A Note from Aliy
We just got a call from Ken Privratsky of Horizon Lines of Alaska who is flying the trail this year. He meet up with Aliy in Cripple where she is doing her 24 hour mandatory layover. She sent a note back with him to let us know what was going on in her race. There are no phones out in Cripple, which is a mobile checkpoint made up of tents that the Iditarod Air Force flies in.
As we thought, Aliy is doing her mandatory rest in Cripple. Her team is looking good and so is she. Venus and little JJ (her supperstar leader AJ’s son) have been in lead for much of the race. Butterscotch hurt his shoulder right when they got to Cripple and Tony has a “hitch in his git-a-long.” Hopefully the layover will be enough for these two dogs to be able to continue down the trail, but Aliy may have to leave them behind. All of the other dogs are doing very well.
The snow is very “gritty” with the heat and it is causing problems with the dog booties. They are not staying on well and holes are eating them away. Ken said it was 30 degrees there.
The dog she dropped back in Ophir was the two year old Bisquit. He seemed to have picked up a virus. Unfortunately, he didn’t really start showing the signs until after Aliy left Ophir. She had to return to the checkpoint to drop him.
Aliy broke the handlebar of her sled while traversing the Rainy Pass area. She drove it broken through some of the toughest trail on the Iditarod. She said the area was “very challenging” – which from the reports we have heard, is putting it mildly! She finally fixed the bar when she reached Rohn. She will surely have some stories to tell about that!
Aliy will be leaving Cripple tomorrow morning.
