SPK Dog Log

Iditarod Finish Line

Just outside Safety, Aliy and the Red Team ran into a ground blizzard.

Aliy passes Dee Dee on final stretch to Nome.

Sorry for the dark time on the Blog. I just couldn’t do it. I wasn’t supposed to come to Nome this year, but I just couldn’t stay away. Sammy and I just arrived in Nome and the whole clan is camping out at Bridgett and Scotty’s house waiting for Aliy to arrive.

Aliy is almost in Safety and keeping a good speed. I hope she can pass Anderson, but we will see. We expect her in at about 1 am to 2 am AST.

Allen is on his way to White Mountain, still having a great race. We expect him in about early afternoon tomorrow.

John Baker of Kotzebue, Alaska wins the 2011 Iditarod. He broke Martin Buser’s record by 3 hours, making this the fastest Iditarod ever. Baker is the 1st Inupiat to win the race and is the 1st Alaska Native to win since Jerry Riley won in 1976. I have never seen so many people at the finish line to welcome in the winner. It is a huge day for the Iditarod, Alaska and the Alaska Native community.

It looks like John Baker is going to do it!! He is well ahead of Ramey and fast approaching Nome. He will be the first Native Alaskan to win the Iditarod since the mid ’70s. There will be a HUGE crowed to meet him at the finish line.

Aliy is in White Mountain doing her mandatory 8 hour rest. She had one of the fastest times into White Mountain and reports are that she and the team looked GREAT! She will be able to leave at 3:40 pm AST for the last leg into Nome. (Through Safety)

Allen is at Koyuk. He arrived at 7:07 am AST. After switching to the smaller sled, he has picked up speed on the coast.

Doug, Bridgett and Ryne are out in White Mountain to see Aliy. We will see if they will be able to see Allen before heading back to Nome.

Aliy is on the trail about 24 miles from Elim and about to cross the frozen ocean. She is rocking and rolling with 11 dogs. It will be telling where she is when she arrives at White Mountain.

Allen is in Shaktoolik. He got there at 6 pm AST. As we heard from Bridgett and Ryne, he is seriously racing now too.

The front runners have arrived in White Mountain. John Baker arrived a little under an hour before Ramey Smyth. The Smyth brothers are known for their speed from Safety to Nome. They have the fastest times ever! An hour is not as large of a lead as I would like if I were Baker!

It is a given now that the Iditarod will have a new champion this year. The top 15 mushers have never won, although several have taken the 2nd position. It should be an interesting next 20 or so hours.