Bridgett and her Red & Black Team are currently resting in Council. There is a mandatory eight hour layover at the checkpoint.
The team left Nome this morning at 10am with Chemo and Chena in lead, followed by Amber and Chipper, Lydia and Nomex, Driver by himself, then Iron and Willie and Outlaw and Clyde in wheel. After climbing over Cape Nome and passing Safety Roadhouse, they stopped to camp at the Topkok Shelter cabin – around 47 miles in – for three hours. After that rest the team climbed up over the Topkok hills and along the Niukluk River before arriving in Council.
The start was a mass start of the three entered teams, therefore there is no time differential to see out. They can leave exactly eight hours after they arrived and will return to Nome on the same trail they went out on. Nome friends Curtis and Kami were on hand to video the Start this morning. Thanks guys!
We have been watching the weather at the infamous “blowhole” as it can change in an instant from calm 3mph winds, as it was this morning when the team went through, to ferocious ground storms that Aliy and Pete Kaiser experienced on their way to Nome just a couple of weeks ago. Check out the Alaska Snow, Water and Climate Services website here. I believe Johnson’s Camp is in the blowhole area.
We’ll be watching the tracker overnight to see what’s going on as they head home to Nome. GO TEAM!!
That Climate site is pretty cool….Im always amazed at how the wind can howl through that area while at the same moment be just a wisp of wind just down the trail! Infamous blow hole indeed!!
Bridgett is doing a great job…its been fun watching her on the tracker just ticking right along! We enjoyed the start video….Chena and Chemo seem to be very calm Leaders…all business! Still half a race to go! Looking good SPK Red and Black!
MOIRA IS AWESOME AND CHRIS AND RUTH HAVE AN ACT TO TAKE ON THE ROAD!!!
Align me with comment above re: start video.
Chena is so proud to be leading with B.M.O.C. Chemo!!!
And thank you so much for having this extra race for those who didn't get enough of the blow-hole – that hourly climate link is awesome – the different pieces of equipment needed, altho' not rocket science, still must be connected or input to the "information super highway" if not to excite those of us perhaps capable of interpreting the data!!!
Back to full year college geography course for me to translate the findings (so long as the 8hr rest continues)!!!
Go Bridgett, looking good!
Chemo, Chena, Amber, Chipper, Lydia, Nomex, Driver, Iron, Willie, Outlaw and Clyde must all be wondering, "What did we do special, that we get to run to Nome again!" Woohoo!
Thanks for explaining the mass start. I was wondering if they had started in reverse order since it was 3, 2, 1 until Janice scratched.
This is a great race – lots of challenges and some hazards. I suppose since it's after the Iditarod, not many think to take advantage of it.
The Iditarod trail notes comments that there are several blow holes, which is probably why I've been confused about where THE Blow Hole is. Here is the trail description for the typically worst region for wind:
At the west foot of Topkok, you are about 25 miles from Safety. The Nome Kennel Club maintains a snug shelter cabin here that has saved many a musher and snowmachiner. Again, if you see blowing snow ahead, you might be advised to hole up here for awhile if you’re not familiar with the area. There is another shelter cabin 6 miles farther on, called Tommy Johnson’s cabin. The six miles between these cabins is traditionally the worst blow hole in the area, although the wind can blow just as hard until well past the Bonanza Ferry bridge, 12 miles from the cabin.
Wow! Bridgett is doing Great on speed. Hope she is having fun.
My phone said wind is calm so I hope that is true. Go Bridgett!