Koyuk-Elim-White Mountain

This is a forum for general discussion of dogsled racing, with a special focus on Alaska, and is open to all. It is expected that this area will see the most activity during the months leading up to, and during the annual Iditarod sled dog race. Pictures from races can be posted here. Hosting is provided by the Bering Strait School District (BSSD), and the area is open all year. Care to be one of our volunteer moderators? Contact us!

Moderators: fladogfan, libby the lab, mira, mamamia, sc-race-fan

Koyuk-Elim-White Mountain

Postby mira » Mon Mar 12, 2018 1:35 pm

With Joar learning that he is actually first on the trail in Koyuk we all wait for the push to white mountain. The burled arch is ready in Nome!
User avatar
mira
 
Posts: 2844
Joined: Fri Feb 01, 2008 2:32 pm
Location: Norway

Re: Koyuk-Elim-White Mountain

Postby elsietee » Mon Mar 12, 2018 2:21 pm

So Joar travelled from Shak, which is an extra XXX miles from Koyuk than the shelter cabin (where Nic and Mitch rested)...but then Nic did those extra miles, so his more recent rest isn't actually more recent since he did more miles.

I'd expect Joar to rest at least 4 hours in Koyuk and then what? It's 95 miles to white mtn, possibly longer if they are taking the inland trail. So he has to split the run somehow.

Back on the Yukon, Nic had higher speed, so could catch him, but I'm not so sure now - Joar was 5 mins faster coming from Unk to Shak on less rest.

(Mitch was ~25 mins slower than Joar there).
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
elsietee AT ponyhill DOT org
Repotted english person in the Sierra foothills, CA
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
User avatar
elsietee
 
Posts: 3265
Joined: Thu Mar 19, 2009 10:46 pm
Location: Garden Valley, CA

Re: Koyuk-Elim-White Mountain

Postby elsietee » Mon Mar 12, 2018 6:15 pm

Joar has just left Koyuk - I'm guessing his out time will have him at ~ five hours rest.

They have the live-cam working again, pointed over to where Nic is camped alongside the main street. I can see what looks like a musher putting on parkas over his head and people gathered around, so I wonder if Nic is going to gamble on shorter rest and follow soon - he came in over an hour later than Joar, and I'm wondering if he's going to split the difference and leave after 4.5 hours at around 6:30 AK time? He doesn't want them slow and tired, but equally can't let Joar get too far ahead.

Uh. As I've been writing this, he just got them up off their straw and off they went... for 50 ft and then had to stop (for everyone to pee?) So, Nic rested 4 hours.

Joar's team are moving pretty slowly leaving town - 2.8 mph... now 4.3 mph, so they are warming up slowly. I'm betting Nic gave them a really good look when he got them off the straw. It's still blowing and spitting snow.

Let the cat and mouse game begin.

(Ray Redington is about 2 miles out, with Pete two miles behind him).
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
elsietee AT ponyhill DOT org
Repotted english person in the Sierra foothills, CA
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
User avatar
elsietee
 
Posts: 3265
Joined: Thu Mar 19, 2009 10:46 pm
Location: Garden Valley, CA

Re: Koyuk-Elim-White Mountain

Postby elsietee » Mon Mar 12, 2018 7:02 pm

Watching Joar and Nic's teams leaving Koyuk on the videos (as opposed to dots on the livecam), I'd say that Joar's team looked slightly better. Their tails were up and they had more spring in their step and seemed more cohesive. Nic's team were more meandering and hesitant/vague. I think he had to get a guy to lead them out after they stopped. But that might also be just their style - more freeform?
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
elsietee AT ponyhill DOT org
Repotted english person in the Sierra foothills, CA
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
User avatar
elsietee
 
Posts: 3265
Joined: Thu Mar 19, 2009 10:46 pm
Location: Garden Valley, CA

Re: Koyuk-Elim-White Mountain

Postby libby the lab » Mon Mar 12, 2018 7:42 pm

Mitch dropped 4 dogs in Koyuk!
Cindy, Anna Banana and Link-de
RIP Libby and Hank

http://www.dockdogs.com
http://www.chaseawayk9cancer.org
User avatar
libby the lab
 
Posts: 2054
Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2008 1:18 pm
Location: Prairie Village, KS

Re: Koyuk-Elim-White Mountain

Postby elsietee » Mon Mar 12, 2018 7:49 pm

Mitch dropped 4 dogs in Koyuk!


?

Where do you see that?He arrived with 9, and so far hasn't left.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
elsietee AT ponyhill DOT org
Repotted english person in the Sierra foothills, CA
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
User avatar
elsietee
 
Posts: 3265
Joined: Thu Mar 19, 2009 10:46 pm
Location: Garden Valley, CA

Re: Koyuk-Elim-White Mountain

Postby elsietee » Mon Mar 12, 2018 8:10 pm

They are travelling the old inland mail trail from Koyuk, instead of the trail on the sea ice. Pretty hilly and slow going:
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
elsietee AT ponyhill DOT org
Repotted english person in the Sierra foothills, CA
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
User avatar
elsietee
 
Posts: 3265
Joined: Thu Mar 19, 2009 10:46 pm
Location: Garden Valley, CA

Re: Koyuk-Elim-White Mountain

Postby libby the lab » Mon Mar 12, 2018 8:22 pm

Sorry Mitch not out and I was scrolling too fast and saw his bib number as number of dogs in LOL
Cindy, Anna Banana and Link-de
RIP Libby and Hank

http://www.dockdogs.com
http://www.chaseawayk9cancer.org
User avatar
libby the lab
 
Posts: 2054
Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2008 1:18 pm
Location: Prairie Village, KS

Re: Koyuk-Elim-White Mountain

Postby Alaska61 » Mon Mar 12, 2018 8:27 pm

elsietee, thanks for the updates. Much appreciated.
And thanks to all the others giving updates too :)
Retired and loving every second of it
Alaska61
 
Posts: 63
Joined: Fri Feb 08, 2008 7:49 am
Location: home in Alaska on the Kenai Peninsula

Re: Koyuk-Elim-White Mountain

Postby elsietee » Mon Mar 12, 2018 8:38 pm

Pete in Koyuk:

Q: Tell us about that last run and how crazy it was?

P: Well, it's kind of mental warfare out there, there's really no one part of it that's difficult, but for some reason, the combination of the terrain and wind and the snow and it's just flat. If it was a regular training run it would be no big deal, but this late in the race and overthinking everything, and sleep deprived adn it seems like it always takes longer than it should.

...It's pretty trippy out there on that run.

Q: DId you hear about Nic getting lost?

P: I heard that he'd maybe taken a wrong turn and they'd switched positions but I didn't get any details.

Q: How was it marked for you?

P: it was marked good, but there was just enough ground blizzard that you had to be paying attention to how they'd marked the trail. It was real flat light, so you couldn't just see a ribbon of a trail. You had to be watching for it.

I did see a couple of spots where a couple of different types of markers veered off and if you weren't paying attention, I imagine the dogs could go down the wrong path and you could go a ways before you'd recognize it.

It was marked well, but you had to be paying attention.



* * *


Ray in Koyuk:

R: I don't think I can catch them two [Joar and Nic], but some of these guys back here, like Pete Kaiser, if I was a betting man...


<a soft spoken local interrupts by saying something about soft snow on the portage>

Ray looks at the camera. [Is it that this person isn't supposed to be giving him inside information like that?]

<local guys says "the first two are going to have a tough time" - I think he's correcting Ray's assumption that he won't be able to catch them>

Ray: The first two?

Local: Yes, a lot of snow on that portage.

Ray: Huh.

Pulls out a fire-starting flint on a lanyard around his neck.

Bruce: How's Pete looking? Is he still strong?

R: yeah, you know, I couldn't believe he wasn't here with me. I thought maybe he was carrying a dog or soemthing. I hope not.

B: Yours still look strong?

R: They look ok, I guess, especially when they're here... they're not that strong.


[wondering if this is what Pete talks about above, where it seems like you're going super slow when you're actually going the same speed as everyone else? Ray was actually the fastest team so far by a few minutes]
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
elsietee AT ponyhill DOT org
Repotted english person in the Sierra foothills, CA
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
User avatar
elsietee
 
Posts: 3265
Joined: Thu Mar 19, 2009 10:46 pm
Location: Garden Valley, CA

Next

Return to Mushing Talk

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 11 guests

cron