SPK Dog Log

Thank you for entering into the draw for Anvik and Kaltag (stuffed toy huskies); we had 74 correct entries! Bridgett drew the winners out of a hat under the burled arch in Nome.

The answers to the questions are:

1) What is the “luxury” item Aliy is carrying in her sled? Her down slippers
2) What nickname does Aliy call Mac by in one of the videos? MacDaddy
3) What word did Allen use to describe the trail into Rainy Pass? Punchy
4) Who were the four major sponsors of the kennel that the team visited while in Anchorage? Clarion Suites, Quality Suites, Horizon Lines and Eagle Pack

Anvik has found a new home with Ginny and Kaltag is heading to Courtney. Congratulations to the winners! Keep an eye out for when Allen gets to Koyuk for another chance to win.

Note: I linked the answers to the posts that have the video answers above, the written version of question 2 is here and 3 is here.

Moira emailed me and asked for my thoughts on the race. I’ve been trying to think of what to write all day. It pretty much boils down to three words: What a race!

Crazy weather, mixing tropical temps and rain with snow and wind. Revolutionary break-out strategies that almost worked (and might still). Too many leader changes to keep track of. Lost dogs, sick dogs, scratches, withdrawals and true grit perseverance. All building to what may be a neck-and-neck sprint to the finish. What a fantastic Iditarod!

Aliy has been running the SP Kennel Red Team on a very impressive and highly competitive strategy. She has managed her team brilliantly, balancing run and rest times in a challenging context of high temperatures, rough trail conditions and crazy-making goings-on all around her. It’s true that the Iditarod is mostly about the dogs and what they can do, but the experience, savvy and stamina of the mushers is playing as big a part as ever. Aliy is a true professional and it is thrilling to watch her race.

At this writing, Aliy and the Red Team are in third position, ten miles behind the leader, with about 150 miles to go. That is by no means an insurmountable deficit, and I won’t be surprised to see it tighten up considerably… Maybe even victoriously for her. You’ve all seen that look in her eye when she’s got her game on, and I guarantee you that nobody is working harder than she is to help the dogs. I have to believe that is weighing heavily on the minds of the “old guy” mushers ahead of her. I know I wouldn’t want her breathing down my neck!

There’s a mandatory 8-hour rest in White Mountain, and we’ll know exactly how close this race is when they get there. After that, it’s a 77 mile sprint to Nome! Put on another pot of coffee and hang on folks… What a race!

Aliy and team pulled into Koyuk at 9.28am this morning after making great time on the run from Shaktoolik. She is currently running Quito in single lead! Go Quito!

Check out these fantastic photos from Sebastian Schnuelle, right on the spot!

Allen and team are currently stopped at Old Woman Cabin (we believe) for a little over three hours so far.

Allen is running a very different race to those up in front! On a recent insider video he explained that the rest schedule he is running is so the younger dogs in the team will enjoy their Iditarod experience and learn how to get through a 1000 mile race. He said they had just gone through a lot of snow for eight hours and that is wasn’t too fun for them so they were getting a good long rest in Kaltag. In the video he looked and sounded upbeat and the dogs came in with wagging tails and were gobbling down their snacks, so it looks like he’s doing a great job!

He talked about the “crazy” weather conditions but in typical Allen Moore fashion he said “something is different every year, ya know?” – he’s been around enough to take whatever comes in his stride and he didn’t appear phased by it. He will be working hard himself to get as many of his team mates to Nome as possible, and not just by his famous ski-poling but also with exceptional dog care!

He pulled out of Kaltag at 12.30am after just over six hours rest there and is now on the way to Unalakleet. He has left someone behind in Kaltag, we’re not sure who yet so we will let you know as soon as possible.

Screen shots from Insider video L-R: Allen looks upbeat; Tatfish enjoys his fish snack

Meanwhile, up in the front pack, Aliy and team pulled into Shaktoolik at midnight and are currently resting.

Yes, I know it 2.45am but I can’t sleep so I thought I would join some of our supporters from different time zones and watch the overnight action!

Aliy and team are now travelling up the Bering Sea Coast having left Unalakleet (Unk) at 5.51pm after resting a little over four hours. She left less than three hours behind the current leader Mitch Seavey and she’s still running with an eleven-strong team.

Several news agencies talked to her while she was in Unk and she has told them that the run from Kaltag to Unk did not quite go to plan but I remember in interviews before the start of the race when reporters asked her about strategy and she said that she doesn’t have just one – she will change it according to weather, trail and, most importantly, how the dogs are doing so we’re not too worried about her having to use “plan C” – she is savvy enough to be able to alter her plans accordingly.

Top Right: Aliy massaging the team; Above Left: Quito and Scout lead the team into Unalakleet; Right: Olivia settling in for a rest. All pictures above from Sebastian Schnuelle.

Allen and team arrived into Kaltag at 6.21pm and have stopped for a rest. They are still running around the middle of the pack which is right where he wants to be. Once he leaves Kaltag it is likely they will camp along the trail, perhaps at Tripod Flats and/or Old Woman Cabins before making their way to the Bering Sea Coast.

Our friend Cody Strathe from Squid Acres Kennel met Aliy in Unk and sent through this wonderful picture of her lovely smiling face!

The whole crew has arrived in Nome with supplies to start setting up ready for the arrival of the two teams.

We shipped some of the dog crates from Anchorage to Nome with Northern Air Cargo who gave us a great Iditarod rate so thanks team!

Below are some pictures taken in Nome over the last couple of days. Town is buzzing with a bunch of activities as it gets ready to welcome the teams off the trail; craft fairs, educational lectures, beer tasting and the businessman’s mushing race among others.

The famous “Burled Arch” on Front Street

L-R: “Welcome to Nome”; part of the incoming trail along the beach before heading up to Front Street

If you want a quick glimpse of the finishing chute, Nome has webcam that updates periodically! Click on the picture below to link through.

The “Insider” team caught up with Aliy when the team was resting on the Yukon just outside of Kaltag yesterday afternoon. She explained she was there because it was more likely the dogs would get a better rest out there than in town. She told them she spent 24 hours soaking wet and when talking about being able to lay in the sunshine for a few hours she said: “man, that was nice!” She thought that the rainy weather was tougher on the humans than the dogs!

As we have been sleeping the team moved down the trail and stopped for about an hour at what could have been “Old Woman Cabin”, one of two BLM (Bureau of Land Management) cabins along the much used portage between Kaltag and Unalakleet about 35 miles from Unalakleet. The team is on its way again now just over 30 miles from the checkpoint.

After over seven hours rest in Eagle Island Allen and team are on the trail towards Kaltag and right now are about 30 miles from the checkpoint. He is still running with 14 dogs and moving at a good pace.

Note: A number of you are asking about Puppet and Waylon as Emily Schwing from KUAC, who saw Aliy go through Kaltag, wrote that they were the two dogs dropped there. At this stage that is all we know also so we will find out more as soon as we can.

PS Don’t forget daylight saving time!

It looks to us like Aliy and the team have stopped to rest on the trail about 13 miles past Kaltag. Our best guess is that the team has been moving through snowdrifts on this part of the trail which will slow the team down and whoever is in front is breaking trail!

Allen and team are resting in Eagle Island after a very fast time from Grayling! At the time of writing, they’ve been there for about two and a half hours. As you can see by now he is running a very different schedule to Aliy!

We’re signing off to get some sleep (if we can); there is still a long way to go. Tomorrow we should see a “Gold Coast Award” winner as the first musher to Unalakleet. This is the award that Aliy won last year and it was presented to her by her son-in-law Scotty Watkins from Wells Fargo 🙂

NOTE: We have been able to pick up Dingle and Kipper from the Dog Drop HQ in Anchorage, they made it back late this afternoon. They are both going to be just fine, Dingle had some soreness in his right rear and Kipper in her front left shoulder. Mickey and Doug who are still in Anchorage picked them up this afternoon and the vet seemed happy they will recover well. They were happy to be back around familiar faces – it must have been quite a big deal to have to ride in two planes on the way back to Anchorage! They are both a little sleepy but they enjoyed their salmon snacks and kibble which they gobbled up and they are now taking a looong nap.