Nikolai checkpoint # 1

[Di*]

Morning Moose and Motor!
Trying to catch up on post reading and seeing whos doing what....am always amazed at all you stats guys, they are kinda like a foreign language to me!

Interesting to read about your nick Motor, always wondered about it too!

Moose, freezing rain is not good! We were supposed to get some on Sunday too but thankfully it was snow, wet snow but snow nevertheless! Sounds messy, stay safe on the roads!

Backen and Lance are pretty close I would think after their 24's come up...Kinda surprised King is up there so early....wondering about Martin and Rohn, they seem to be traveling together somewhat. Seems like a real tight race so far when you take their 24's into consideration...

[Moose]

It's cool that Martin's and Rohn's teams seem to be equally matched at least to this point. If they continue to stick together and stay competitive with the rest of the leader pack, I'd say he's got a pretty strong kennel and breeding program. I think I heard/read somewhere that this may be a one-time event for Rohn and then he's heading off to college. If so, it would be a pity to let the dogs go to waste. Martin's not getting any younger (heck, none of us are), so he'd better be coming up with a kennel plan in the next few years.

[Di*]

Yea Moose, we talked about that a little on Martin's thread in the musher section...shame to have all that talent and only one musher. Martin has always been pretty vocal about his breeding success and higher caliber of dogs...Maybe Rohn will have second thoughts after the race is over and stay on a couple of years? One can wish can't they?!

[Di*]

Read an interesting article about Steer picking/loaning(whatever) his team from a few different mushers. Said the Norwegian team got him to thinking that he could make up a team of good dogs from a few diff kennels as he doesn't have many of his own dogs and is pretty busy running his lodge...Maybe the future will hold more of this, mushers like Martin leasing out quality dogs to others...Makes sense, then everyone wouldn't have to have such big kennels or good for the mushers with less time to develop their own lines etc.

[Moose]

I haven't visited the Musher section in days so must pop in there. Too many sites open, too many tabs at the bottom of my screen, so much to read, so much to learn.

I thought the Norwegians trained together and shared dogs, facilities, and expenses. Am I mistaken?

Addendum: Peter Bartlett and Rick Holt, two New England favorites, into Nikolai! Rick's team still at full compliment. Way to go, guys!

[Biggie]

Well it is a clear but cold day here in Packerland, 18 degrees but the sun is shining. Although there seems to be a big gray cloud over most of the state at this time. Have to catch-up on reading since alot has transpired since I took my mandatory 4 hours last night. Trying to work reading around my work appointments.
Biggie

[Breeze]

Moose, yes this is nasty weather, and I am so grateful to be "AT HOME" today! ( and tomorrow too!)

Not a day to be out and about, but a GREAT day to be "catching up".

Breeze

[Di*]

I thought the Norwegians trained together and shared dogs, facilities, and expenses. Am I mistaken?

No you're right Moose it is a bit different, but just the fact that one person doesn't own all the dogs they race with is what Steer meant...

[tanglefoot]

news just in...

Iditarod musher Jessica Hendricks (bib #23) decided to scratch this
morning at 8:00 (March 5, 2008) at Nikolai Checkpoint. The 25 year
old musher from Two Rivers, Alaska made the decision to scratch
because of the effects the warm weather had on her team. Hendricks
had 7 dogs on her team when she scratched.

[Moose]

Bummer. I expected she'd do well this year.