It’s 7am. Feeling: Edgy as I watch the teams work their way up the coast over sea ice. That concept always freaks me out a bit.
Aliy and 12 team mates left Unalakleet at 1am on the dot, after just over four hours rest. At this stage we do not know who she left there, we will try to contact Allen and Doug later to find out this information and get it to you asap. Aliy will be bummed to leave someone behind, but buoyed by the fact that Unk is a hub for returned dogs so whoever it is should hopefully get back to Linda quite quickly.
In an Insider interview with Aliy in the Unk checkpoint she said the trail over from Kaltag was great in that there was an actual trail and there was no swimming! I guess the benchmark for “good trail” is fairly relative in this race. Having dry feet is underestimated. A quote from Ed Hopkins earlier in the race “All I need is as pair of dry socks and I’d be a happy guy.” Aliy explained she stopped the team at Old Woman to give them a break from the heat and get them hydrated and fed to continue down the trail.
The pictures also showed the dogs enjoying their nap immensely, some under fleece blankets to keep the rain/snow off them and a few precautionary wrist wraps to head off potential sore wrists. In this screen shot you see Violet getting herself super-comfy. Aliy, Allen and Doug would have enjoyed the hospitality of the checkpoint and the community of Unalakleet.
The team’s run time over to Shak was 5:40. She and Jessie Holmes are ‘there or there abouts’ with each other at the moment and Aliy arrived there in 7th position, making up some time on Jessie. They were moving very nicely towards the checkpoint which is exciting to watch at this stage of the race.
Skatoolik is an interesting village set on a sand spit bordered by the Tagoomenik River to the east and Norton Sound to the west. Aliy says: “One of my absolute favorite villages on the Iditarod is the tiny Eskimo village of Shaktoolik out on the Western Coast of Alaska. The people out there have a life different from much of the mainstream world – and they are proud of it!”
Aliy will rest the team here before hitting the trail to Koyuk. Trail notes say the trail is “bleak, flat, and deadly monotonous. Locals say the actual distance is under 50 miles, but it always seems like a hundred. There is not so much as a shrub on this stretch, most of which is over the sea ice of Norton Bay“. Aliy and team will run this section in the daylight.
Returned Dog Update
Commando arrived at Chateau Steiner yesterday. He is great! He is not much of an indoor dog so at the moment he is enjoying naps in his box, snacks and meals to order and lots of loving from Linda. He’s had an interesting couple of days travelling from Eagle Island but now he’s somewhere familiar and can rest and recuperate, and set about healing. Thanks Linda and Midnight for taking great care of our returned athletes. They won’t want to leave!
WOOF WOOF WOOF
GO RED TEAM
Really good news on Commando. I’m so glad that he has made to his temporary destination until he gets to go home. I always worry about the benched dogs as they are making their way to Anchorage. Also glad to know Unalakleet is a dropped dog hub to make the transfer faster, hopefully.
Each time I see Aliy on the Insider videos bending over while caring for the dogs, I think about her comments about how she tries to keep her core strong. The mushers are in that bent over position a lot in the checkpoints. Its also fun to see the race going on between Jessie Holmes and Aliy. And Nic is still stopped. Hope everything is okay. What race!!!!
Commando, I think 592 miles is still deserving of a steak!! Relax and recoup “champion”-although it looks like you’re well on your way!! Milk it Big Guy!!
hang in there Commando – you will soon be reunited with your Aliy and your team and everything you know and trust… rest well and heal quickly <3
Really enjoying the race, the comments and watching the map to see where everyone is.
Have a great race day, Aliy and Team … God's speed and bless your every move down the trail 🙂 (Y)
Violet looks so content. It looks like she is used to the routine and sleeps with her paws up so Aliy can bootie her in her sleep, lol. But, I know she and lead were watching and sitting at attention during the prep time at Kaltag.
I enjoyed the II video of Aliy’s arrival in Unalakleet, especially when Aliy looked up and saw Allen, “HEY.” I hope seeing Allen and her dad there made up some for not having the SPK family reunion in Takotna this year.
I’m relieved Commando is back with SPK family!
QT? I hope all is well.
I see Mitch has started up again.
Rest well SPK team, and get ready for a great run.
I have been wonder if leaving Iditarod with only 11 dogs would catch up with “some teams.”
Good for Aliy for taking such great care of her partners that she could roll into Unalakleet with 13 teammates, and Shaktoolik with 12.
Very Funny Becky!
Thank you so much, Moira.
Shaktoolik already. The team moved there smoothly and while resting with the temperatures dropping a little and only little wind the trail ahead, different from the years before, might settle and be a little faster for her, offering those dog paws a base. Really nice pics and sweet to watch Jefe and Bruno and their mates in a video from Unalakleet.
The team is rocking – 11:59 and I see Nic has stopped again. I am not into “what-ifs”, but I am into numbers. Considering Aliy’s trail to Iditarod took 17h29m compared to Jessie Holmes’ 9h55m and Nic’s 9h56m, seems to me she has a world class team in front of her right now. The extra rest at the end, and keeping all 14 to Eagle Island, seems to have really benefited them and brought all their best.
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The times over the last runs have been awesome!
What a race! Hope Handsome Commando is healing ok. Know that Linda is giving him the love he needs.
Will be interested as to who was dropped but know that this web site will keep us informed. Go Aliy and Red
Team Dogs–we love you! Love all the pics!!!!!
It looks like Commando is enjoying all the attention! I’m glad he is doing well and feeling better.
The Red Team is moving along nicely. The race is getting super exciting as teams are slowly approaching the finish line in Nome. In just a couple days, Aliy and her team of athletes will be in Nome!
GO ALIY!
Safe travels on the Norton Sound! Run with the wind!