Up the coast (Kaltag - Koyuk)

[Moose]

No idea what it actually is, but I also thought a sheet of plastic, Elsie.

[Moose]

Paige is next up into Unk. With that, I'm off to bed. I hope someone is here to keep you company, Elsie. Nite.

[Gatekeeper]

Interesting apparel on one of the dogs. Maybe something to avoid harness rub? No idea.

They will put leggings on dogs to prevent "chicken leg". The snow clings to the fur on some dog's legs (it think it is primarily a problem with light coated dogs, where the snow heats enough from the body heat, then attracts more snow, which turns to ice). It causes rubs, pulls the fur out and the condition can be compounded when the dog rests and chews the snow out of their fur. Just like paws. They are generally a light weight material, lycra or such, not meant to keep them warm just keep the snow off their fur.

GK

[elsietee]

Last of the Top Ten:

Paige arriving in Unk

Dogs look amazing - lunging and barking in harness - wanting to keep going.

Paige left Kaltag 02:49 - arrived Unk 18:33 = 16 hr 45 m on trail... rested 3:45 = 11 h 59 m run time?




Joar arriving in Unk

Missed them coming in, but as far as times:

Joar left Kaltag 01:22 - arrived Unk 18:59 = 17 hr 37 m on trail... rested 3:45 = 13 h 52 m run time?



Travis arriving in Unk

Travis left Kaltag 04:50 - arrived Unk 19:18 = 14 hr 28 m on trail... rested 2:30 = 11 h 58 m run time?

[elsietee]

...They will put leggings on dogs ...

No, these were plasticky sheet things that just covered the dogs' hindquarters under their harnesses - see pics on previous page.

[Gatekeeper]

...They will put leggings on dogs ...

No, these were plasticky sheet things that just covered the dogs' hindquarters under their harnesses - see pics on previous page.

Hmmm. Never have I seen this. If it wraps clear under, maybe on the males if he's got a female in heat? Kinda looks like a cone of shame. I'd think something stiff would cause rub problems, not solve them. Harness rub is not typically an issue in the hindquarters. I'd think he'd go to a different kind of harness if a dog's build caused back end problems.

It's a puzzle for sure...

GK

[elsietee]

Hmmm. Never have I seen this. If it wraps clear under, maybe on the males if he's got a female in heat? Kinda looks like a cone of shame. I'd think something stiff would cause rub problems, not solve them. Harness rub is not typically an issue in the hindquarters. I'd think he'd go to a different kind of harness if a dog's build caused back end problems.

No, take a look at the earlier pics I posted - it's just a sheet that it looks like he laid over the top of their hindquarters under the harness (once he'd undone the tug-lines). It doesn't go underneath the abdomen - just sits on top like a wimpy saddle blanket.

Lots of activity in the dog yard. Mitch (I think?) just left, with his parka perched on the back of the sled - worries me in case it falls off . Jessie Holmes just showed up and I almost think he's going right through. They took his drop bags right over and no straw is forthcoming (and the vets are checking the dogs over).

That camera they're using for the live feed in Unk is amazing - it has quite the zoom on it, and works well in low light (Ramey is just making his way in now - wearing a headlight, yet the camera is picking him up fine - still a long ways out). Now Ramey's here, next is Lance just minutes behind.

In the meantime, I got excel to do the work - see attached screen shot. Aaron Peck was the fastest run time - and he also rested one of the shortest, which is interesting.

[elsietee]

Still crunching numbers here.

Just realized that Ramey Smyth did that entire run from Kaltag to Unk in one go with no stop - in 12 h 23 m.
On similar lines, Jessie Holmes was fast on that section 11 h 17 m - but he stopped for 2:15 along the trail.

Thomas arrived in "new Old Shak" at 21:38 after 6 h 33m on trail.

In the meantime, Jessie, Aaron, and Wade are going up the coast and have passed the resting Brent.
Mitch is just about to pass him, and Ryan is about halfway there.

Before Unk, Richie and Pete have been advancing cautiously - resting 5.5 and 6.5 hours respectively at OWC (they left together). Because of that, Nic has passed them on the trail and is the next one due into Unk. Mille has worked her way between Pete and Richie.

Behind them, Aliy and Kelly M are resting at OWC, and Jason is about to join them.

[elsietee]

Brent is on the move again after a solid 4+ hours' rest.

He stopped at ~mile 724 - which means he's got 80 miles to go to get to Koyuk... (compared to a well-rested Thomas, who only has 50 miles to go).

Heister is reporting 20 degrees and southerly winds at Koyuk, so right now nothing gnarly ahead.

Saw this weather forecast on Twitter from Beth Carpenter | TDS Weather @B_Carp01:
"Winds will begin to increase again very late Mon night into Tuesday morning, as another system pushes into western Alaska with more snowfall. This lasts Tuesday and Wednesday morning, but ANOTHER snow maker arrives early Thu morning and lasts through Sat morning."

[elsietee]

Listening to the Qrill Paws coverage where they have Dallas doing commentary and switching over to Heister and Bruce in Koyuk.

Bruce says to keep an eye on Paige who's team come roaring into checkpoints - and although Paige is punchy from sleep deprivation, she's giggly and having fun - and very functional.

Doesn't expect Thomas to get stupid from lack of sleep, having seen how he operates. It's going to be hard to run him down unless something happens on the trail.

Bruce said that mushers knew in Kaltag that there would be proper amenities at Shak (i.e. somewhere to sleep). The (amazing) volunteers emailed photos of what they did to set up "new" Shak, so that Nordman knew exactly what had been done and they were able to communicate it to the mushers in a timely fashion. Bruce said all the mushers were really appreciative of their efforts.

(they're showing footage of the local Shak ppl shoveling snow out of the shelter cabin they set up for them; lighting the stove to warm it up, a huge pile of straw bales, hanging lines across the ceiling with hangers for mushers to dry their gear, )

Bruce still wasn't sure if mushers could drop dogs in Shak, since the situation is still evolving [I'm guessing not - who would care for the dropped dogs? and caring for dropped dogs would involve interaction with outside people, which is the whole point of isolating themselves].

Says there are pockets of sparse spruce trees between Unk and Shak where you can camp in the Blueberry Hills (right around where Brent was resting) as well as a couple of small shelter cabins along the way.

Trail breakers are saying that because of the angle of the trail across Norton Sound it's a straight line from the shelter cabin on the spit all the way to Koyuk. It was snowing, so they couldn't see anything, so they just set a GPS course straight there. And rumour has it (and they're laughing about the "rumour") that it cut 10 miles off the trail (but also laughing and saying who knows, it could add 15 miles).

Even though it's mild and pleasant in Koyuk, it might not be that way out on the Sound, but the wind will be at their backs.

There's snow forecast, but it doesn't sound like a lot.