From UNALAKLEET to SHAKTOOLIK is one of the longest rides 85 miles. They have assembled the checkpoint outside SHAKTOOLIK and I don't have any pictures of it. Hank and I were here delivering mail as we passed thru flying to NOME.
SHAKTOOLIK to KOYUK it is 40 miles so most of the mushers just passed thru on to KOYUK.
As of 1:30 Alaska time and 5:30 EST TOM WAERNER, JESSIE ROYER and AARON BERMEISTER checked in to KOYUK.
Some musher thoughts:
TOM WAERNER said it had been warm and that slowed his dogs down. He liked going slower but now that its cooler his team came more alive BUT he said his"brain is shutting down". His mind is playing games with him. He may be reacting to his dogs. They are getting distracted. When he came into KOYUK there were some dogs barking and his team wanted to go join them. He had a hard time getting the dogs attention. He said he had to break trail from SHAKTOOLIK to KOYUK so that slowed him down.
JESSIE ROYER said the weather has been great, a little warm with a tail wind. She had not experienced a tail wind--usually wind that comes from her right side, going into UNALAKLEET.
She said coming into SHAKTOOLIK it was cooler and the dogs responded much better as did she.
TIM PAPPAS is driving with MARTIN BUSER'S dogs that are older and have been on the trail before. MARTIN is taking his "puppy team" which he is not used to doing. He is more used to going for 1st place. Can't do that with a puppy team and he's fine with that. They have to get their experience too.
JEFF DEETER was having some trouble getting his plan worked out so he talked with many of the
mushers in UNALAKLEET, got some rest and now feels better about going ahead.
some dropped dogs, flying to ANCHORAGE where the mushers will pick them up when they finish. They are dropped for a lot of different reasons--sick, lagging behind to mention a few. A first class seat in the plane.
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