There are those (mostly Rob) that would have you believe that being a handler is all about sitting around in checkpoints, drinking coffee and sleeping on the gym floors. Well it is a lot about that but I think it is important to point out that there are many less glamorous tasks that we have to undertake. Today Chris has been modifying the dog truck while I had the pleasure of picking up poo in the dog yard while James did a bit of both.

But what a place to be doing it.

Rob referred to the three of us as “his Amigos” last night. This morning we were Larry, Curly and Mo apparently. The Three Stooges! Goodness knows what we’ll be by the time we get to Fairbanks.

This afternoon we are doing more planning, particularly working out what we need to take with us to the halfway camp at Dawson. That will include the tent, the large tarpaulin and posts for the dog shelter, the gas cooker, the ropes, the stake out lines and clips and so on and so on.

It really isn’t all coffee and cake.

Whilst in the dog yard I spoke with Ninja Max who, since he can’t be on the Quest himself this year through injury, is coaching Sluggie on how to be awesome.

Although I think he already knows!