Trail snippets

[fladogfan]

Thinking this morning that, for all the iditabuds boycotting the insider, this year's race is a little like old times. Looking and gathering and bringing back any and all information that is found to share with us. I truly enjoy reading your recaps and findings elsietee. You are a mainstay of the 'buds. Thank you.

[mira]

Just watched Tore Albrigtsen and Martin Buser coming in..

I guess it will be easier to hear on the insider clip, but this is parts of what Martin said.

Asked about how the race was:
"what race? it was a camping trip"

Asked about challenges on trail:
"personal healt was a challenge.. had pneumonia.. and then pulled hamstring... feeling the pain for my son" he got even harder to hear during that last sentence..
"getting old and crippled up.. better now I think.. The blueberry hill were nice.. the coast ride were nice.. nice weather, not too cold"

[fladogfan]

Here's some snippets from chat when Karin , then the twins came in to Nome. Sc was there and couldn't find the address. I had lost it off my screen too. I still had pic tho.


(08:52:48) fladogfan: sc did you get it
(08:52:49) sc-race-fan: trying to get latest adobi
(08:52:57) fladogfan: rats
(08:54:47) sc-race-fan: Thought I had it, screen is telling me to install latest virsion..
(08:55:11) fladogfan: here she comes!
(08:55:38) fladogfan: 10 dogs traveling along smartly
(08:55:48) fladogfan: tails flagging
(08:56:10) fladogfan: Karin walking down dog line
(08:56:23) fladogfan: small crowd to see her in
(08:56:52) sc-race-fan: still having trouble loading, thanks for the written updates.. Glad she made it!!
(08:57:02) fladogfan: me too!
(08:57:13) fladogfan: hope her momis there too
(08:57:34) fladogfan: people taking booties off, bet K is happy not to bend again
(08:57:44) fladogfan: one of twins on way in
(08:58:11) fladogfan: you humans better get out of the way
(08:58:19) fladogfan: both twins
(08:58:34) fladogfan: 9 dogs I think
(08:58:39) fladogfan: anna next
(08:58:53) fladogfan: and is here
(08:59:10) fladogfan: three teams in the chute side by side
(08:59:37) fladogfan: can't see if last teams dog nose under arch
(08:59:43) fladogfan: think so
(08:59:48) sc-race-fan: Every time I hear/read "small Crowd", I am reminded of Buser's win a few years ago where he cme back to the finish line and greeted every finisher, day or night, cogratulating them on finishing,, Always considered that a class act.
(09:00:02) sc-race-fan: Hope so, it has to be for a finish time!!
(09:00:03) fladogfan: yes
(09:00:35) fladogfan: I can see 7 dogs and the tug stretches forward so probably a yes
(09:00:58) fladogfan: when you get the livestream you'll be able to go back to see it
(09:01:15) fladogfan: was that year /martin won
(09:01:42) fladogfan: wish I knew how to take screen shot
(09:02:06) fladogfan: K's dogs laying down
(09:02:24) fladogfan: some of third tream laying down
(09:02:33) sc-race-fan: can't remember the year, but it was the same one where he changed his citizenship...
(09:02:42) sc-race-fan: maybe to cool down
(09:03:01) fladogfan: dog on second team wagging tail
(09:03:40) fladogfan: hope no one is in heat the dogs are standing so close to each other
(09:04:11) fladogfan: K moving out
(09:10:24) fladogfan: Dog on second team jumping to go
(09:11:11) fladogfan: second team on way to doglot
(09:11:24) fladogfan: and there goes /anna
(09:11:35) fladogfan: no dogs in chute at moment


Sc and I had a good time in chat then he and Dawn headed out to chair yoga.

[libby the lab]

WOW he is out of Safety with a full team!!!
51 Alan Eischens 54 Safety 3/17 15:36:00 16 3/17 15:37:00 16 0h 1m 5h 57m White Mountain 3/17 09:39:00 9.24 ✔ ✔

[fladogfan]

I see by the Logs he made it to Nome, 53rd place with all 16 dogs!! Good job Alan There should be a prize for that.

[elsietee]

* Trent Herbst (60th):

His snow suit is filthy [how do some mushers stay so clean, I wonder?]. Goes down his line, pushing little rolled up diplomas into his dogs' harnesses:

"They have graduated from Herbst Academy".

<ribbing from the crowd "I'm scared to learn what you learn there" - laughing>

"A quality education"

Trent tells his dog "You did such a good job!"

"How did it go with all these young guys?"

"They did great - actually *super*. We had some sickness in the beginning of the race, but we overcame that, and they came flying in. We had a good last couple of days. "

"Favorite part on trail?"

"Going over to Old Woman Cabin - we had northern lights and it was the first really cold night. That was nice because it was kind of a warm race."

<hugs his lead dog> "Single lead up the *whole* coast - what a toughie!!"




* Kristin Knight-Pace and Ryne Olson (58th and 59th)

They raced each other up Front Street, with Kirstin getting there first and, as Ryne put it "Your team took up the whole trail!" <laughing> as her dogs try to figure out a way around Kristin's sled and look really confused.


Ryne: "It went really well, the weather was perfect on the coast, very little wind, blue skies, can't ask for much better than that"

Kristin: "We had a plan that if our plans went south that we'd stick together. And we both have really good dogs, so we could have run pretty competitive races, but we both had things go wrong, so we just said, 'you know what, we're just going to make it to Nome and we'll have each others' backs.

It was my first time down the trail - I'm a rookie - so I didn't know what to expect, but it was definitely the craziest trail I've ever been on and it was the adventure of a lifetime".




* Tom Jamgochian (57th) - local from Nome - big screaming crowd:

"We have family in Nikolai and they knitted a hat for our baby, so I brought it on the sled and just delivered it"

[elsietee]

* Miriam Osredkar (56th):

(I looked up her name and it's Slovenian)
(She's running Joar's puppy team)

Still laughing and whooping and hollering in the chute:


Hugging her lead dogs: "You're the BEST girls EVER, aren't you?"

"The Gorge was not one of them [a scary part of the the trail?], but the Burn definitely scared me a little bit wth 16 fired up young dogs - it was a bit much for me, I was like "ARGGGGG"...but we came out in one piece.

We have a different sled than what we started with <belly laugh>, but it was hugely entertaining.

The dogs were amazing, they def exceeded my expectations.. These young leaders, I'm just super proud of them. "

[Miriam is so loud and upbeat, I have a hard time imagining her and Joar interacting together since he's so quiet).

miriam1.JPG

miriam2.JPG

* Noah Perreira (55th)

(wins the award for hardest name to spell)
(Noah is 19 and the only non-AK winner of the Jr Iditarod):

"I had a lot of fun this year and I'm hoping to come back next year. I learned a lot <laughs>... I learned a lot... and the dogs did really well. I was the one having trouble keeping up. "




* Al Eischens (53rd)

Dogs look great coming up the chute, all 16 in harness.

"One of the bucket lists I always wanted to do running the Iditarod was - at least one time - bring all 16 dogs to Nome, and I was able to do that. They did great. I've got a couple of yearlings in there, and another dog that we borrowed from a friend of ours is a miracle dog - not even supposed to be alive today and he made it to Nome, so it was a good trip all round."

Al-Eischens-16-dogs.JPG

[ETA his dog pic]

[elsietee]

* Becca Moore (52nd):

Gets a photo with her lead dogs adn her kids.

"So happy to be here, my family, husband [Ramey Smyth], kids, my best friend, their kids... it's really great"




* Tim Pappas (51st):

Tim was running one of Martin's puppy teams:


Martin: "I'm a proud daddy again! My boys done did good. " (hugging Tim)

Tim: "They exceeded my expectations and every day was just about the most beautiful day you've ever seen. ..incredible... beyond words"




* Melissa Owens (49th):

Melissa was a Jr Iditarod Champion

"These were all young dogs and it was their first race over 300 miles - and they were pretty sure I'd done lost my mind out there more than once. But after some personal injuries it was time to come back and start again with the young guys.




* Monica Zappa (47th):

"When there was snow, the trail was pretty darn good. It was actually better than I expected. Blue Steel was totally awesome leader, he led every step of the way, the whole 1000 miles - and most of it in single lead. He was amazing... I knew he would be, but he even exceeded my expectations. We had a lot of fun together. And then the guy right behind him, Big Horn, he's a two year old, and he was second lead the whole way - he was an amazing dog. All of them did raelly good, so I'm very very proud of them. "

"Your time was 11d 0h 17m 32s for 47th Position"

"So I've consistently been well over a day faster for each year... but the same position. I'm pleased, but it just goes to show the depth of the competition - how it's evolved over the last few years."

[what are the odds of that?? she ran the race in 2014 and 2015]

[fladogfan]

elsietee, you are the best!

[elsietee]

* Patrick Beall (64th):

(Driving Mitch's puppy team)

Mitch there at the finish to greet and congratulate him.

Mayor: "You're Canadian, right?"

P: "Oklahoman.

It was pretty overwhelming coming in here. It's been a lot of hard work, ...my dogs were *absolutely* *incredible*, esp for a young group, I couldn't be prouder of them. .. and, erm... I already forgot the question ...


...It was unbelievable out there. There's no words I can use to describe running 1000 miles across AK by dog team... it's about as unique as it gets".

* Larry Daugherty (63rd):

(Driving Mitch's puppy team)

Greeted by about 17 of his children.

Showing children his dogs.

"Race didn't go exactly as I planned, but I wouldn't change anything, honestly..."

"What stands out most about the race?"

"Oh, everything... but most recently the Blow HOle - it was *really* blowing. <laughs> Just an incredible experience, once in a lifetime..."