DAY #4 IDITAROD - MARCH 9, 2023 THURS. MCGRATH/TAKOTNA/OPHIR/IDITAROD

 DAY #4 - MARCH 9, 2023. MCGRATH/TAKOTNA/OPHIR/IDITAROD

Weather is still on the warm side --35-40 during the day. Later in the day in TAKOTNA it clouded up and did get a bit cooler. 

BRUCE LEE AND GREG HEISLER are interviewing in TAKOTNA today. They said the top teams that just came thru here and didn't stop looked so good. They were impressed with HUNTER KEEFE, a rookie, looking so good and running a fast race. Impressive for a rookie. 

BRIGETTE WATKINS said she has never been on the Southern Route (Northern route in even years, southern in odd). She was excited to have that experience. She is caring a friends ashes to be brought to an area near KALTAG. 

JASON MACKEY sounds just like LANCE. He has made all the alterations on his sled and is proud of it. He was talking with BAILEY VITELLO in MCGRATH (see photo) and BAILEY, being a rookie was intently listening to JASON taking it all in. JASON spoke very highly of MARTIN BUSER, who has retired. He said he has taught everyone something. His racing knowledge and experience is invaluable. He misses him. JASON said his rookie year was his best year. He had NO expectations and was in the IDITAROD for the experience and for fun. BAILEY said he left his ego at the door and just wanted to experience this race with his dogs. He is loving it. His Dad is also racing and said his Dad is being more conservative and resting more but is doing very well. His Dad's team is made up of a mix of ages. A few are young and this is their first racing experience. So he's "breaking them in".

GERHARDT THIART is still in MCGRATH but is taking his 24 hour there. He came into the checkpoint and they said "oooh looks like a bad break". One of the runners was broken, he had NO IDEA!! He will change sleds here. That means taking everything out of sled into the new one. Takes time but he is on his 24 hour layover. Didn't plan on spending it on repairs but.....Said he doesn't know when it happened---didn't even feel it. 

WADE MAARS is the first to IDITAROD. This is the 1/2 way point in the race. Got in at 1am in the morning and there was a crowd waiting for him with all the lights on (like Motel 6). He won the Dorothy Page Award arriving the first to IDITAROD. For his award he could chose an I Phone or gold. HE CHOSE GOLD!!!$3,000 worth and a trophy. He came in with 12 dogs and said the trail was great. It was smooth and well packed. He will take his 24 hours here. This was his plan all along--get ahead and then do the 24 hr. We'll see if that is to his advantage.

At 11:30 pm EST the standings are:ALL IN IDITAROD

JESSIE HOLMES

BRENT SASS

WADE MARRS--still has to do his 24hours 

RICHIE DIEHL

RYAN REDINGTON

There are 11 in IDITAROD, 18 in OPHIR, 1 in TAKOTNA, 1 in MCGRATH 

Again, I will put the photo's on a separate page. NOW the race will get more interesting. Usually does after everyone has their mandatory rest of 24 hours.