Thursday, October 28, 1920
In Flat
Oscar and I brought down the rest of our stuff from the Up Grade and left that claim for good. Was up to Dave Strandberg’s for supper. Left his house at about 9 A. M. and went to bed at Abe Weiss.
Friday, October 29, 1920
First Day Out
Started for the outside. Fine weather. Left Flat at twelve noon. Stopped in at Mrs. Harms and Jim Farrells. Had a cup of coffe and left Jims at l0 minutes to 1 P.M. Got to Ruby roadhouse at 6:30 P.M. Good road but pack pretty heavy and my shoulder is awful sore. 16 miles from Otter.
[Otter Creek and Flat are synonymous.]
Saturday, October 30, 1920
Second Day Out
Started from Ruby roadhouse 7:30 A.M. Stopped for lunch 8 miles out. Got to Moore Creek 9 P.M. Pretty tough going. Had to snowshoe about half way. 22 miles from Ruby roadhouse.
Sunday, October 31, 1920
Third Day Out
Left Moore at 6:30 A.M. Lots of snow. Had to snowshoe all the way. Tough going. Started to make camp at 5 P.M. 11 miles from Moore Creek. Put pot of beans on camp fire and had supper when beans was cooked and they was burnt all to hell. Got pretty sick after eating burnt beans and went to bed under a tree. Snowing all day and night.
A century ago most Iditarod Trail users stayed at cabins, rather than camping. Camping was called ‘siwashing’.
Monday, November 1, 1920
Fourth Day Out
Left camp at 5:30 A.M. Had some of the burnt beans. Was sick as a dog all day. Had to take a dose of salts. On the snowshoes all day. Made ten miles to Halfway House. Cooked up the last of our grub. Pretty tough house to stay in-old smoky heater. Had to sleep on table. 58 1/2 miles from Flat.
Tuesday, November 2, 1920
Fifth Day Out
Left Halfway House at 7 A.M. Was on snowshoes all day. Got to Big River Roadhouse at 3 P.M. Nobody home so we had to go up river to an Indian Village. Nobody home there either. We broke into a cache and found a little flour and sugar. On our way up I shot one grouse and one ptarmigan so we will have supper tonight. Oscar is cook. 72 3/4 miles from Flat.
Wednesday, November 3, 1920
Sixth Day Out
Left Indian village at 8 A.M. Got to big River at 9:30 A.M. Put on our packs and started off. Oscar and I left 2 dollars in flour sack and I dollar on the table for the lodging and grub. Had to snowshoe down the river about 8 miles. Nothing to eat all day. Hard going. Arrived at Takotna about 6:30 P.M. All well.
Thursday, November 4, 1920
Seventh Day Out
Layed over today. Heard it was too crowded at McGrath. Went to call on Mrs. Lowery. All’s well. Paid $5.00 for a two and half months subscription to Kusko Times [newspaper].
Friday, November 5, 1920
Eighth Day Out
Left Takotna at 8 A.M. Good mushing to McGrath. Got in at 2 P.M. 16 miles.
Saturday, November 6, 1920
Ninth Day Out
Left McGrath at 7 A., M. Made twelve miles by noon. Had lunch and went twelve miles farther, 24 miles today. Good walking. Got in at 6 P.M. Had to sleep on floor. [Evidently overnight at Berry Road House.]
Sunday, November 7, 1920
Tenth Day Out
Left Berry on Big River at 7 A. M. Walked 17 miles today. Arrived Salmon Roadhouse at 1 P.M. 149 miles from Flat. Good mushing today. Had big supper and feeling fine 30 above.
Monday, November 8, 1920
Eleventh Day Out
Left Salmon at 6:30 A. M. Mushed 12 miles. Had lunch and mushed another nine miles. Got in at Piluck at 3 P.M. in good order. Trail good, mushing fine today. No Snow.
Tuesday, November 9, 1920
Twelfth Day Out
Left Piluck at 6:45 A. M. Raining a little in the morning then turning into snow. Mushing fine, no snow on ground. All creeks frozen. 190 miles from Flat. Got to French Joes at 2 P.M. Twenty miles mushing today. Alls well.
Wednesday, November 10, 1920
Thirteenth Day Out
Left French Joes at 6;30 A.M. Blowing to beat the band. Mushed about I9 1/2 miles. Got in at 2:30 in good shape. Mushing fine from French Joes to Davis [likely Rohn Roadhouse] on Rohn River [Tatina River today]. All’s well.
Thursday, November 11, 1920
Fourteenth Day Out
Left Davis at 6:40 A.M. Good walking for about nine miles up Dills (Dalzell) Canyon She was a bad one on Rainy Pass snowing and blowing. Got to Andersons 6:20 P.M. 12 hours out, had to snowshoe from summit on down. Mushed 24 miles today. Feeling fine.
Friday, November 12, 1920
Fifteenth Day Out
Left Andersons at 6:30A.M. Mushed 29 miles. Got in at 9 P.M. not too bad. Got in to Happy feeling fine. Paid for Oscar $6.00 and $4 for lunch.
Saturday, November 13, 1920
Sixteenth Day Out
Left Happy Roadhouse at 6:40 A.M. Caught up with and passed a dog team that was hauling a big shipment of gold [$150,000] from dredge at Candle Creek to Anchorage for shipment to Seattle. Had to snowshoe all the way to Mountian Climbers 21 1/2 miles. Got in at 8 P.M. Pretty tired and nobody at roadhouse and nothing to eat. Hungry as a bear. When dog team drove in I talked driver out of a small piece of reindeer meat [his dog feed]. Cooked this and devided it up between six of us. Saved a bit of the broth for morning. Collected $l.00 from the boys except Oscar. Feeling fine.
Sunday, November 14, 1920
Seventeenth Day Out
Left Mountian Climbers at 6:30 A.M. Had about half a cup of reindeer soup for break fast. Good mushing to Skwentha. Made twenty miles. Was in at Skwentha Crossing about 3 P.M. and had a big supper. Feeling fine. 295 miles from Iditarod. [The town of Iditarod was near Flat, Alaska.]
Monday, November 15, 1920
Eighteenth Day Out
Left Skwentha Crossing at 7 A.M. Got into Lake View at 3:45 P.M. Pretty wet mushing. Raining more or less all day. Been thinking about wife and kiddies. Getting closer every day. Feeling fine.
Tuesday, November 16, 1920
Nineteenth Day Out
Left Lake View at 6 A. M. Got in to Susitna at 2:40 P.M. Was nine mushers together along the trail--not too bad. Cost $1.00 to get across the river. River broke a couple of day ago. Had a good feed when we got in. Everything in good order. Feeling fine. 335 miles from Iditarod.
Wednesday, November 17, 1920
Twentieth Day Out
Left Susitna at 7 A. M. got into Little Susitna at 2:30 P.M. Wet snow half the way then turn to rain. Got pretty wet before we got in. Ate lunch we had along as roadhouse was not open. Paid $7.00 at Susitna. 353 1/2 miles from Iditarod. Feeling fine.
Thursday, November 18, 1920
Twenty First Day Out
Left Little Susitna at 7 A. M. Got to Knik at l P. M. Stopped for lunch and boat was ready to leave for Anchorage at 5:30 P.M. Every place filled up. Finally got a room at the Northern Hotel. [The Northern Hotel was located at 5th Avenue and K Street.] Bought a full suit of clothes and a grip. Paid $ l5.75. Also bought some fruit for $1.50. Was pretty hungry for fruit. Too late to send telegram to wife (in Seattle). Feeling fine.