MARCH 12, 2025 DAY# 11 IDITAROD. UNALKLEET - SHAKTOOLIK - KOYUK

 MARCH 12th  DAY# 11 UNALAKLEET  -  SHAKTOOLIK -  KOYUL

The word from UNALAKLEET about the power outage is there was a power surge and some camera parts shorted out so the UNALAKLEET cam is down for good. Thats the reason I have little info and pictures from UNALAKLEET. I'm sad as Hank and I spent about 6 days there staying on the floor of the PIECE ON EARTH  pizza place and had such a great time with the owners and the locals there. They gave Hank his first taste of blubber!!! He was game and thought it was pretty good. 

I did say Ryan Air Gold Coast Award went to JESSIE HOLMES being the 1st to UNALAKLEET. I said he won $1,500 in gold nuggets and two beautifully carved loons (they said yesterday it was a wood carved dog team (not so). 

Hope you can see these beautifully loons carved by the lady on the right with the home made beautiful parka and the gold nuggets. Two other locals.

Before UNALAKLEET there is Old Woman's Cabin and Tripod Cabin where mushers can stop to rest. The doors are never locked and wood is always piled up for immediate use. It is known that you should leave a gift for the Old Woman at Old Woman's Cabin to please her and it will bring you good luck for the rest of the race. 

There are two other cabins, for refuge, after UNALAKLEET, in the Blueberry  Hills.

JESSIE HOLMES left UNALAKLEET and now will travel the coast where there usually are intense winds. JESSIE said there is no relaxing now but won't make any big moves and will try to keep up his speed of 9 mph.                                                                                                                                                                       Wanted to mention ---I did get one picture of JESSIE coming into UNALAKLEET and the crowds waiting for him . There were some great hand made parka's on the ladies and a great parka on a toddler. I tried to get a picture of the toddler in his beautiful tiny parka and mukluks (boots) . This is the only picture, before the cam went out.The Mom is holding him. I hope you can see some of his parka and boots.   Beautiful!

Next checkpoint, after braving the winds of the Bering Sea, is SHAKTOOLIK, population 212. It is sunny, very windy and 7 degrees. The dogs actually like the wind, energizes them!!