IditaProject Forum

Sad about Claudia having to scratch -- though she was down to seven dogs -- and possibly seven unhappy dogs, especially after their incoming overflow experience. I always feel especially sad for those that have to scratch so near the end after they've negotiated so many difficulties successfully. But at least they're safe.

I was concerned about all the latter teams, coming in through several miles of such serious overflow including one place reported two feet deep for fifty feet, where some (all?) of the latter teams had to stop, carry their dogs across, get their sleds across, then reassemble and proceed. Considering that that was in the "backtrack" section of this years path to Whitehorse, they'd all have been facing the prospect of having to go back through a worsened version of that overflow shortly after leaving for Whitehorse, then having to complete the remaining 75 miles with themselves and dogs wet in varying degrees.

I did see that the race announced 2/15 that they had rerouted that section but I didn't see when they did it -- anyone know whether they did it before those last five mushers waiting at Braeburn started for Whitehorse?

At least Claudia left Braeburn at 1:11 with Dave Dalton right behind her at 1:28, so if the trail was still unaltered at that point the likelihood of fatal consequences was reduced.

Nice interview going on with Riley Dyche who just crossed the line - I really like his positive attitude and he's thrilled with his team (who looked *great* coming in!). He says he learned more in the first 7 days of this race than he had in the seven years he's been running dogs (he has 25 dogs in his kennel), and said he'd be better prepared next time. He's sitting out next year's race because he has puppies he needs to train, but will be back in 2020.

Sounds like he might have a plan - hoping to see more of him in the future.

* * *

Dave Dalton came in just before him and it's hard to tell if he and the dogs are really tired, or just really low key - or feeding off each other. This was his 22nd finish, and he says he'll be back next year.

"Long, hard race. Dogs got sick at the beginning... Tough race for me".

He pinched a nerve in the back of his neck coming out of Circle. Said Sandy at Clinton Creek is a good masseuse and cracked it - "never felt so much pain in my life", but it fixed it.

JLJ, I assume they rerouted it for the five last teams going from Braeburn.

13 teams finished this year YQ - 13 scratched

Although I feel kind of sad for so many teams scratching I also thinks it means that the mushers do think about keeping their teams in good shape.

Nathaniel Hamlyn was the last to cross the finish line in Whitehorse, closing this years YQ.

Do any of you have info if the banquet will be live streamed? Found this on YQ's face book page.
https://www.facebook.com/events/1998957 ... discussion

fladogfan wrote:Do any of you have info if the banquet will be live streamed? Found this on YQ's face book page.
https://www.facebook.com/events/1998957 ... discussion

It was streamed live last year, so I'm assuming it will be again this year
I thought the finish line interviews this year were really good, especially from the BOPs and rookies. Kudos to those teams.

mira wrote:JLJ, I assume they rerouted it for the five last teams going from Braeburn.

Rob Cooke mentioned how grateful he was that they rerouted the trail yesterday. He describes how it was coming *in* to Braeburn the previous day (interview worth watching. Fast forward to 8 minutes in, when his cheerful team show up) - and it sounded pretty nasty. Yesterday he said he just got his feet wet.

Eggs wrote:

fladogfan wrote:Do any of you have info if the banquet will be live streamed? Found this on YQ's face book page.
https://www.facebook.com/events/1998957 ... discussion

It was streamed live last year, so I'm assuming it will be again this year
I thought the finish line interviews this year were really good, especially from the BOPs and rookies. Kudos to those teams.

I'm hoping and yes the interviews at the finish were very good. Quest is so superior to Irod in so many ways.

This is late posting but have any of you noticed this contest?
http://www.yukonquest.com/events/yukon- ... -contest-0
Late notice I'm sorry about that, deadline is Feb. 20, 2018 so if you have a child who can write a quick story about the Quest......good luck!

wow, I just notice Laura neece was the only women finisher this year of the quest

7 rookies and 7 veterans finished - I thought that was kind of neat.

edit: oops - I now see that is 6 rookies and 7 veterans.