MARCH 11th CONT'D

 MARCH 11th CONT'D

Between OPHIR to IDITAROD there are gentle rolling hills and some mountains but not like the Alaska Range. There are black spruce and spindly brush then comes open tundra with a lot of tussocks. If it gets windy there is no wind breaker and can be difficult to go through. 

DENNIS KANANOWICZ said he doesn't think he'll be able to finish. This was said before he had had any sleep and he was also explaining how tired he was. 

It was interesting to see IDITAROD. It is very desolate and considered a ghost town. It was bustling during gold rush times. 

CHRISTOPHER PARKER (r) scratched at MCGRATH. He had 8 dogs in harness at the time. He said it was in the best interest of his team. Sorry to see him go. 

AND THEN THERE WERE 41 !!!

At the back of the pack 6 are still in MCGRATH. 

LIZ RAINES spoke with a volunteer vet from Michigan, SUSAN DRAPEK. She said they look at ALL the dogs at checkpoints even if they are going on through. The mushers have to get their vet books signed before going on. 

I mentioned previously that BRENT SASS won the 1/2 point --IDITAROD-- award. I said he had the choice of the gold nuggets or the cell phone. He chose the gold nuggets. Who wouldn't!!!!

VICTORIA HARDWICK-- After ROHN she had to return as she had a broken sled. She was told she could use ALIY ZIRKLE'S sled but they were already breaking it down when she got there so she had to do some repair in ROHN and wait for a new sled she had sent to MCGRATH. She didn't want to use that sled unless it was absolutely necessary as it is heavier but it was necessary. The repair was working and she found the trail into MCGRATH good but will be happy to have her other sled.

Early on the mushers did not have any tracking device. It was then decided that, for safety reasons, a device would be necessary for them to carry. For a long time they had a 5 lb device they had to carry. NOW they carry a SPOT tracking device. It is small enough to fit into a dog bootie and is pinned to the sled bay. 

AT 10:30 EST the standings: DALLAS SEAVEY, RYAN REDINGTON, RICHIE DIEHL, PETE KAISER and JOAR ULSOM. They all have done their 24 hour layover. RYAN is the only one that has done both 8 and 24. They are all out of IDITAROD doing the "turn around" back to OPHIR. This will be interestng.

This was the 5lb tracking device

This is the SPOT tracking device

BRENT SASS who was the leader till DALLAS has just taken over that position.