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.