This is Aliy’s mom, Mickey, doing the local color commentary for the evening.
There is not much I can say about Aliy’s current position and running times that isn’t on the Iditarod website, Anchorage Daily News website or myriad other blogs and news outlets.
I can tell you that as of this writing Dallas and Aliy are about 2 hours out of the White Mountain checkpoint, where an 8 hour rest is mandatory. Over the years I have devised an easy formula for estimating the expected finish time of a team. Simply add 18 to 20 hours to the White Mountain arrival time. This means the first teams should reach Front Street in Nome sometime tomorrow (Tuesday) night. A Tuesday night finish will likely break Iditarod speed records. We’ll see. Weather conditions can always surprise us on this last stretch.
SP Kennel family and supporters have been streaming into Nome for the finish. Allen and Doug, along with Scotty, Bridgett and Timber, flew back there from Unalakleet yesterday. Derrick flew his own plane in from Two Rivers yesterday. Today Wes, all of Ryne’s family and a gang of folks from Horizon Lines flew in. Tomorrow Kaz, Ray and Sammy fly to Nome. Wendy and I are on a flight that arrives at 8pm tomorrow. I fear we may not make Aliy’s finish!!!
My job for the past few days has been to retrieve dropped dogs flown into Anchorage by the Iditarod. Tonight we got Bonita and Scooter, both bropped in Kaltag. Scooter had a sore wrist but is fine now and simply wants to eat and play. Bonita was dropped because she wasn’t eating well on the trail. Her appetite and attitude are great now. They go to our friend Margie’s kennel in Wasilla tomorrow morning. Aliy dropped two dogs today in Elim but we expect them to be flown directly to Nome to be reunited with their team.
Ryne is cruising along the Bering Sea coast now. What an experience that must be! She departed Unalakleet at 8:59 PM, after resting there for 5 hours. And she still has 13 dogs. Ryne is currently in 33rd place and she is 5th in a field of 14 rookies, some of whom have years of experience.
Thanks for joining us on this wild ride. Now let’s see what tomorrow brings.
Thanks for the update! Every little piece of news is welcome! I can just imagine the excitement you all must be feeling over both Aliy's race and Ryne's race! What a reunion it will be in Nome!
Good luck Aliy and Ryne and all you beautiful dogs!!
Here's keeping my fingers crossed for Aliy! It's been one fantastic run! She's amazing!
Thanks Aliy's Mom. And thanks to all the SP Kennel team for bringing us some inside stories to help bring more colour and emotion to the race and what goes on behind the scenes. You guys must never sleep!!
I was lucky to be on one of Aliy's Brooks Ranges trips in 1999 and whilst following her progress over the years this is the first year I have followed both the YQ and Iditarod so closely – and what a year for SP Kennels!!!
Thank you, Mickey,for the update, what a proud Mom you can be… she and the dogs are doing an incredible job. We'll be watching the whole 77 miles as much as GPS will let us! We're there in spirit the whole way. YEA, ALIY!!
Julie and Frita
Micky … thanks for the update. You must be on pins and needles … and as always proud, so very proud of your daughters' accomplishments. When the 'dust' settles at the finish line … please tell Aliy how much we love her … Go Red … Go Red 'n Black … SPK ROAR … WOOF !!
Jennifer & Don Grogg
PS feed on some crab for us!!!
Aliy girl,
Saw your video on the Insider where you are questioning whether you can catch Dallas and/or hold off Ramey. Well I KNOW you can do both. I watched your team very closely in the video and I think there is more left in the tank. You're dogs are awesome and so are you. Your conditioning and nutrition program is impeccable. Your dogs know what is coming up (the praise, the hype, the excitement)thanks to Allen's awesome YQ run this year. YOU CAN DO IT. That is my personal and professional opinion. KKW
So very special to hear from the "mother" of the human "mother" of the SP Kennel!!! And so right – we can all watch the numbers and the virtual race, but it is so special to have the family give us the overall story!!!
If ChaCha could blog she would say to the 10-strong husklies: Woof, Woof, WOOF!!!
And thanks again to Mac for his overviews, too!
THANK YOU FOR LETTING US SHARE THIS EXPERIENCE WITH YOU, sincerely.
Tony Marsico
Tony is with Ed Anders in Belize. Ed hails from Two Rivers, Alaska, my home for the previous 30 years and together we are monitoring the dramatic final day of the Iditarod, where Aliy Zirkle, Another Two rivers Resident, friend and former employee of mine at Two Rivers Lodge, is running 1 hour behind the leader, with only 55 miles to go. They should finish sometime late tonite early am Wed and we are cheering her on. A note is that her husband, Allen Moore, just came in a very close second in the other 1000 mile dog race, the Yukon Quest, and I don't think she is going to settle for second in the Iditarod…..go Aliy go!
I wish so much for Aliy to be the first under the arch her and Allen worked (and the whole family/kennel crew) so hard for it.. but this is going to be very close (I know how Ramey can finish)… I got so sad at the Quest finish I wanted so bad Allen to win so I rather hold my breath for now and I will scream of joy from Fairbanks (you may hear me from Nome) if Aliy Win and if she doesn't WELL SHE MAKE ONE AMAZING RACE !!!!
NO MATTER WHAT THE OUTCOME IS…. ALIY (and dogs and crew) you proved that you have an amazing dog team and a plan that work !!!
hugs
Magali
@ 2:15 am our time, 1:15am AST I fell asleep, finally, after following every agonizing update on the tracker of Aliys approach over the ice from golovin. Up to then she had.kept that 2 m distance to Dallas on land, but suddenly, @ m 828 to 829 her speed drops down drastically. (same spot where Ramies ted drops slow) where is the spark, that we all sent? I guess the 4.4m/h is good, but the chased/-ing team had a 7.2 here. How tired you must have been Aliy, and how very much I/ we send our admiration and energy to you and the dogs, each one heroe of you! The super excitement will accompany you all the.way into the finish. Forget those around you and RUN, FLY, SING and enjoy your super team. I am very much looking forward to every update and all those shared comments. Salut.
Ingabritt
Thanks Mickey for the update. I just watched the Insider video where Aliy is pretty much conceding the race. I imagine this must be a disappointing for her. Aliy, a whole bunch of us were rooting for you as you made your way from Elim. You have so many people who think you are a terrific person.
Rest well until your final push to Nome.
YOU CAN DO IT!!! Go Aliy Go doggies and specially Quito,Olivia and Boondocks – show them THE WAY to the victory!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Kind regards,
Your #1 fan Cassandra.
As so many lovers of SPK I have been at the edge of my seat for a days now and have really really enjoyed and appreciated the updates from the SPK family. Wow! It's been a wild mushing year!! Aliy and pups: You guys are amazing, wonderful, and incredibly talented. I am so proud to support such a fantastic kennel.