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!