MARCH 8, 2025 DAY#7 IDITAROD. NULATO - KALTAG - EAGLE ISLAND

 MARCH 9th DAY #7NULATO  -  KALTAG -  EAGLE ISLAND

Lets get the sad news behind us and then move on.....Rookie Musher MIKE PARKER scratched in RUBY. 

A necropsy on DAN KLEIN'S dog, that died, determined the dog was pregnant but further testing is needed. That was not the reason for the death. Everyone asks why would you race a pregnant dog? The gestational period for dogs is just a couple weeks. The pregnancy was not detected for the long and comprehensive VET check that was two weeks prior. No, it was not known the dog was pregnant yet that was not the reason for her death.

There are now only 25 mushers left to race to NOME.

FYI: Alaskan villages have different structure than other states and places. They were colonized a little over 100 years ago. Their school system and structure isn't what we are traditionally used to. Many villages take extra time in the year , out of school, for hunting purposes. Most houses have running water and housing is provided. Alaska is one of the highest funding for education yet these funds are not being utilized for the best result.

On my Iditarod Chat the site suggested  RUN DOG RUN for video's . Maybe you want to try that as I found it to be wonderful.

I couldn't figure the trail taking a loop to KALTAG 1, EAGLE ISLAND 1 and GRAYLING 1 going south  then repeated these checkpoint as #2 going north back over the same trail??? Reason being: they needed to add miles to the route after changing the destination due to lack of snow. They wanted the route to be as close to the usual route miles as possible. Strange but true. Not a lot of choice as the conditions of the trail have to be considered and we are dealing with little snow and rough, dirt trails in many of the areas.          

 Below: Teacher On The Trail, MAGGIE HAMILTON,  goes to many of the Stopovers.  She is amazed what goes on at the checkpoints--- behind the scenes. Just transporting all the packed bags for the mushers, I mentioned earlier, is such a chore. Also getting food ready, the cameras, some mushers have extra sleds in a few of the checkpoints, place for mushers to rest, dog lot areas and straw for them etc etc. MAGGIE was amazed at how much work went on behind the scenes. Its not just dogs and mushers stopping and checking in.

Above: BRUCE (R) GREG (L) ,the commentators I speak about frequently, were in GRAYLING talking with DAVE HAWKINS, a pilot for the Iditarod. Dave was taking time out to do some "tree skiing". WHAT?? That is skiing around trees on the mountain areas. There is a passion for everyone!!!

 Bruce thought when the teams get back to KATLAG 2 (going north) the field will spread out with few being in front of the pack. He was surprised at how MITCH SEAVEY quietly keeps moving up. He takes his time in the beginning and suddenly makes his move and steps on the gas. FYI :BRUCE (above)has run the Iditarod so he is very familiar with the race and passes his info on to us, the INSIDERS (as we are called).

A book that was suggested to learn more about the impetus for the Iditarod Race is "Champion Of The Alaskan Husky" by Katie Mangelsdorf.

                         

          KEATON LOEBRICK'S team in GALENA. One of the dogs anxious to keep going!!!

                                               

On to page #2 for pictures. Don't forget to turn your clocks BACK!! 

CONT'D MARCH 7th #6 DAY. PICTURES

 CONT'D MARCH 7THE #6 DAY. --PICTURES

         JEFF DEETER giving an interview about why he scratched the race (wish I could do video's)                                     

                                           CHARMAYNE MORRISON rookie who scratched

                                                ANNA BERINGTON crossing the YUKON

       DALLAS SEAVEY (multi time winner in the past) and brother ,watching DAD, MITCH SEAVEY 

          ON THE RIGHT,  LOCAL SCHOOL KIDS LINED UP TO SEE THE DOGS-- IN GALENA

 

RILEY DYCHE COMING OFF THE YUKON RIVER with one dog in the bag - GALENA

 

                                                    MILLE PORSILD's DOG in the sled

                                      MILLE PORSILD (one of my favorites) loving her dog

MARCH 7, 2025 DAY #6 IDITAROD GALENA - NULATO - KALTAG - EAGLE ISLAND

 MARCH 7th.  DAY #6 GALENA - NULATO - KALTAG - EAGLE ISLAND

It is 36 miles from NULATO to KALTAG.Many of the teams are taking their 24 rest in GALENA. Looks like PAIGE is behind (4th place) BUT she has already taken her 24 hour mandatory rest. A few of the others ahead of her are now taking theirs. 

Few sad events today--DANIEL KLEIN, a rookie, from Eagle, Wisconsin had to scratch at GALENA and one of his dogs died. We don't have any further info until a necropsy is performed. SO SAD. 

Then JEFF DEETER scratched in GALENA. He had difficulty in the "sand storm" area. He encountered intense winds with blowing sand, glare ice and driftwood!!! As you can tell, he was off the trail, he couldn't find the trail markers, as ANNA encountered. At that time he noticed soreness in some of the dogs. He watched them carefully and it wasn't getting any better. Then they encountered "punchy" snow. They described that as the dogs taking three steps and then stepping into instant box mashed potato snow that was "punchy". Like running down the stairs and missing the last step. That went on for miles and miles. The dogs then couldn't anticipate having stable footing and it took a toll on them. He wouldn't put his dogs through any more so he scratched. A brave choice but a humane and intelligent one. Always thinking of the dogs!

One of the people on my chat said he was an Iditarider at the Ceremonial start for two years. I explained Iditarider at the beginning of my blog. I asked what he paid for that as it is thru a lottery. He said the first year he rode with a well known musher and his wife with another. I didn't think they could choose who they rode with but perhaps if you pay more you can? He paid $5,200 for the two of them. The next year he did a VIP Anchorage package which consisted of he and his wife as Iditariders, lodging, meals, VIP access(don't know what that entails), area transportation and some tours. He paid $16,000!!!!! All the money is used for the Iditarod race. Some hefty funds being spent here. 

Due to not much snow and a rough trail 22 dogs were dropped in TANANA for various reasons. As they usually train all year on mountainess areas and less rough dirt trails, they were not training for these dirt, rough, long flat runs much of the time on glare ice.  This was because of the change of the route due to lack of snow.

As of midnight EST these are the top 5 teams:                                                                                                 JESSIE HOLMES                                                                                                                                             NIC PETIT                                 ALL IN KALTAG                                                                                                                                    EMILY FORD                                                                                                                                                   PAIGE DROBNY

MICHELLE PHILLLIPS              BOTH IN NULATO                                                                                                                       MITCH SEAVEY

MIKE PARKER                           RUNNING LAST AND IS IN RUBY

As it is almost 1:00AM EST I will put pictures on the next page and call it an IDITAROD DAY!!!

CONT'D MARCH 6th DAY#5 IDITAROD with pictures

CONT'D March 6th Day #5.  pictures and top 5 teams:

As of midnight EST the top 5 mushing teams:

MICHELLE PHILLIIPS                                                                                                                                   JESSIE HOLMS                                                                                                                                               MITCH SEAVEY                                                                                                                                             TRAVIS BEALS                                                                                                                                               PAIGE DROBNY                                                                                                                                             MILLE PORSILD (one of my favorites )is 8th and is resting in GALENA

               Check out ANNA BERINGTONS' face after going through the "sand storm"

                                                

The community of RUBY

                                

GEEHAW are the mushers commands to his dogs--means left---right                                                     

 

This is Charmayne Morrison the musher that scratched in TANANA

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.

DAY #4 MARCH 5, 2025 IDITAROD RACE TANANA to RUBY

 DAY #4 MARCH 5th TANANA to RUBY

Sorry to report BRENDA MACKEY scratched in TANANA with 14 dogs all in good health. We don't know the circumstances yet. 

The trail from MANLEY to TANANA had some difficulties. ANNA BERINGTON reported going through a sand storm. The winds were intense and as there wasn't snow, sand was the problem. She lost sight of the trail markers and therefore got off the trail and was lost!! Using her GPS helped her find a marker but wasn't sure which direction to go so took a chance and it turned out it was TOWARDS TANANA not away. Her lead dog also helped her find the trail--hopefully you have a lead that is astute at times like this. She had sand in her eyes, hair and teeth!!! Her dogs were fine. She was very grateful to arrive in TANANA. SAMANTHA LALONDE met ANNA just coming into TANANA and went thru the same storm but it wasn't as intense as it was for ANNA. She also had sand in her hair, eyes and teeth!!! This area where the sand storm occurred is not uncommon for intense winds. It is 10 miles before TANANA--just a fierce blow hole!!

QUINCE MOUNTAIN (love the name!!) had a dog in heat that was causing a problem and had to "drop him" at the checkpoint. If he put the dog at the end of the line, all the dogs in front were turning around and distracted. If he put him in the front he was turning around all the time to catch the eye of those behind him. It was a problem- the reason to leave him behind. When a dog is "dropped" that is not a bad thing. Jodi likened it to the check light in your car. Nothing is really wrong but you take it to the repair shop just to make sure and you don't have problems in the future. A dropped dog is left at a checkpoint with the VET there. They are then flown (the Air Force supplies small planes for the Iditarod use) to Anchorage into the hands of a VET there and picked up by the owners when possible. 

Leaving TANANA to RUBY they now will travel to the confluence of the TANANA  and YUKON RIVER. The Yukon usually is windy and of course is flat ,creating different strategies for the mushers to consider.

Many will be in RUBY tonight.The temperature during the day today was 35 degrees!!!BUT I just read where snow is predicted tonight 60% 1-3" going down to 23 degrees. We'll see. 

I know PAIGE DROBNY is close to RUBY. She may be the 1st in. I do hope so!!

I will find out who the top five are right now and show you some pictures on the next page. 

Cont'd MARCH 4th PICTURES NENANA - MANLEY

 con't with pictures March 4th NENANA - MANLEY 

                             DANIEL KLEIN passing melting ice---ooooh not good

                          BRENDA MACKEY into NENANA--NO SNOW on the mountains!!!

                LOCALS stirring the soup pot in NENANA

               As you see, teams running close together--BAILEY VITELLO and RILEY DYCHE

       Into NENANA--majestic snowcapped mountains in background

     PAIGE DROBNY coming into TANANA in second---cooler nite air