It’s 4pm Monday afternoon
Goodness, it looks like it was pretty brutal out there. A ground storm hit the leading pack on their way from Shaktoolik and Koyuk which slowed the teams down, made the trail difficult to find and seemingly made for challenging mushing. Once teams hit the coast the weather really can play a huge part in the outcome, as we well know, and it has once again caused a shake up in the standings.
All the mushers will be watching the weather forecast closely and making a decision of how long to rest their dogs before heading up the coast. The moving speeds of those on the trail currently look pretty good so I presume that particular storm passed. I also noticed some were travelling in pairs; never a silly idea along this stretch.
Before the race, mushers were told that because of insufficient freezing on Norton Bay, the trail would follow closer to the coastline, rather than head directly over the pack ice from Shak to Koyuk, as in previous years. I’m not sure the tracker line is accurately reflecting the new trail as sometimes they have to reroute the trail as the last minute due to conditions. If that is the case the trail team do their best to mark it and advise mushers of changes. Remember they are also battling Mother Nature and she can be fickle.
RED TEAM UPDATE
Aliy and team pulled into Shaktoolik at 12:41pm with Jessie Royer hot on their heels. Their run time from Unk of 6 hours 27 is certainly not the fastest, but also not the slowest in the top 20, so that’s something. The team just keeps on keeping on and that is all we could want. Good dogs!
Here’s an Aliy Cam from last year as the team mushed the trail from Shak to Koyuk.
BLACK TEAM UPDATE
Allen is camping his team at Eagle Island Hospitality Stop. He told us he would stop there as there are volunteers and a vet stationed there, and he thought we would all feel happier about that.
They have moved along nicely since leaving Grayling which is not surprising having banked 29 hours of rest at the checkpoint. We are really happy to see them progressing down the trail.
NOME UPDATE
Nome is starting to gear up for the arrival of mushers and teams. Today we picked up the kennels for the dogs. We will use these, in halves, in the dog yard for straw beds then we put them together to ship the dogs home.
The Dog Yard is starting to get prepared with all the drop bags stored in shipping containers ready for handler crews to claim them. We can’t set up our teams’ spots until they arrive in White Mountain so we have stored our kennels and supply bags until then.
Front Street is also getting ready. The arch has been moved into place over the weekend and today the finish banners were erected and the chute cordorned off. We’re ready and waiting! Come on little doggies!
Go Red and Black Teams! It’s good to hear that Aliy and Allen are doing well and progressing nicely along the trail. It exciting that Front Street is all set up for the finish! GO SPK! RUN TO NOME!
Thankful Allen is on the mend and traveling conservatively to keep all his family, friends and supporters happy!
Yup, looks like Allen is at the Eagle Island Hospitality Stop. Really nice to know as 120 miles
of no one around. Hope the weather breaks for Aliy now as she is headed to Koyuk.
Just be safe doggies and humans. Go Red & Black!!!!!
Allen is making great time. Earlier today, Teresa, my daughter and I, were considering whether he would camp between Eagle Island and Kaltag. I am going on the record as saying no because – they have had two 24 hour lay overs, they have run very strong up the river. I can see them doing well enough for Allen to just let them go another 7 hours and rest well in Kaltag. HA – now we will see if my prediction is right.
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At the same time, I am watching the excruciating progress across Norton Sound. The blue mark is off, but if you click on any of the orange flags that are in Koyuk, you can see that those on the ice are all following a trail. But if you click on Nic, you can also see very clearly where he went off. It was just at the point where the trail ceased to go east by northeast and turned north by northeast. Man, I do feel for him, but also am very pleased to see Joar do well (after all, some real hot shot youngsters at SPK came from one of his leaders) – and Matt, and Pete and Richie.
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Strangely, I am not disappointed that Aliy is not in the top ten. I am glad she is alive and well and so are the dogs, but I will be very glad when I see that green 31 touch Koyuk.
I have been keeping an eagle eye on the tracker and am SO glad to see the Bleck Team making progress up along the river….a big sigh of relief….Allen must be feeling better for sure!
Aliy’s squad of 10 dogs are holding their own across the sea ice to Koyuk…..like you say….good dogs!
Lets hope Mother Nature is done playing on the coast….but I see more snow forecasted for today. Hopefully the wind wont be so bad. When I watch any of the videos is appears to be howling! Keep on chugging along Red Team!
Yahoo…the Burled Arch is up in Nome! And to think in the early years they made a line in the snow with a package of Kool-Aid for the finish line! This race has certainly come a long way baby!