Letter Update

I have finished the letter to the ITC Board and all copies were mailed today. I also made four more copies and sent them with a note to newspapers in Anchorage, Fairbanks and Wasilla  I have no idea of they will have any result but I have tried.  Here is the final version of the letter, very slightly changed from the one I posted earlier but format is cleaned up etc. I am hoping very hard some people listen!!!

On a lighter note, SPK posted a great video on their doglog blog showing the September litter puppies, the "Coffee Litter" enjoying their first run in harness with some of the old timers. They looked fine and totally natural. These dogs are truly born to run. "My" little Creamer (I chose her to be a 'fan' for) was naughty and trying to nibble on the lines but otherwise they all ran well and seemed to have a great time. Link: http://spkenneldoglog.blogspot.com/ Aliy and Allen are so fantastic with the dogs and seem to have  real instinct --as well as so much love--for them. I am not sure if the Golden Harness (Quito's) pups will get a chance before the snow is gone or not; they are about five weeks younger and at this stage a lot changes in that time.  But I am hoping at least enough for one short video! Of course the Surfivers will be training in earnest come fall and some of them may even make some races, real, serious ones. They did get in on the Two Rivers 100 in January but that was enough for less than two years old. However a few short three year olds did run the YQ and the Iditarod this year and did well. They will be moving up to star status next year.

Anyway here is the letter:

Gaye Morgan-Walton   Novelist, Poet and Adventure Writer                                                                   520-678-0259

2200 23^rd St, Alamogordo, NM 88310                                                                                                 azwriter427@yahoo.com

March 28, 2016

Editor, Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

200 N Cushman St

Fairbanks, AK 99701-2832

Below is the text of a letter I have just written to all the members of the Iditarod Trail Committee Board. I wonder if it could be printed in your newspaper to reach more people concerned about the future of the Iditarod Sled dog Race. I am hopeful more will want to be heard on this matter and may be moved by my comments to make their own. Thank you very much!

Gentlemen,

I must begin by admitting I am not an Alaskan, not a musher and no sort of expert. I am merely a dedicated and fairly well-educated fan who has followed the Iditarod casually since the late 1980s and intensively since about 2008. During the last several years I have observed trends that peaked this year, trends which disturb and distress me. I see them moving this event in a very negative and unproductive direction. 

As the staff of KTVA wrote: “Let’s be honest, the dogs are the real stars of the annual Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Seventy-nine of the 86 teams that started this year’s race in Willow began with 16 dogs. A total of 1,460 dogs ran through the starting line of Iditarod 44.” Yes, this race is and always should be about the dogs. They are what the bulk of the fans around the world are excited about and what makes this event so unique.

Joe Redington’s vision, when he started groundwork for this race, was to save the Alaskan Sled Dog and to preserve and honor traditions dating back to prehistory—when the first family arrived with their dogs (i.e. Fairbanks’ beautiful statue). In short, it has always been about the dogs. Canines have drawn a geometrically increasing fandom and millions in support from around the world. While specific mushers may gain a kind of cult following for a season, this ebbs and flows. It is still really about the dogs, exactly as it should be.

Outside of Alaska, few to none pay much attention to the “Iron Dog” events, at least until Sarah Palin’s other half dumps one and almost kills himself. In the lower forty-eight, if we want to watch machines compete we can patronize NASCAR, the Indianapolis 500 or local drag races or motocross.  We do not need or want to watch snow machines.

Yet the trends I am seeing can soon relegate the dogs to a kind of bionic snow machine chasing the goal of ever faster speeds and fewer animals necessary. I visualize in a few years ‘mushers’ could be racing with some kind of techno-mechanical device and maybe carrying one dog along for a mascot in memory of what used to be. It is becoming merely a way to make at least some mushers a kind of “rock star” for whom the sled and a minimal team is a mere vehicle to fame and fortune, almost inconvenient. If this continues as new mushers emulate what seems to succeed, I would be willing to bet fans will begin to drop away in droves and with them the major source of donations, sponsorship and support that has built this event into the colossus it has become.

While races by definition are about winning, there are many key aspects to this one besides efforts to trim a few seconds off the duration and shrink the team. If only five dogs are necessary why start with sixteen? Let’s just cut that back to twelve, ten, even eight; keeping only a small cushion for injuries and sickness. We apparently don’t need them so half are extraneous, right? It’s all about speed, cutting every possible corner, and making a SuperMusher. Or is it?

From exchanges with many fans as I work on a book in progress about women mushers, I am sure that is not what the bulk of them want to see!  It is still about the dogs. With that in mind, here are some suggestions for the Board to consider which could steer this race back toward the direction the founders intended and the public has supported for forty four years. I agree, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, but it is damn near busted right now.

• Raise the minimum team size to complete the race to eight.  (50% drop allowed).This would only have eliminated five finishers from the 2016 race. Of the top ten, the smallest team, aside from the winner’s, was nine. The average number of dogs per team completing the 2016 race was 10.436. Since we cannot have a partial dog, I’ll round down to an even 10—noting that is twice the current minimum.
• Totally ban the new practice of carrying perfectly healthy and sound dogs to rotate them on and off the team. This is completely counter to the intent and traditional practice of the event! Other than transport of sick or injured animals to the nearest check point for drop, every team member must have paws on the ground for the entire duration of the race. If this is not made a disqualifying offense, I suggest a penalty of one hour per each dog that continues to race after being carried for any part of the trail. This sum would be added to either the mandatory twenty-four hour or the White Mountain eight hour rest.
• Give much greater recognition to the musher(s) who arrive at Nome with the most dogs still in harness and judged to be fit by the veterinary staff.  Also add a meaningful monetary prize to the Leonhard Seppala award or create additional awards recognizing superb dog care. Remember, it is really about the dogs.
• Continue and expand reward/recognition for good sportsmanship, camaraderie and assistance given to other mushers or even spectators on the trail. Again, this is maintaining a tradition nearly sacred to the event. Most mushers, though competitive, still aid and support each other. This sends a strong positive message, especially to student followers, as well as everyone else.

I believe these changes can start a return to the traditional and founding intent and vision of the race. They will keep the focus properly on the dogs which is what really holds public attention and devotion to the event. This must always be a team effort of human and canines working in partnership. It is not a man or woman running solo across 1000 miles of wilderness! As some mushers have said, the human ‘dog’ is actually the weakest member of the team in many ways. Eventually racers who do not respect and treat their dogs as equal and essential parts of the endeavor will have this attitude turn and bite them in the butt. The weather was very gentle this year but that is not always the case. Many mushers have had their team pull them through blizzards and near-disaster.  You might ask the long-term competitors if they would want just five dogs on their team in a blizzard like 2014 or the one Libby Riddles braved to win in 1985. Teamwork is really what this event is about. Don’t let it fade away.

Sincerely,

Gaye Morgan-Walton

ITC Member #15349

Post Race Comments--Letter to ITC Board in draft form

As I may have at least hinted.that some things occurred in this year's Iditarod--and I am not talking about the snow machine attack here--which disturbed me. I did some research and have drafted a letter to the Board of the ITC. As a member of the 'committee' which is almost a misnomer because it is just a card carrying kind of membership, I still feel a right to make my voice and opinions heard. This may not be quite the final form that will be sent out to a number of people, but FWIW, here is my opinion, as well-stated as I am able to do.

Gentlefolk,

I must begin by admitting I am not an Alaskan, not a musher and no sort of expert. I am merely a dedicated and fairly well-educated fan who has followed the Iditarod casually since the late 1980s and intensively since about 2008. During the last several years I have observed trends that peaked this year, trends which disturb and distress me. I see them moving this event in a very negative and unproductive direction. 

As the staff of KTVA wrote: “Let’s be honest, the dogs are the real stars of the annual Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Seventy-nine of the 86 teams that started this year’s race in Willow began with 16 dogs. A total of 1,460 dogs ran through the starting line of Iditarod 44.” Yes, this race is and always should be about the dogs. They are what the bulk of the fans around the world are excited about and what makes this event so unique.

Joe Redington’s vision, when he started groundwork for this race, was to save the Alaskan Sled Dog and to preserve and honor traditions dating back to prehistory—when the first family arrived with their dogs (i.e. Fairbanks’ beautiful statue). In short, it has always been about the dogs. Canines have drawn a geometrically increasing fandom and millions in support from around the world. While specific mushers may gain a kind of cult following for a season, this ebbs and flows. It is still really about the dogs, exactly as it should be.

Outside of Alaska, few to none pay much attention to the “Iron Dog” events, at least until Sarah Palin’s other half dumps one and almost kills himself. In the lower forty-eight, if we want to watch machines compete we can patronize NASCAR, the Indianapolis 500 or local drag races or motocross.  We do not need or want to watch snow machines.

Yet the trends I am seeing can soon relegate the dogs to a kind of bionic snow machine chasing the goal of ever faster speeds and fewer animals necessary. I visualize in a few years ‘mushers’ could be racing with some kind of techno-mechanical device and maybe carrying one dog along for a mascot in memory of what used to be. It is becoming merely a way to make at least some mushers a kind of “rock star” for whom the sled and a minimal team is a mere vehicle to fame and fortune, almost inconvenient. If this continues as new mushers emulate what seems to succeed, I would be willing to bet fans will begin to drop away in droves and with them the major source of donations, sponsorship and support that has built this event into the colossus it has become.

While races by definition are about winning, there are many key aspects to this one besides efforts to trim a few seconds off the duration and shrink the team. If only five dogs are necessary why start with sixteen? Let’s just cut that back to twelve, ten, even eight; keeping only a small cushion for injuries and sickness. We apparently don’t need them so half are extraneous, right? It’s all about speed, cutting every possible corner, and making a SuperMusher. Or is it?

     From exchanges with many fans as I work on a book in progress about women mushers, I am sure that is not what the bulk of them want to see!  It is still about the dogs. With that in mind, here are some suggestions for the Board to consider which could steer this race back toward the direction the founders intended and the public has supported for forty four years. I agree, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, but it is damn near busted right now.

1. Raise the minimum team size to complete the race to eight.  (50% drop allowed).This would only have eliminated five finishers from the 2016 race. Of the top ten, the smallest team, aside from the winner’s, was nine. The average number of dogs per team completing the 2016 race was 10.436. Since we cannot have a partial dog, I’ll round down to an even 10—noting that is twice the current minimum.
2. Totally ban the new practice of carrying perfectly healthy and sound dogs to

      rotate them on and off the team. This is completely counter to the intent and traditional

practice of the event! Other than transport of sick or injured animals to the nearest

check point for drop, every team member must have paws on the ground for the

entire duration of the race. If this is not made a disqualifying offense, I suggest a penalty of one hour per each dog that continues to race after being carried for any part of the trail. This sum would be added to either the mandatory twenty-four hour or the White Mountain eight hour rest.

3. Give much greater recognition to the musher(s) who arrive at Nome with the most dogs still in harness and judged to be fit by the veterinary staff.  Also add a meaningful monetary prize to the Leonhard Seppala award or create additional awards recognizing superb dog care. Remember, it is really about the dogs.
4. Continue and expand reward/recognition for good sportsmanship, camaraderie and assistance given to other mushers or even spectators on the trail. Again, this is maintaining a tradition nearly sacred to the event. Most mushers, though competitive, still aid and support each other. This sends a strong positive message, especially to student followers, as well as everyone else.

I believe these changes can start a return to the traditional and founding intent and vision of the race. They will keep the focus properly on the dogs which is what really holds public attention and devotion to the event. This must always be a team effort of human and canines working in partnership. It is not a man or woman running solo across 1000 miles of wilderness! As some mushers have said, the human ‘dog’ is actually the weakest member of the team in many ways. Eventually mushers who do not respect and treat their dogs as equal and essential parts of the endeavor will have this attitude turn and bite them in the butt. The weather was very gentle this year but that is not always the case. Many mushers have had their team pull them through blizzards and near-disaster.  You might ask the long-term mushers if they would want just five dogs on their team in a blizzard like 2014 or the one Libby Riddles braved to win in 1985. Teamwork is really what this event is about. Don’t let it fade away.

Sincerely,

Gaye Morgan-Walton

Member #15349

Post Race Comments--Ladies' Honor Roll

2016 Honor Roll of Iditarod Female Mushers

Listed in Alphabetical Order

Name                                       Bib #   Placed             Dogs in finish

Kristin Bacon (R)                    42        69^th                  12

Jodi Bailey                              14        49^th                  9

Anna Berington                      23        39^th                  9

Kristy Berington                     83        40^th                  9

Paige Drobney                         75       43^rd                  7

Sigrid Ekran                            27        23^rd                  10

Kim Franklin (R)                     34        68^th                  9

Cindy Gallea                           73        70^th                  10

Mary Helwig (R)                     49        71^st                  11

Karen Hendricks                     76        38^th                  10

Deedee Jonrowe                     45        44^th                  11

Katherine Keith                      85        31^st                  8

Becca Moore                           22        53^rd                  9

Lisbet Norris                           7          63^rd                  8

Ryne Olsen                             44        59^th                  10

Mariam Osredker (R)              5          56^th                  14

Kristin Knight Pace (R)          47        56^th                  13

Michelle Phillips                      31        25^th                  11

Jessie Royer                            3          15^th                  11

Melissa Stewart (R)                82        49^th                  9

Sarah Stokey (R)                     71        66^th                  13

Monica Zappa                         8          47^th                  13

Aliy Zirkle                               3          3^rd                    13

Ryne and Sarah are 27; Deedee is 62 and Cindy Gallea is 64!!

Many are married and moms, to human as well as canine kids. 

Mary Helwig won the Red Lantern as last musher in but she

     now has her Iditarod Buckle and won’t be a rookie next time

     nor will Kristin B, Kristin P, Kim, Mariam, and Sarah!

WAY TO GO, LADIES!!

PS: excuse the wavy columns; Word.doc does not always come across perfectly.

Post Race comments Installment 1

They did not broadcast the awards banquet from Nome this year and I was really bummed about that but also my eyes--I have a bad combo of dry eyes and allergic eyes that really get bleary and blurred at times--were not up to computer work.

However I did watch a few of the video clips this morning and was thrilled to see Aliy got the Leonard Seppala Humanitarian Award for the best health of a finishing team demonstrating exemplary care. She shared the credit with Allen saying his care of many of the same dogs on the Yukon Quest made it possible for her to keep them in good shape despite the trauma. She and Jeff King were both honored by the village of Nulato and Jeff spoke a bit about the impaired driving plague while Aliy just said she would be visiting and running dogs in the Yukon villages for many years to come. She seemed very surprised with both bits of recognition; not only is she a wonderful person, she is modest and has no trace of a swelled head, contrary to others I will not name!

I will do an honor roll of the female mushers soon. They all deserve recognition and each one did an exemplary race from Aliy down to the rookie who got the Red Lantern award as the last one in. She still got her finisher's buckle and will not be a rookie next year! She completed what she set out to do and in my book, that is a winner!

Here is a picture of Aliy and Allen with the beautiful trophy sponsored by Alaska Airlines. I will be even prouder than ever to wear my red beanie now that I got for becoming a small sponsor of Aliy and her Red Team this season.  As I posted on their blog, both teams will be back next year, better than ever and they are true winners always because they are 'the best'. And IMHO, the comment on the second picture says it all! Not mine but I heartily endorse the sentiment!! Thank The Powers That Be for people like Aliy and Allen!!

Wrapping up the 2016 Iditarod

I have to admit that the more I read and heard about the  snow machine attack, the more traumatized I became myself.  At this point I am deep into reading everything I can find about it and trying to resolve in my own mind the whys and wherefores. Quite separately several of my friends and relatives who are not fans or followers but just heard about this incident asked me if it was possible a  musher could have engineered the attack to cut down the competition. I had shoved that notion aside as ridiculous but they got me thinking. What if? Were I to title the annual video for this one it would be "Mishaps and Mayhem"--a very unusual race. What if?

"Will someone not rid me of this troublesome priest?" So said Henry II and then Thomas Becket was killed. What if? A musher could have casually or even sarcastically said something to the effect that the pack of leaders was a bit crowded and it would be nice if a few of them could be encouraged to scratch out. Yes, what if?  And then the modern equivalent of the moccasin telegraph spread this down the river and one man with a bit too much booze behind his belt decided he could handle that. I do hope the authorities investigate in depth and do not take the easy route out and blame alcohol and slap the guy on the wrist and send him to detox. From all I have read so far,the snow machine jockey's story has more holes than Swiss cheese.  Is he really that drink-fuddled or is he hiding something?

I have huge respect now for both Aliy and Jeff King. She was about to scratch but many persuaded her to go on and she ended up finishing third because Brent Sass was induced to push his dogs too hard when the Seaveys passed him and the team went on strike and would not get up to leave White Mountain. He waited about twenty hours, acknowledging that he had made a serious error and would not subject them to any more distress. He squeaked in to Nome in the 20th place.

I am very proud of Aliy but you can still see the strain on her face. The smile is back but just a bit shadowed now. I pray she will heal and recover with time. She issued a statement and in effect begs the public and media to leave her alone to work her way past this. That it had to be rough and intensely traumatic is obvious. This is no weak little clinging vine kind of woman but a tough, brave and  courageous one. If she was badly shaken, the event had to be very ugly and she is not disclosing the details except to the authorities.

On a happier note, Allen got in with the Black Team, still fourteen dogs strong, yesterday afternoon. Quito led them the whole way, often paired with a younger dog who was learning by example how to do it.  After he was clocked in, Aliy came out and they shared a long hug, she with her face buried in the fur ruff of his parka hood. The deep love between them was radiantly obvious. He will help her move on and regain her balance, I am sure. She is lucky to have a man like that at her side as he is lucky to have her. Yes, I am a little envious but they do deserve each other!

Deedee arrived in good shape, with only eleven dogs this time but feisty and showing a bit of temper at an officious announcer and some people who would not clear a way so she could move her team on to the dog yard. I had to laugh at my very spunky heroine!! Kick butt, Deedee!!

Now all but about six mushers are in, and they are mostly rookies. Jodi Bailey, Paige Drobney, Monica Zappa, Lisbet Norris and several others made it in good time and style and received cheers from the crowd.  There were many highlights that I am not going to cover here. Anyone can read them on the Iditarod.com site if they are interested.

As for me, I have observed some troubling trends and am working on a letter to the ITC Board suggesting some rule and policy changes. I will post more on that later as it is still in a very developmental stage. Suffice to say I feel they need to bring emphasis back to the dogs and away from a musher or two who seek to be a rock star and simply use the dogs--as few as possible--as a biological snow machine to put him/her into the limelight. This is NOT what the Iditarod is supposed to be about!!

The awards will be given out, I think on Monday night and I will give a few highlights from that. Meanwhile here is a shot of the SPK Black and the SPK Red teams coming in. I will try to get one of Deedee in a bit. Oh yes, Martin Buser also got in and will head back to Seattle to be with Nik as he continues rehab and therapy right after the ceremonial end.

The end is almost in sight

The top four are in and one already out of White Mountain. Aliy has held on to her 4th place--that four hours she lost in the Nulato incident could have had her in the first two or three but it is what it is. She will likely end up with top five finishes in the last five years' races. That is nothing to hide you face about!! Considering the handicap of a team-in-build and the attack, her accomplishment is fantastic.

I think Brent may have made the same mistake that cost Aaron Burmeister his lead lsst year. Both took the 96 miles fro Unalakleet to Koyuk in one straight shot. Brent's team is noticeably slower today, still going good but just not flying.  He did not have to break a snowy trail like Aaron did the last thirty miles--with Dallas Seavey lurking behind and taking advantage of that!--but both Dallas and Mitch got ahead of him while he tried to catch a quick rest at Koyuk and he could not regain the lead. That's not to say that his dogs can't come out of White Mountain on fire, about an hour and a quarter behind Dallas who just left and forty minutes behind Mitch who will be leaving any moment. Dallas is now driving only seven--which is a pretty marginal team, just one above the mandatory minimum of six. * my bad--minimum is five*.

Someone is likely to cross the finish line in the wee hours tomorrow morning --I will see how it is going about midnight and decide what time to set my alarm for. I have allergy shots at 8:30 tomorrow but just may miss that this once...we'll see.

Aliy came into White Mountain about 3 1/2 hours behind Sass. her team looked great and the vets agreed. Joe Runyon, who was narrating the live video report from Anchorage had nothing but good to say about her and her team. When I talked to him two years ago at his western New Mexico ranch home, he was also very complimentary. He knows and also respects her. As a YQ and Iditarod winner himself back in the 90s he recognizes quality when he sees it! Almost everyone does. She is a fan favorite and widely loved all over the world.

More armchair quarterbacking later or tomorrow. LOL.

Late News Update--Mitch left with ten dogs and a relatively untried leader so who knows what can happen!! He is not talking upbeat or trash--said he had a fifty-fifty chance to win, "I will or I won't." Sass will be out before too long and Wade Marrs, in fifth place, just got in, about three hours behind Aliy so barring major problems, her 4th place--at least--is assured.,

Today seemed very quiet

Which is really a relief after the madness of yesterday. The leaders got to Unalakleet on the coast very early this morning and have continued on through Shaktoolik and are now crossing the ice of Norton Sound on the way to Koyuk. Brent Sass was first to Unalakleet and gets his name on a perpetual plaque there and $3000 worth of gold nuggets. He and Aliy both rested there for awhile and she dropped one more dog. I am not sure which one, right now. So she has thirteen still in harness.

Many mushers have a smaller, lighter sled shipped there and trade off for the last 250 miles up the coast. I m not sure if they did or not but in a shot by one of the race volunteers who had just reached Unalakleet last evening I saw a pink one with a pink sled bag and knew that Deedee would be switching!

The Seaveys have played hop-scotch all day, both desperate to beat the other. They have almost a feud and though there is respect and affection, the rivalry is fierce. Dallas is down to nine dogs which is cutting it a bit close with the distance left to go. Mitch, the dad, still has twelve and Brent and Aliy both have thirteen. I am somewhat put off by Mitch's attitude as he will not 'pedal' or ski-pole as many musher do. He says it is for the dogs to do the work and sits on his butt or stands on the runners. That just offends me somehow. Still if a Seavey must win, I would prefer it be him However, Sass is driving a strong race and his team came in 2nd in the YQ last month so he can do 1000 miles and do it very well. He has held first quite a bit today.

I know that Aliy is a long shot but when you realize she is running many new and less experienced dogs and take into account the horrible incident she endured, she is doing a fantastic job! She was interviewed briefly at Unalakleet; I could tell she was still stressed and working to stay focused. The wonderful smile was very much dimmed but she is doing her best to stay positive for her dogs and get them to Nome with a good race run. They are very closely tuned to her and can tell if she is not acting normal and supporting them with gentle care and encouragement. Her family and kennel staff posted on the SPK blog that she thanks all for their support and prayers etc. and will later read and respond to the emails and posts when she is safe home and has a chance to regain normal perspective. Right now she has to look forward and put that behind her.

So to look back down the trail to the many who are still coming, the trailing musher, Ellen Halverson of Palmer/Wasilla, is between Cripple and Ruby as are four others, two rookies and two vets as is Ellen. Three female rookies are in 62, 62 and 64 between Galena and Nulato..Rhyn Olsen and Lisbet Norris are at 60 and 58,, along the same stretch of trail.  Deedee is at 47th, out of Nulato to Kaltag where the trail turns to the coast.  The Berrington twins are out of Kaltag and at 43 and 44.
Paige and Cody are just ahead of them as 41 and 42.  Martin Buser and Jodi Bailey are next up the route, still heading to Unalakleet at 38 and 39.

Allen Moore with the Black Tteam is in 28th place and not far from Unalakleet. Jessie Royer is 20th and in or just out of Unalakleet and Michelle Phillips is 14th, close behind Jeff King, currently holding 12th place. They are in route to Shaktoolik. The next 24 hours will possibly see someone in to Nome or closing fast. They all have to take an eight hour rest at White Mountain and the first one there will have an advantage. That served Dallas Seavey well last year and he was in Nome some hours before his dad, who was second and Aaron Burmeister who was 3rd.  This year I doubt he will be there, at least very far ahead of some others so that makes the final 77 miles of the race interesting indeed!

Here is Sebastian Schnuelle's shot of Aliy and the Red Team as they neared Shaktoolik around midday Alaska time.  The dogs look good and she is running a single lead, perhaps Scout although I am not sure. They seem to be trotting out right smartly though.

Wherever they finish, the Red Team is a true winner!!!!

This was a real OMG day

By now it is on national news but I learned about it when I got home from running some errands around 10:00 this morning. Some drunk maniac on a snow machine deliberately hit Aliy Zirkle's sled more than once and plowed through the middle of Jeff King's team, killing one dog at once and badly injuring two more. This happened last night near the check point village of Nolato. The man, a resident of that village and a Native Alaskan, has been arrested and will be arraigned on numerous charges tomorrow. He is in custody of Alaska State Troopers. This is bizarre and shocking enough to belong in one of Sue Henry's mystery novels. The other night I was joking but this is no joke. I've been a wreck all day. I am just glad neither Aliy nor Jeff were injured and none of Alliy's dogs badly.

I saw the videos of both Aliy and Jeff when they checked in and told their original stories. Aliy was visibly shaken and had tears streaming. "He tried to kill me," she said. Jeff was visible weeping for his dogs and his voice broke when he said "Bad trouble. I have one dead dog in the sled bag and two more in bad shape." He had held one while it died and then did what he could for two more and loaded all on his sled to come on to the checkpoint. However, both are going on after breaks and talks with the authorities. These are valuable animals to say nothing of the great bond all real mushers have with each dog on their team so the charges should be severe. I can barely imagine the devastation and shock but both of them are going to "musher up" and head on down the trail, Jeff with only eleven dogs and Aliy with fourteen since she left Clyde, who was slightly hurt, mostly bruised and sore. He is back in Anchorage now and in good care. I am fond of him as the Daddy of the Surfiver puppies and  "my" Alaskan Ginger.

This puts a real kink in the race as by now almost everyone has heard the news since there is radio and other communication among all the checkpoints. I expect most of the mushers will be jumpy and tend to spook if a snow machine comes near them at night! Brent Sass had passed by somewhat earlier and so it was Aliy and Jeff  in second and third places at that point who were in the wrong place at the right time.  For now, Aliy is still holding second. She, Brent and the younger Seavey are camped about a third of the way from Kaltag across to Unalakleet on the coast. I expect they will all get there late tonight and perhaps a couple of others as well, Wade Marrs,  Mitch Seavey. and John Baker are now out of Kaltag, too..

The official site has been subdued today, of course. I've watched the leader board and GPS and noted that Michelle Phillips has moved up to fourteenth place, and Jessie Royer is in twentieth. Both are in Kaltag now. The Norwegian lady has fallen back a bit to twenty-fourth. Deedee and Martin Buser are in the middle of the pack, just taking it easy.

I do not really believe it is likely but the thought did cross my mind: what if a musher had set up this encounter to frighten and delay some of the leaders and it went badly awry?  It is really unthinkable but if such a thing ever did happen, that person would be blacklisted and banned from all recognized and sanctioned sled dog events for life. The Iditarod has nearly sacred status in Alaska--this is like riding a bicycle into the middle of the horses during the Kentucky Derby. But security over 1,000 miles of wilderness is darn near impossible. No doubt the shock waves will reverberate for some time.

My admiration and respect has grown even more for both Aliy and Jeff in their courageous determination to go on and their deep concern for their teammates. I had previously not really liked Jeff but this was surely a different face to see. and impressed me greatly. In a later interview he was very calm, mild and not malicious or seeking retribution, again an admirable  response. He blamed it on the severe substance abuse issues in rural Alaska. However the tale of the doer is somewhat contradictory and I am not sure what to believe yet.

For now I just pray for all the mushers and send good energies and protective guardian angels to watch over all of them for the rest of the race.  BTW two more have scratched,  Scott Janssen at Cripple and Rick Casillo at Ruby. May peace and harmony prevail for the rest of the Iditarod 2016.

Another day down the trail

I won't go out on any limbs and say Brent Sass has this race to lose now but he is moving out at a heck of a brisk pace not too far from Nulato.. However, he has a mandatory eight hours to take somewhere and that will let a few fast follows make headway. One of those is Aliy who has paced close to him all day, even passed while he was resting and held that lead into Galena but he went on through while she was resting there. She took her mandatory eight at Galena and is now out of there ahead of those who arrived after her.

And only one of them, Dallas Seavey, has taken his eight. He did it at Ruby, just a short 100 miles from his twenty four at Cripple. Either he is supremely confident or else he or his dogs were not doing too well. He puts a good face on things, so it is hard to tell, but it looks like his speed is down some. He is into Galena but has not left yet. His dad just got out a few minutes behind Aliy. She will probably run most of the night down the river with one dry-land portage rumored to be very rough to get round some open water on the river, another problem of it being warmer than normal. Nulato and then Kaltag on the river and the trail then turns west toward the coast.

At any rate it is getting very interesting now. By the time they get to Unalakleet, the first checkpoint on the coast, the top five to ten should be getting very clear.  The leaders have about 150 miles to go get there. Right now of the top twenty, six have taken the eight hours; a few others may be doing so now.  Sigrid Ekran from Norway and Michelle Phillips are in 15th and 17th place. Sigrid has taken the eight and Michelle has not. Jessie Royer is at 23 but she said in an interview today that she too has had sick dogs. Not enough.to have to pull out but she is nursing them along and it is hurting her speed.  She sounded a little discouraged which is understandable as she looked to having a fine finish in the top five or ten this year after finishing fourth last year.

So far today, though, Aliy is making a good run. Allen and the Black Team are chugging right along too. He is currently in 37th place running from Cripple to Ruby. Both the Red and Black teams are still running with fifteen dogs and so far no sickness. XX fingers crossed. Since they both like to camp away from checkpoints this may help if it is a virus type bug. At any rate. once you do the eight you can run your own schedule through to White Mountain, the last mandatory eight that all mushers must take, And then the hard, fast dash through blizzard alley to Safety and on to Nome!! Monday maybe?

Martin Buser admitted he did not have time to prepare well and is just going along for the trip. I kind of expected Rohn would race and he would not but I think the son realizes that dad is not kid and can only go so many more times (Martin is 58 I believe) while in the early twenties, Rohn  has many races ahead of him. They seem a good, tight family and that is a fine thing.  Deedee is doing well, not trying to make speed but keeping a steady pace and still has thirteen dogs--I expect she may have had a sick one or two also. It is not being a good race for the dogs and few teams are at or near full strength sixteen.

Here again are my four heroes: Some great people here and folks I consider friends and very admirable. I now have one of Aliy's red beanies since I became a 'Red Team" member. How cool is that?

!!

On the Move Again

Old timer Jeff King, four time Iditarod champ and also several YQ wins, has the lead for now. He forged on last night and got to Ruby at trail mile 613. That means he got the First to the Yukon Award and that famous five course dinner served by an historical hotel in Ruby. That's been "his thing" for some time. I know he did it in 2014. He loves that meal and takes his twenty four there to let it settle and rest his team after a hard push. He got there with all sixteen dogs, despite the fast pace which says a lot about his training and care.

Quite a few racers checked in to Cripple and are taking their big rest there, close behind Dallas Seavey. Brent Sass, 2016 YQ 2nd place, has taken his twenty four but camped not far out of Cripple. Still running with fifteen, Aliy just breezed through that checkpoint and has now passed him by two miles, putting her in second place for now. I checked out the video someone got and the team looked great, ears and tails all up and trotting with great energy! She will probably get to Ruby before Jeff leaves and it is possible she will hold second or even  move to lead for awhile since only Brett has left Cripple so far. Dallas is due out of there about 6:00 pm Alaska time after his twenty four hours and make up two plus hours time, another early starter.  Noah Burmeister and a couple of others may get on the trail before he does since they have much later start positions and thus less make-up time. It is starting to get interesting now!

 A separate side note, our canine crew had a minor run-in with a skunk late last night. The old Heeler-Corgi mix girl got the worst of it and since it was late at night, my brother let her in before he realized so now we have  a rather smelly house! We did not use tomato juice; that seems to be an old wives tale. Apple Cider vinegar diluted 1 to 2 with water helps some but only some...  I guessd lall of those stinkers are hibernating now up north but I her the moose are out so hope no one tangles with them. They may not smell but they can be very mean!

Michelle Phillips and Jessie Royer are still on the trail between Ophir and Cripple--a 73 mile run after their 24 hours  in Takotna and the 23 mile run to Ophir. The other ladies are scattered back through the eighty one racers still on the trail, some at McGrath and some into Takotna, mostly. Still there is room for a lot to happen with nearly half the race yet to be run, cold, lonely miles down the Yukon to Kaltag, over to Unalakleet on the coast and then up the notorious coast where sudden blizzards are almost the rule.  It ain't over 'til its over! That will be late Sunday nigth/Monday morning at the earliest unless someone sets a new speed record. There has also been another scratch, Charley Bejna who often travels with the Berrigton twins. He left the race at McGrath with eleven dogs still in harness. I am not yet aware of why; there may be a canine nova virus type bug loose on the trail due in part to the milder than usual weather. That would be bad.

Day of zigzags on the standings

Quite a few mushers are now taking their mandatory twenty-four hour rest stop at Takotna, which is about 40-45% of the way into the race. One of these is Aliy; she will be leaving early tomorrow with the 2 1/2 hours roughly added to her twenty four in this stop.  Several of the other ladies seem to be doing the same thing but she will be out ahead of most of them. Right now she is sitting at 20th in the leader board since quite a few have gone on to Ophir (23 miles farther) and Dallas Seavey has made it to Cripple, an additional 73 miles; I expect he may do his twenty four there. The standings are very artificial now with this stop either in progress or not yet started for various mushers.

According to an interview with Mitch Seavey, Dallas's dad and a dedicated competitor too, Dallas is not feeling well and is driving on with grim determination. This may end up to his disadvantage if he either gets to the point where he gives out or his judgment goes south or ends up making it to Nome, even in the winning group but is then incapacitated for a time from too much stress. Even young folks are not made of cast iron! There is the old saw about fighting and running away to fight another day that might apply here. Time will tell.

Noah Burmeister, the brother of Aaron who was third last year, is right in there and John Baker, who won several years ago and was the first Native person to do so is too. There are five other male mushers between Ophir and Cripple at this time. Old timers Jeff King and Lance Mackey are among them. All will have to do their twenty four hours sooner or later, though, so those taking that now will have a chance to catch up. The strategies various teams employ are quite varied!

Allen Moore and the Black Team have also reached Takotna so he and Aliy will have a little time to visit and discuss strategy and dogs. I am still not sure what dog Allen has dropped. It may came up on the SPK blog shortly. Aliy still has fifteen in her Red Team. Mismo, the other big guy after the dropped Mac is holding his own very well even leading. It is much cooler in this interior region, too.

No, just checked SPK and no race news but some good pix and a video of the fall puppies out running free with the stay-home crew to supervise them. They are growing up so fast! Quito and Olivia's babies sure look fine!  SO stay tuned or better yet go to the Iditarod.com site and follow it yourself! And visit the SPK Dog Log while you are at it.

I forgot to add there has been another scratch. Veteran musher Hans Gatt was out at Nikolai with sick dogs. They were not eating well and dogs cannot manage with the huge exertion and keeping warm when the temperatures drop to the zero range without getting about 10,000 calories a day--convert that to Big Macs or double cheeseburgers and it is scary!! They can dehydrate and get in bad shape fast so a wise musher knows when to pull the pin,.A four times YQ winner and top ten finisher in several Iditarods, he is not one to panic, If he felt he needed to stop for the dogs, I'd support that decision! That's a live to run another day call. Right on.

48 hours into the race--and 350 miles for the leaders!!

Yes, it is between 48 and 52 hours into the race depending on the starting times, and the leaders are approaching McGrath. Officially that is 400 miles into the race but since the dogs got to ride from Anchorage to Willow in their dog trucks, so I'll call it 350. That is still some smokin' speed and the mushers generally agree many parts of the trail are very fast this time. However, we're now looking ahead to  the mandatory rest stops that everyone has to make and that will cause major ripples in the order of the leading pack. Some will elect to do their twenty-four hour stopover pretty soon while others will wait awhile.

There is another scratch, Zoya DeNure. I am not sure but I think she has never completed the race. I'll check that and I will not go so far as to call her a bad joke at this point.  She has had some bad breaks and problems but it is a little hard to take seriously a former model who does not seem to be able to get a team together and stay with them for the race. To me it is kind of sad as I feel bad when any woman drops out; there are often excellent reasons but it still isn't what I am looking for. However, there are plenty of Jessie Royers, Jodi Baileys, Michelle Phillips, Paige Drobneys and of course Aliy Zirkles and Deedee Jonrowes that make me proud and encouraged. These gals are making a great showing on International Womens Day--what a statement to make about the real strong and courageous women we have in the world today!

Okay, off the soap box <smile>. Yes, it was big Mac that Aliy dropped yesterday. He is one of the largest dogs in the SPK 's crew. The heat got to him and his size and heavy coat handicapped him in getting cooled off. Rather than risk his health, she chose to drop him. He is now safely back in Anchorage in the care of a friend who knows him and he'll be fine. Aliy's sticking in the top ten now, bouncing up and down in the rankings as she follows her own schedule of runs and rests.  She is seventh out of the ten right now and the only woman in the leader group but Michelle Phillips, Jessie Royer, and Norwegian Sigrid Ekran are in the top twenty five so they are making a good showing so far. There is a lot of race to be run yet.

As I said on my Facebook page, I hope someone will beat Dallas Seavey. If it cannot be Aliy, then one of the old timers with the creds and the moxie to keep right on going as mature men. Any one of them,though I would root for Lance Mackey, truly living up to his Come Back Kennel motto and out there again, giving it a darn fine run so far. He has won both the Iditarod and theYQ four timess, a couple of those in the same year! I do not see young Seavey trying the Quest; not sure why. Many thought last year was Lance's final race so it is wonderful to see him able to do it again, and not in the middle of the pack, either, but up in or near the top ten!

Former racer and blogger/race follower Sebastian Schnuelle got this good shot of Aliy today coming in to Nikolai. She and the dogs look fine! I am a "Red Team Member" this year as a small level sponsor so I am really rooting for "my" team!! GO SPK RED!!!

There was a great video taken of Deedee at the official start Sunday which is shared on my timeline on Facebook. She's flaunting her wonderful trademark pink and I am so happy for her and proud of her hang-tough attitude to keep going regardless of a very, very tough year. Now there is a real heroine--she is a lady in every way but despite her petite stature is a Huge Person in every key aspect. My respect for her is boundless. She is not in it to win it now but still racing seriously at her age (60+) is a feat in itself.  She will get to Nome and do it with most of her dogs; I would bet a large pile on it. May her God watch over her! (She is very religious and I think that faith helps her a great deal.) BTW, my FB page is https://www.facebook.com/gwynn.morgan

More tomorrow and I  will try to get the scoop on Ms DeNure.;She had only 11 dogs when she scratched; they may have gotten sick or something. It happens. Perhaps not only in Sue Henry's mystery novels does someone slip something bad to a few dogs or otherwise do some dirty tricks. I would hate to see that occur but it is not beyond possible.

24 Hours plus on the trail

Just as I guessed, we've had two scratches so the field drops to 83. There will be more. as things unwind. About a dozen plus are now out of Rainy Pass, checkpoint four and that means heading into Dallzell Gorge and the Farewell Burn. Those are noted hard areas to traverse but the trailbreakers (on snow machines) report good snow thru the gorge so not as bad as two yeras ago. The burn area is usually dry  and a lot of bare ground. Not too bad for the dogs but hard on sleds and sometimes mushers.

Aliy is holding about in the order she started but the leaders are changing a lot--however this is still early in the race so there is a lot of room to juggle and on-by to mix things up. And at the early stages some mushers try to push hard and get and then hold a lead--which can be risky if they overtax themselves and their team but sometimes it works. A few dropped dogs already including Aliy though no word yet which one she has cut out. She had Mac, a big heavy guy often used in wheel position,riding in the sled basket yesterday but that does not mean he was not doing well although a big dog has more trouble in the unusual heat.  The kennel crew will report when they can. So far Allen has all sixteen and they are doing very good, keeping up in the top twenty or so thus far.

Jessie, Jodi and Michelle Phillips are along in the 20-30 group, swapping around a bit. Paige Drobney is farther back; right now a few places behind her partner Cody Straith who just hit Rainy Pass. She will be there in an hour or so, They are planning to both finish as they did in the YQ but not necessarily running together. Lisbet Norris and her Sibes (Siberian Huskies) and the Berrington twins are along in the middle, doing okay. They are all vets and will finish  in the middle group barring unforeseen problems. Deedee is in the top 30, has dropped one dog and is chugging right along. She knows what she is doing! One of the scratches is a woman; I am not sure if she has finished in the past or not although I recognize the name, Jan Steves. I think the other, a guy, is a rookie.

So far so good. The next 24 to 36 hours will see things start to shake out even more and a more permanent lead pack is likely to emerge, probably containing the top five teams for this race. Still, until they are out on the coast and facing the very changeable and tricky weather there. you just don't know! There are no sure things in the Iditarod until you run up that last rise to Nome!

The Iditarod is in progress!

The real start--as opposed to the ceremonial for show start in Anchorage on hauled-in snow which happened yesterday --began about 2:00 pm today Alaska time at Willow. It took two hours and forty eight minutes to get all eighty-five racers down the chute at two minute intervals.

This difference in time is worked into a mandatory rest period so that everyone works on a level playing field time-wise. That means it is not a real advantage to draw an early number; you only have to sit that time out later on! However quite a few serious contenders--folks who have won or placed well in the past are among the first twenty to hit the trail. Jessie Royer, 4th last year, drew number 3. Since number one is always the honorary musher who does not actually run, each actually starts one place higher than the number they draw.  Aliy drew #13 but actually started 12th and Jodi Bailey follows her at the 13th place. Dallas Seavey, last year's winner, started in 15th place.

My special heroine Deedee Jonrowe started as 44th. I am so glad to see her making this race!! SHeis such a huge inspiration . Martin Buser is close behind her as 47th --I think racing in honor of his injured son Nikolai who is recovering well so far from a horrible accident in Seattle. Four time winner, also, and a YQ winner in the past, Jeff King was 60th. Other famous names are scattered from early to late places.

Eighty five is a lot of mushers, each with sixteen dogs at least to start so it's going to be pretty noisy and hectic for a few hours out to the first couple of checkpoints. Right now the weather is very mild with temps in the low 40s this afternoon. That means mushy snow that will freeze back after dark to slick ice and for the first miles, more heat than huskies are comfortable in. This poses a challenge to the mushers to keep excited and eager dogs in check so they do not overheat or have other mishaps early on. I predict there will be a few scratches within the first twenty-four hours either due to over-tired dogs the vets stop or mushers realizing they are really not ready to do this.  Finishing a mid-length race may qualify a rookie musher but it isn't the same as the 1,000 milers!

I do have the 'team roster' for both of SPK's teams. Aliy is running the Red Team of Scout, Chemo, Chipper, Clyde, Commando, Dutch, Felix, Izzy, Kodiak, Mac, Mismo, Sandy, Schmoe, Scruggs, Willie and Waylon. That is a good mix of older experienced dogs and the best of the new ones coming along. Most have run at least one Iditarod or the YQ this season and are tested on the long distance runs. I feel sure they will make a good showing.  Allen's Black Team is also a mixture of old seasoned dogs and youngsters. He has Quito and Chica (old grande dames, both of them!), Lester,Nacho, Amber, Champ. Driver, Iron, Junior, Lydia, Nomex, Sissy, Spark, Tinder and Violet. Most of the younger dogs are offspring of either Quito or Nacho, full brother and sister litter mates and both astounding dogs.  Amazing potential there and even though he will not be pushing for a high place, I think they will do a very creditable run, especially with those three greats in the mix.

BTW, Clyde in Aliy's team and Chica in Allen's were the parents of the Surfivers litter of 2014; (Ginger and the four boys). None of them are ready for a big race yet but I expect we may see one or more competing more next year as long two year olds. A couple of current long two year olds are running this season. Some pups just mature faster like any other species. For example, Allen took young Commando on the YQ and he is now running with Aliy's team.

More tomorrow as we see how the first twenty-four hours unfold!

Here are both the teams at Anchorage yesterday:  I wish I could have been there to scream myhead off!!