Up the coast (Kaltag - Koyuk)

[mira]

I really can't thank you enough elsietee..

Ok. Thomas has been resting in Shaktoolik for almost two hours (accordingto the GPS), Shaktoolik is at 754. Jessie and Aaron is at 738 and 736. That is 16 and 18 miles. They are in the rolling hills I think so can't read much from their speed. Anyhow, that is almost three hours of mushing time. Wade in fourth, Mitch has passed Brent so he is currently in fifth position, Brent sixth, Ryan Redington 7th, Travis, Joar, Paige.

[mira]

Jessie is 6 miles from Shaktoolik, Thomas has stayed there for almost four hours. So.. if he stays for five hours, he will most likely leave around the same time Jessie arrives?

Aaron is 3 miles behind Jessie.

[Another UK Fan]

Elsietee thank you so much. So much.

[elsietee]

Jessie on camera in Unk saying it was very warm getting over there so she's hoping that they'll be able to do the next couple of runs in the cooler weather - esp. over the Blueberry Hills.

Aaron saying it's 35°F and he won't ask them for anything extra in that heat. Heat is really their only weakness, so they're going to enjoy travelling in the cooler night. This is his 19th Iditarod. He says that the forecast is for more of the same, weather-wise, so they'll just keep trucking along.

Dallas says the way Brent has set up his runs, he can do 3 runs to get to White Mtn. where a lot of the other mushers need to take 4. The best option is to go to the shelter cabin on the spit after Shak, then go through Koyuk. He says he could go all the way to Koyuk, but cautions that that could overreach the team and cause problems down the trail (as we saw last time Brent made that mistake).

Heister points out that if the trail breaker rumour that Norton Sound route is 10 miles shorter - that could play to help Brent. Bruce says he wishes that Brent had gone a further 10-15 miles into this last run.

Dallas thinks Paige has the best ability to advance up the rankings - she's doing brilliant runs. She's fast, and any time she wants, she can cut rest and overtake a bunch of mushers ahead of her. At this point she's still banking sleep.

Oh - the Shak volunteers also drilled a hole in the ice, so there would be dog water - and didn't just provide firewood, they also cut it.

[mira]

The Shak volunteers deserves the best-effort-prize!

Anyhow, Thomas has left Shaktoolik, at Mar 16, 2020 1:53 am AKDT according to the GPS tracker. He arrived at Mar 15, 2020 9:38 pm AKDT, so he stayed for 4 hours and 15 minutes more or less.

Jessie is 4 miles from Shaktoolik.

[fladogfan]

Elsietee, you are up very early or have you not gone to sleep yet?

Mira I agree what an effort the Shaq people have done. Did you see the video where the first thing needed to do for that cabin was shovel the snow out?
Should be a special prize for them.

[mira]

I have the impression that elsietee is on the West Coast and usually stays up a bit late? She has always been present when I (normally) get to work.

No, I have seen a total of four videos or something in total..

[SuldalsXpressen]

I see Mitch Seavey is really flying. Must be the fastest team out there right now!!

[mira]

Yes, Mitch is really coming from behind.

There seems to have been some problems with the GPS tracker, I have some guesstimates on when the different teams arrived in Shaktoolik:

Thomas left Shaktoolik at 01:53, he is currently at 767, 13 miles past Shak., soon to cross the little spit with the shelter.

Jessie - 02:32
Aaron - 02:50
Mitch - 03:29
Wade - 03:42
Brent - 04:02

[mira]

As expected, Brent did not stop in Shaktoolik. He is currently 14 miles behind Thomas, that is roughly 2-2.5 hours.

Drobny, Ulsom and Beals have around 6 miles left to get to Shaktoolik.