Sunday, March 13, 2016

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!!!!

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