Unk-Shak-Koyuk-Elim-WM

[elsietee]

Brent and Dallas are on the move again, after resting 3 and 4 hours respectively.

Brent is moving a little slower than Dallas (6.1 mph versus 8 mph), but he's also nearly 20 miles ahead of Dallas. He should make a run to Elim (just after?), while Dallas (per brother Danny) will likely stop about a third of the way between Koyuk and Elim.

Brent is about 8-9 miles short of Koyuk as I type this.

* * * *

More from Danny on FB:

I feel pretty dumb for saying Brent would go to Koyuk, he’s only stopped in one checkpoint by choice this entire race. And that was Ophir, which is nothing more than a cabin. Obviously mere mortals would think the sparse creature comforts in a place like Brent is camped now - in the middle of the Norton Sound, in the middle of a mild but 25mph ground storm - and think it inhospitable. But you don’t win the iditarod by being afraid of a little wind and snow.

I’m also getting lots of questions asking if Brent and Dallas are getting info from home base and coordinating movements. It’s uncanny how close together they take off and camp. While either could be calling home, I don’t think they are. It’s actually too close to be coordinated. If Brent waited for dallas to move, got a call, and started hooking up, it would take him 20 minutes to get moving. It took Aliy 21 minutes to leave safety with no booties when she realized Dallas wasn’t stopping in 2014.

These two are so close they couldn’t do that if they were talking to each other. I’m just going to say great minds think alike:)

[elsietee]

Brent should arrive in Koyuk soon - he's about a mile out - watch here:

https://iditarod.com/live/

[Jan]

wants me to pay for insider- says restricted for insiders with video

[elsietee]

:( wants me to pay for insider- says restricted for insiders with video

Well, poo. I thought it was available to all. Sorry.

He hasn't shown up yet - seems to be taking FOREVER to get here, but might be about to show.

[Frozen Chosen]

thank you much for all your hard work putting the stories, the data, and media together! I know it takes alot of time and effort...i could not do what you are doing! Again, Quiannakpuk (thank you from my heart), for your effort! Froze

[elsietee]

And just as I typed that - there he was.

Dogs looked a little sleepy, standing in the checkpoint, waiting for Brent to grab supplies. A couple of them lay down. Some were just focused on trying to remove their booties. Then he whistled them up, they stood up, and off they went.

Heister and Bruce analyzing what they saw:

Have watched Brent come through a bunch of times, but have never seen him go out of a checkpoint looking like that [i.e. that good]. That's def the best Bruce has ever seen him leave Koyuk. When the dogs went around the corner, nearly out of sight, they were loping.

Dogs look good, coming up off the sea ice, they were flexible - ie. not sore, or had any gait issues.

But still says Brent shouldn't stop looking behind him.

Brent said the dogs were REALLY eating, so that'll give them energy, keep them warm, keep them going. B's dogs don't have a lot of weight on them, the way Dallas' dogs do. Talks about Dallas' excellent care, backing off on his speed, and getting those dogs as heavy as they are - likely the heaviest of the teams in front.

Talks about how Dallas has been running on foot since he left Anchorage.

Talks about the trail ahead - back out onto the ice, then up into the foothills. Can be windy and a lot of teams have had problems from the direction of the wind and the soft snow. Dropping down onto the ice at Moses Pt, you've again got a side wind. Then there are still some climbs going on into Elim.

Bruce says this is the most fans he's seen in Koyuk in a long time - and he thinks that's because Brent is from the Interior, so they're excited for him.

Martin Buser once said "it's not about these two weeks, it's about the other 50 prior to this, doing your homework. And we're seeing the culmination of that.

[elsietee]

thank you much for all your hard work putting the stories, the data, and media together! I know it takes alot of time and effort...i could not do what you are doing! Again, Quiannakpuk (thank you from my heart), for your effort! Froze

Thanks. It has been my pleasure.

I'm secretly glad my trip got cancelled (albeit not glad for the reason), as it has given me a couple of days with nothing scheduled, except watching the Iditarod feed and try to figure out what's going on. Writing it all down helps me understand exactly what's happening. If I'd gone on my trip, I'd be just getting home now and trying to catch up.

[braider]

for sure... "thank you much for all your hard work putting the stories, the data, and media together! I know it takes alot of time and effort...i could not do what you are doing!" ...Sincerely, ...Dave

[elsietee]

Dallas in Koyuk:
Dogs looked good trotting in. A little less sleepy than Brent's, but it's colder and later in the day. Dallas gave them snacks and after a while, a few of them laid down in a "ho hum, we're never going to get going" way. They left enthusiastically.


Heister and Bruce:

Dallas was feeding uncured pork bellies...it's colder here, you'll have seen clips of the team going through some intensive wind. Fat has the most calories - uncured pork bellies is basically bacon without salt. Dallas is trying to get as many calories and as much energy into the dogs. They are eating well and Dallas has done a great job maintaining their weight.

Dallas has said ever since Cripple that it would take a mistake on Brent's part for Dallas to catch him.

What we're seeing is a determined Dallas, with a dog team moving quickly.

Dallas was hoping to make up five miles here and there, but that just hasn't happened.

That said, Bruce thinks that if you looked back in the stats over the years, the most lead changes happened on this next stretch between Koyuk and Nome, so it's still not a foregone conclusion. If one lead dog decides it doesn't want to do that any more, it could totally change the dynamic of the race.

Heister talks about a video that they're in the process of uploading - an interview with Dallas out at that shelter cabin - but also footage of Prophet up front - so impressive to see that lead dog going across the ice.

Outstanding lead dogs are what makes this sport so intriguing. Those dogs just put their heads into the wind and go. You get them once in a lifetime. There's a bond between you and that dog and you depend on each other 100%. Unless it gets impossible to get through, that dog will get you through.

Lastly, they are moving Liz Failor to Koyuk and she'll be here the rest of the week. Kevin Bodie has gone to Elim to catch the front runners.

[mira]

So.. if we say, usually they use 6-7 hours from Elim to WM and then approximatelty 10 hours from WM. Add 8 hours of rest in WM, then it's around 24-25 hours from Brent starts to ETA for Nome?