MARCH 6, 2025 DAY #5 IDITAROD. RUBY - GALENA - NULATO

 MARCH 6th DAY #5. RUBY - GALENA - NULATO

PAIGE DROBNY was 1st to GALENA on the YUKON so she won the award, the feast on the Yukon. This is a gourmet meal from locally grown restaurants. One of the restaurants was The Snow Cafe in Anchorage. My favorite place for breakfast. That is just one of the restaurants, many local ones were involved. PAIGE can invite whomever she wants to share this meal and she chose TIM BODONY, the checkpoint coordinator and elders from GALENA. The menu sounds great: Alaska King Salmon with lemon-thyme oil, roasted butternut squash bisque, charred cabbage salad with candied walnuts, radish, carrot and onion. Braised beef cheek bourguignon, asparagus, mashed potatoes and shallot leaves and the piece de resistance -----chocolate bourbon pot de creme dessert. WHEW!! Could you jump on your sled and mush 50 miles after that????  I thought it was smart of PAIGE to take her 24 hr. layover here. She could take her time with her gourmet meal, digest and rest then go on.  Good going PAIGE!!!

                                        PAIGE coming in first to GALENA--with a smile!!

All the teams are in RUBY or on their way to GALENA. From RUBY to GALENA its 50 miles.

Sad to announce that Rookie Charmayne Morrison from Bozeman, Montana scratched at TANANA with 14 dogs all in good health. Thats all we know. 

Still hearing stories about mushers coming through the "sand storm". MATT FAILOR said after all the dirt, sand and glare ice he noticed some soreness in a few of his dogs so he decided to take his 24 hr in GALENA to rest his dogs and rub those sore legs. JEFF DEETER did the same. 

I said I would talk about THE TEACHER ON THE TRAIL, MAGGIE HAMILTON, a 5th grade teacher from Mitchell, IN. Her purpose is to teach beyond the walls of the classroom and reach students from all over the world. She posts lessons and journal entries to the Iditarod EDU website. She offers classroom visits thru video conferences.                                                                                                                               Each year teachers from all over the country vie to be the chosen one, thru writings, interviews etc. Only one person is chosen from hundreds. This is a unique opportunity for one selected educator incorporating math, reading, social studies and other academic areas with the theme of the Iditarod. 

                                     This is MAGGIE HAMILTON, TEACHER ON THE TRAIL

   

On to the next page for more pictures and a list of the top five mushing teams.