint musher trucks. Passers-by who might have expected to be able to check out "The Call of the Wild," "Travels with Charley" or "The Incredible Journey" instead saw real-life versions of such literary creations.

"It was something I found on the Internet," Randy's son, Jesse, said as he helped hook up dogs before Saturday's race. "It had been sitting for a numbers of years and the county quit using it and had put it up for sale."

Randy DeKuiper said he spent $2,000 for the bookmobile and then had to sink another $5,000 into it on the way to Anchorage.

"The axles broke," DeKuiper said. "We needed two new ones in Edmonton, but at least it happened before we got to the rough roads of the Alaska Highway."

DeKuiper's kennel hasn't had any new litters since the purchase of the bookmobile, but next year's pups could be given names such as White Fang, Toto, Cujo or Lassie.

"Every litter we have has a theme, so I might do that," said DeKuiper, who said the bookmobile is great for driving from place to place, but a little unwieldy once at a race. The semi rig has a sleeping cab, but the DeKuipers use the sleeping quarters in the back of the trailer, separated by a wall from the dog boxes.

DeKuiper ran the Iditarod in 1977. He finally finished a race in Nome in 1988.

"I had been driving dogs for 38 years and had not done this yet," he said.

DeKuiper finished 18th in his Rondy debut with a total time of 5 hours, 28 minutes and 56 seconds.

At 64, rookie no more

Mike Stephens of Fairbanks wasn't aiming for a title when he entered this year's Fur Rendezvous World Championship Sled Dog race. Just finishing made him feel like a champion.

The 64-year-old has been running dogs for 35 years and attempted the Fur Rondy two years ago before dropping out.

This year he lasted all three days, getting stronger with each 25-mile run. Driving his dogs through downtown Anchorage toward the finish line, he repeatedly pumped his fist in the air, showing the enthusiasm of a teenager as he officially earned the title of Fur Rondy veteran.

"This is the dream of my life," said Stephens, still be in a bit of a daze minutes after finishing. "It doesn't get any more exciting than this."

In 2008, he brought a team to Anchorage, but after the first day decided the dogs weren't ready for three days of racing. He was still a bit uncertain after a tough first-day run this year, but his team got stronger each day, finishing with a great run on Sunday.

"It was the best, cleanest run with no stops," he said.

Stephens ended up 19th with a three-day time of 5 hours, 30 minutes, 16 seconds.

Fierce competitor

Jeff King wasn't celebrating as he crossed the finish line of the third day of the Fur Rondy. He was too busy trying to pass Jeff Conn.

Finishing a fantastic final day of racing, the front of King's team caught Conn's sled a couple hundred feet from the finish and the four-time Iditarod champ pushed as hard as he could to try catch the Ester musher.

With the crowd roaring its approval at the photo finish, the front of Conn's 10-dog string managed to nose out the leader of King's 14-dog squad. Conn cruised into the finish, seemingly nonplussed by King's competitiveness.

King had started the day 10 minutes behind Conn and turned in the third-fastest time Sunday. His day time of 1:33:34 was just six seconds behind that of Arleigh Reynolds and a little more than a minute off winner Blayne Streeper's pace.

-- Compiled by Richard Larson