Aliy and Allen Resting Well in Takotna
Both Aliy and Allen are resting in Takotna with their teams for their 24 hour mandatory rest. Mickey was out and visited with them for several hours this afternoon. Both were in very good spirits and getting well needed rest.
Aliy was very focused but happy with her run so far. Our guesses were wrong. She had dropped Snickers for a swollen foot in Nikolai. She is planning to drop Rose in Takotna for a wrist before she leaves tonight and Tug is still a question mark. If she leaves with 12 dogs, then she dropped them both. We have an interview with her that will be up shortly.
Allen is well. His finger is feeling good. He is eating Takotna out of food and is very tired, but happy and chatting with everyone in the check point. He is very pleased with his team and is planning to leave with all dogs.
Photo by Cheri Cubbison
Here are links to a few good photos.
http://www.adn.com/2011/03/09/1745564/2011-iditarod-day-4.html#id=1746416&view=large_view
Images from the Trail » The Story of The Last Great Race in Pictures
Report from the Trail – Takotna
I just received this from Mickey. I know it is a bit late, but here it is.
I’m here. Aliy and Allen are asleep in the bunkhouse. Both teams are stretched out in the sun on beds of straw. Mushers, volunteers and fans gather at the checkpoint to eat and chat.
I just had a conversation with musher Justin Savidis. He told the group surrounding him at our table about the experience of hallucinations on the trail. As he tried to stay alert on the trail his dogs transformed into different colors and shapes. Then he saw buildings and trucks along the trail. A true 1960’s experience. He knew that wasn’t real but had tough time shaking the visions. At this point Justin has had about 3 hours sleep during the race. We just watched him stumble into the bunkhouse. Sleep well.
Report from the Trail – McGrath
This is Mickey, Aliy’s Mom, reporting from McGrath Alaska. I had the opportunity to see Aliy come through this checkpoint at 10:48 pm last night. I walked to the checkpoint from the apartment where I am staying with Mike Litzen ( our friend and bush pilot) and his family. The air was cold and clear….stars and moon almost touchable.
Aliy appeared off the river first as a bobbing headlamp. The light slowly turned into a peppy dog team pulling a sled. The dogs obviously loved the colder temps.
Aliy simply stopped to check in, say hello to the Cox men who run the checkpoint, give me a kiss and hug, and head back onto the trail. She sported a big smile and was focused on getting to Takotna, about 20 miles down the trail.
I didn’t see Allen come through McGrath but I am on my way to Takotna now. There I plan to catch up with both our mushers, doing their 24s.
Stay tuned.
Allen Moore – Nikolai Interview
Report From the The Trail – Nikolai
Mickey was out in Nikolai today and talked to both Aliy and Allen. We will have the interviews with them both up as they come in from McGrath.
As I write this, Aliy is being shown out of Nikolai with 14 dogs. However, the tracker is showing her through McGrath. We know she had to drop Bonita for a wrist in Rohn, but we don’t know who she dropped in Nikolai. Mickey had to leave before Aliy had made that decision. We believe it is either Rose, who has been suffering with a wrist injury, or Tug. Aliy was in good spirits in Nikolai, though clearly upset she had to drop Bonita. The trails are very hard and fast. That tends to aggravate wrist and shoulders as well as musher’s backs.
Aliy Arriving Nikolai
Aliy Changing Her Runner Plastics in Nikolai
Allen was out of Nikolai at mile 264 with 14 dogs. He had to drop Oddball for a shoulder injury. Although he was tired, he was pleased with his dogs and his run. He was eating a big plate of spaghetti when Mickey last talked to him.
Allen Arriving At Nikolai
Mickey Heading Out on Trail
This is Mickey, Aliy’s Mom, reporting from the Iditarod Trail. It is Tuesday at 9:30 am and I just arrived in McGrath. The trip from Anchorage was spectacular. We took off over the Cook Inlet heading west in a 30 seater turbo-prop. The tidal plains gave way to the foothills which quickly transformed into the spectacular Alaska Mountain Range. What a complex, vast and rugged swath of land! Amazing that our mushers have made it through this wilderness to these interior lands which are drained the Kuskokwim River. The Kuskokwim winds southwest past Bethel to the sea. McGrath is a village of 350 souls cradled in a frozen U turn of the river.
My plane was full of Iditarod volunteers and spectators. The Iditarod Race Marshall and several members of the Board of Directors were aboard. The McGrath checkpoint Is just about ready for the first mushers to arrive, probably this afternoon or evening.
I’m off to catch the air taxi to Nikolai. Hoping to see both Aliy and Allen there. Stay tuned for news from the trail.
Mark Nordman, Iditarod Race Marshall, and Stan Hooley, Iditarod Board of Directors, depart Anchorage for McGrath
Aliy and Allen Through Rohn
Aliy is through Rohn with 15 dogs. She is currently about 20 miles outside of Nikolai.
Allen is out of Rohn with 15 dogs as well. He is currently about 45 miles outside of Nikolai.
Aliy and Allen and the dogs have been featured in many of the Iditarod Insider videos as well as many articles. Here are some links to some of the articles and photos.
http://community.adn.com/?q=adn/node/156039
http://www.adn.com/2011/03/07/1742161/2011-iditarod-day-2.html#id=1742323&view=large_view
http://www.adn.com/2011/03/07/1742161/2011-iditarod-day-2.html#id=1742314&view=large_view
http://www.adn.com/2011/03/07/1742161/2011-iditarod-day-2.html#id=1742318&view=large_view
http://www.adn.com/2011/03/05/1738282/2011-iditarod-cermonial-start.html#id=1738562&view=large_view