Time: 8.20am Race Mile: 318
Just a quick update from overnight – Aliy and her team mushed into McGrath at 2.12am and spent around just over five hours in the checkpoint, leaving at 7.20am this morning. This amount of time would have given the dogs and Aliy a good rest ready for the trail ahead. Listening to other mushers’ Insider interviews it sounds like the trail between Nikolai and McGrath was a bit soft in sections and therefore slow so a good rest was in order.
Right now Aliy and her 13 team mates are headed towards Taktona where a number of teams appear to be taking their 24 hour break. Aliy has packed for several 24-hour possibilities sending enough food and gear to different checkpoints so she had options and could cover contingencies. At this stage I’m not sure which option she’s going to take the long rest so we’ll have to wait to see what she decides is best for the team. Mushers must ‘declare’ their long stop when they arrive into the checkpoint and check-in (although if they then decide to leave early they can.)
We’ll be keeping an eye on the tracker for much of the day to see what she decides to do.
Here are a couple of articles, one from ADN and one from KTUU who caught up with Aliy in Nikolai where she explains just what I was talking about in my last post. The dogs are happy and healthy but not as fast as many of the teams in front of her.
The trail has gone soft from Ophir on .. All the leaders who had been posted times 1 mph or more faster than Aliy are now slowing down to what she is posting between Takotna and Ophir.
this is one of those times one wishes they could transfer information psychically . . maybe waiting until it cools off more would be better.
I have bred only one litter, a litter of 4 dobermans. They were highly competitive with one another and they matured at different rates, even when really young. Separating them early was almost a necessity since I don’t run a true kennel and we had limited space in our house. Having a pack of 4 determined, strong willed female dobermans .. nope, not for me.
Made me wonder how different Alaskan huskies are. Do they benefit from being with their litter mates longer, forming a tightly competitive bond that they might not form with other relatives? Does this encourage that extra spunk and effort along the trail to try to outdo one another?
I must have thought so subconsciously since I was so delighted to read that Chevie and QT were in lead together – probably based on watching my girls scrap and go at it when young.
But sled dogs are a different kettle of fish .. Interesting the things that breeders know about their dogs we don’t have insight into.
Thank you for the links to the ADN and KTUU articles.
Clearly a difficult year for a competitive Aliy. I recommend she switch jackets with Travis, or Jessie, and jump on the back of the corresponding sled when it travels through at her 24 hour stop, then chase down Brent.
You know I’m kidding!
I hope Aliy puts herself in 100% race-training mode. Keep it POSITIVE for her and the dogs and enjoy the competition, everything about it. Enjoy the snow, enjoy the wind, enjoy getting sleep deprived, enjoy being exhausted, enjoy working up a sweat, enjoy snuggling with the dogs, enjoy every aspect of caring for the dogs, enjoy the scenery, enjoy the fans…
and enjoy running through NULATO,
yeah I said that.
It’s been three years since the Iditarod passed through Nulato, and just four years since we were all tortured by what happened there, especially Aliy. When Aliy takes her team through Nulato, and again proves that she is a survivor, she will have won this race. I don’t care if she goes through cussing, crying, holding her breath, hyperventilating, laughing, screaming or singing, as long as she does it her way. She’s a winner. <3
All that goes for Allen, Moira and the SPK team too, because I have no doubt it has crossed you mind.
Lot's of love and respect.
I was so glad to see Aliy is now in Ophir for a good and proper rest. I like the idea that she pushed on that far. With only 6 moving on at a crawl to the Cripple for their 24 lay over this will be interesting once everyone is back on the trail.
Really hoping for a long and refreshing rest for Aliy and the team. Looks like another night of watching the tracker and the live broadcast.