McGrath-Yukon-Kaltag

[elsietee]

Sounds like the trail past Ophir is pretty tough with mushers being conservative on the run to Cripple.

Aaron B pulled over in Ophir (after 24-ing in McGrath) for a break because it was snowing soggy wet snow and he wanted to keep good speed in his team.

Both Brent and Richie were going very slowly past Cripple, so have to see if the others are able to pick up the speed on that stretch or if the trail is just very slow where it crosses the Sulatna River. Brent has found himself a snug little spot to take a break, but is moving again at 6.5 mph uphill, which is promising. Looking at the topo map, the trail to Ruby has a bunch of short climbs and descents as it wends its way through the foothills.

Richie ran from his 24 in Ophir 90 miles up the trail (about 18 miles past Cripple). That's a LONG run. I wonder if that was his "move"?

It also seems like teams are starting to drop dogs. Kristy Berington, Aaron P, and Jeff Deeter are down to 10, while Riley Dyche is down to 9.

[mira]

So... Sass, Neff and Seavey appears to be resting not that far apart in the same area. Brent is 12 miles from Ruby, and has rested for almost four hours now. Is he planning for going straight to Galena? I wondered if it could be the trackers, but he should have been in Ruby by now (even if you say 5mph).

[mira]

Update, Sass rested for four hours on trail

[libby the lab]

Sass arrived in Ruby grabbed heat and stuff from drop bags and left.

[elsietee]

Brent is already 15 miles past Ruby (an 8 hour run from Cripple, a 4 hour rest, and already 4 hours into his next run). The mushers behind never saw him on that rest, as Dallas rested a few miles before Brent.

Hugh, OTOH, ran 7 hours and rested two (just past Dallas) and set off again. This has been mentioned before in another vid - he's taking lots of shorter breaks instead of a long one. Hugh is just 2 miles short of Ruby, while Dallas still has 8 miles to go.

Aaron B stopped 10 miles before Dallas/Hugh, allowing Jessie H, Richie, and Ryan to leapfrog him.

Looking at Richie's tracker, he came off his 24 in Ophir and has done the Ophir to Ruby stretch in three runs. His first rest was four hours, but notably his second (after Cripple) was 5 hours, so he might be seeing some fatigue in his dogs?

I noticed both Brent and Hugh going slowly last night, in the marshy area where the Sulatna River crosses the trail. Wondering if there's overflow there because I see other mushers slowing (and stopping) there this morning.

[emwcee]

SO excited to see Brent in the lead. He sure blew through Ruby. I take it they aren't doing the banquet this year. Brent wouldn't want to stop anyway. He hates checkpoints.

[elsietee]

I know! I'm on tenterhooks, hoping like mad that the next few runs go well for him.

It's funny, Brent will always be my favorite, but at the same time, it would be fun for Dallas to get "yet another win" and put him in the record books; for Aaron B to finally win after so many years; for Richie to come out from behind Pete K's shadow and do well; for Hugh to make a come back - and bring Jim Lanier's team - and his long-term breeding plan - into the limelight... so many good stories.

Watching a race just for the sake of 'who wins' isn't very interesting, but to know all the players and their backgrounds going back over 20 years, really makes this race special.

[elsietee]

Dallas just arrived in Ruby - and they had excellent live footage up and running.

We love to see it all, but UGH - four different camera people with lenses staring at Dallas from a few feet away as he struggles to get his drop bags open. Makes you understand why mushers camp on the trail.

The live footage camera, OTOH, is up on a berm away from the actual musher, but able to zoom in on the frosty faces of the dogs. They are all standing, barking to get going, and wearing their blue coats, tails wagging softly. The camera is positioned up high, so it can catch the team as it drops out of the village (high on the bank) down onto the river. The Yukon is HUGE and flat by comparison, with a big mountain just west of Ruby casting a shadow on the trail on the river.

A vet walks the line of dogs, checking them visually.

Bruce is standing on the brake for him. Dallas takes a picture of the sign-in sheet (just Brent and Hugh on it), presumably for later digestion on the trail. He was about to leave, then ran back to grab some straw and strap it onto his trailer.

He took off his big jacket upon arrival, but puts it back on again as soon as he leaves. He's probably only in the checkpoint for maybe 5 mins.

I see a tiny black dot down on the river - wondering if it's a camera man taking footage of the teams as they leave Ruby. I was about to say it could just be some black "thing" out there... but then it moved

[elsietee]

Now a live interview with Jeff in Cripple.

He's drinking coffee while they set up the camera. The sun is low, casting long shadows. It's warm enough that Jeff is barehanded, finishing his coffee and being handed a mic.

Good morning America, says Jeff. Absolutely gorgeous morning. A whirlwind for him - his 30th trip into Cripple. Fun ride, beautiful dog team, first came through here in 1981 and wasn't sure he'd ever do it again, but with Nic testing positive, he quickly packed his bags and hit the trail. Not as tough as he used to be, and realises how incredibly difficult it is to go 1,000 miles on a trail. Others make it look easy. Thrilled to have the knowledge to get down the trail in style. Just wants to get the team safely to Nome for Nic and for his fans. Was beautiful coming in last night, turned his headlight off, quarter moon, Northern Lights overhead, stunning.

Headed to Ruby soon to declare his 24 and visit with friends in Ruby. Waiting for his protegé Amanda Otto to catch up so he can see her and evaluate how his team with her is going.

He's been getting lots of encouraging messages (from old high school girlfriends ).

Not sure that he would have done the race this year if he'd been given more notice, but the fact that it was last minute meant it fell into place.

Nic's team are an incredible group - starting to get to know Jeff and he's starting to feel like one of the team.

Daughters watching from various parts of the world, wondering what the heck Dad's doing? but won't do anything stupid. Has been doing his stretches per his PT lady Patty. Doesn't have any aches and pains and got 8 hours sleep overnight. Says it feels like a stage race.

But if he starts to catch a team, he gets all excited to pass them (even though he's 24 hours behind them). Laughs at how his competitive side rises to the top at the slightest provocation.

He shut the team down for 12 hours at Cripple. He hopes Nic isn't disappointed - he, Jeff, doesn't have the energy to race hard.

Laughingly says he wasn't allowed in the "musher bubble tent" because they didn't know who he was, and didn't know if he was allowed in there. One lady saw him and said "you're still alive??".

Coming from Rohn to Nik, the one dog he dropped - on the way there, his gait didn't look good, so he hooked the dog on neckline only (unhooked its harness). During the run, the neckline detached, but the dog continued to run in place. Dog ran 20 miles in his spot, totally loose, including pee and snack stops. Amazing group with chemistry.

Reminiscing on his race with his lead dog Salem, chasing Doug Swingley. Had such a connection with him. Remembers a run from Kaltag to Unk - swirling blowing snow, pedalling the sled, and his leg postholed into the deep snow and he fell off the sled. The team disappeared without him, out of sight, through the snow and it was terrifying. He screamed for his lead dog Salem. He ran down the trail, yelling for the dogs - didn't go far, but they were completely out of sight and still moving. Pretty soon his light picked up the back of the sled. The team were all lined out, really do go - but Salem was at the front of the team, sitting erect, ears pricked, looking back down the trail, waiting for Jeff (he's a little choked up telling this story).

Now talking about a little boy, CJ, giving him his good luck charm... but he's too choked up to tell the story. Says he hasn't had enough rest to tell this story. He's still in touch with CJ's mom. Been a special part of his life.

And then he has to stop, too teary and choked to say more.

Lovely interview with Jeff just rambling.

[elsietee]

Gah, I'm never going to get any work done.

Hot on the heels of Jeff's interview - here's Jessie arriving in Ruby. Dogs in blue coats, look good, lunging to get going, tails waving, pulling hard up the hill. Think Jessie must be staying. It looks like they turn left at the top of the hill, to go through the drop bag area, or continue straight and to the right down to the village if they're staying (presumably they deliver them their drop bags and straw? - I see a vol carrying a bag of straw).