Well... We still don't have any "news"... But here's what I "see"...
Aliy made her run down the Yukon today with stops in Galena and Nulato, then blew through Kaltag with all 12 of her dogs. That tells me she is happy with her run and is pushing on toward the coast at Unalakleet. I can't say -- because I just don't know -- what her strategy is, but it looks to me like she's "making a move."
Meanwhile, Allen's Black Team is in Galena, making good time down the Yukon. This is the first time many of his 12 dogs have ever experienced anything like the seemingly endless trek down the river, and we can hope that his veterans -- Teddy, Petunia and Oddball -- are "schooling" the youngsters on how to "get after it"
It's obviously become an exciting race, with changes in the running order all through the top of the leader board. The "second third" of the race is coming to a close and we should really start to see who's got "the right stuff" as the teams pass through Unalakleet. I just got a text from Bridgett that she is there, waiting on the teams to arrive, so we can hope for an update sometime tomorrow morning.
I will be leaving the Kennel at about noon tomorrow to catch my flights to Nome. If all goes well, I will be able to post some kind of "news" before I go, then a follow-up when I get there late tomorrow night. It's "that time" in the Iditarod when all we can do is watch, wait, cheer and hope! Stay tuned!
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Iditarod 2010: Saturday Morning
Sorry... No "inside" information to give you this morning...
Aliy is on the Yukon, approaching Nulato. Her times/speeds looked pretty good overnight.
Allen arrived in Ruby early this morning and will probably do his 8-hour mandatory rest there.
This is the part of the Iditarod where we have to just wait and hope for crumbs of info whenever we can get them...
Stay tuned!
Aliy is on the Yukon, approaching Nulato. Her times/speeds looked pretty good overnight.
Allen arrived in Ruby early this morning and will probably do his 8-hour mandatory rest there.
This is the part of the Iditarod where we have to just wait and hope for crumbs of info whenever we can get them...
Stay tuned!
Friday, March 12, 2010
Iditarod 2010: Update From Aliy In Ruby
Bridgett just called and relayed the following from her phone call with Aliy in Ruby:
Dogs -- Nacho was dropped in Ophir. Quito and Spot were dropped in Cripple. All were due to "triceps" which is shorthand in the mushing world for "sore front legs." Considering how hard the trail has been, this is entirely "expectable" and the dogs can be very proud of how well then have done.
One current "standout" is Bullet, who Aliy has been using in lead to "pull through" checkpoints when dogs typically want to take a break. You know how we feel about Bullet the wonder dog, and this is an example of how she will do absolutely anything Aliy asks of her… Including run past what must look like very comfy piles of straw in checkpoints!
Cha is still "the boss" out there and looking great. Her co-leader Bullet is a "specialist" who helps her out from time to time. All of the other dogs are in good shape, eating and sleeping well as they should and must. It was Aliy's goal to have "double digit dogs" heading out of Ruby, so the team is in good shape according to plan.
Trail -- We know that the trail has been very hard and Aliy confirmed that it has been one of the hardest she's ever encountered. In the "good and bad" category, the temperatures have plummeted to as low as -50 degrees. That's "bad" because it makes camping out more difficult and uncomfortable. That's "good" because it is what our dogs (and mushers) are used to, and probably better acclimated to than many others.
The Teams are well equipped with jackets and blankets for the dogs. You can be sure that Aliy is passing out plenty of those snacks we cut up and sent out on the Trail, especially all those turkey skins the dogs love so much when it is cold. Aliy has plenty of great gear and added the "comfort" of her "bag dog" Homebrew in her sleeping bag last night.
Human -- Aliy is in great shape, eating and sleeping well whenever she has the chance. She has enjoyed being in the area of her old stomping grounds and is very happy to be heading down the Yukon. She is also looking forward to heading to the coast, one of her favorite runs anywhere in Alaska. According to Bridgett, Aliy is as focused, upbeat and positive as she has ever been.
Strategy -- Here's what I can tell you: The run down the Yukon is long, flat and boring, much like driving on an interstate highway. It also comes at a time when the dogs' initial energy has been used up. Now we will get to see the benefits of training, condition -- and above all -- the heart and soul of the dogs. To deal with this, different teams employ very different strategies, including fewer longer/slower runs or more shorter/faster runs.
These strategies will remain in place not only down the Yukon to Kaltag, but across to the coast in Unalakleet. For those of you who are watching the GPS and leader board, good luck trying to figure it out!
Dogs -- Nacho was dropped in Ophir. Quito and Spot were dropped in Cripple. All were due to "triceps" which is shorthand in the mushing world for "sore front legs." Considering how hard the trail has been, this is entirely "expectable" and the dogs can be very proud of how well then have done.
One current "standout" is Bullet, who Aliy has been using in lead to "pull through" checkpoints when dogs typically want to take a break. You know how we feel about Bullet the wonder dog, and this is an example of how she will do absolutely anything Aliy asks of her… Including run past what must look like very comfy piles of straw in checkpoints!
Cha is still "the boss" out there and looking great. Her co-leader Bullet is a "specialist" who helps her out from time to time. All of the other dogs are in good shape, eating and sleeping well as they should and must. It was Aliy's goal to have "double digit dogs" heading out of Ruby, so the team is in good shape according to plan.
Trail -- We know that the trail has been very hard and Aliy confirmed that it has been one of the hardest she's ever encountered. In the "good and bad" category, the temperatures have plummeted to as low as -50 degrees. That's "bad" because it makes camping out more difficult and uncomfortable. That's "good" because it is what our dogs (and mushers) are used to, and probably better acclimated to than many others.
The Teams are well equipped with jackets and blankets for the dogs. You can be sure that Aliy is passing out plenty of those snacks we cut up and sent out on the Trail, especially all those turkey skins the dogs love so much when it is cold. Aliy has plenty of great gear and added the "comfort" of her "bag dog" Homebrew in her sleeping bag last night.
Human -- Aliy is in great shape, eating and sleeping well whenever she has the chance. She has enjoyed being in the area of her old stomping grounds and is very happy to be heading down the Yukon. She is also looking forward to heading to the coast, one of her favorite runs anywhere in Alaska. According to Bridgett, Aliy is as focused, upbeat and positive as she has ever been.
Strategy -- Here's what I can tell you: The run down the Yukon is long, flat and boring, much like driving on an interstate highway. It also comes at a time when the dogs' initial energy has been used up. Now we will get to see the benefits of training, condition -- and above all -- the heart and soul of the dogs. To deal with this, different teams employ very different strategies, including fewer longer/slower runs or more shorter/faster runs.
These strategies will remain in place not only down the Yukon to Kaltag, but across to the coast in Unalakleet. For those of you who are watching the GPS and leader board, good luck trying to figure it out!
Iditarod 2010: Team Photos
The density of text on this page now offends my sense of aesthetic design, so I'm posting a couple of photos to add some color. Plus, of course, it's about time I gave you some "team photos"!
The human team with Allen and Aliy:
(Left to right: Dave, Leslie, Ray, Kaz, Bridgett and Doug)
Part of the dog team with their "game faces" on:
(Brothers Ranger and Beemer in front with Olivia and KitKat behind)
The human team with Allen and Aliy:
(Left to right: Dave, Leslie, Ray, Kaz, Bridgett and Doug)
Part of the dog team with their "game faces" on:
(Brothers Ranger and Beemer in front with Olivia and KitKat behind)
Iditarod 2010: Allen Interviews On KNOM
Here are a couple of fantastic interviews with Allen in Takotna from KNOM's coverage of the race.
Again, I've embedded them here for your convenience, but I strongly encourage you to (click here) and check out all their coverage. KNOM's Laureli brings you news from the mushers themselves, and it doesn't get any better than that!
First, Allen talks about his Iditarod so far, and a about SP Kennel:
Here is Allen's story about "wrangling" the loose team:
This is really great stuff and we hope they will bring us more from our SP Kennel mushers! Thank you KNOM!
Again, I've embedded them here for your convenience, but I strongly encourage you to (click here) and check out all their coverage. KNOM's Laureli brings you news from the mushers themselves, and it doesn't get any better than that!
First, Allen talks about his Iditarod so far, and a about SP Kennel:
Here is Allen's story about "wrangling" the loose team:
This is really great stuff and we hope they will bring us more from our SP Kennel mushers! Thank you KNOM!
Iditarod 2010: Friday Morning
Good morning!
I don't "know" anything more than you do from watching the GPS and leader board. What it looks like to me is that Aliy left Takotna after her "24" and blew through Ophir, stopping only 7 minutes to drop an (unknown) dog. Then, it looks like she "camped" on the trail -- something we've explained she like to do -- and blew through Cripple, stopping only long enough to drop two (unknown) dogs and get supplies out of her drop bags. She probably rested on the trail again, and now the GPS shows her on the move with only 10 miles to go until she reaches Ruby.
For those of you who are trying to "figure it all out" on your own, I suggest you watch three things at the same time: the leader board, the GPS and the trail map. This last pice of the puzzle -- the map -- will help you see that, for example, the run from Takotna to Ophir is too short to warrant a rest in Ophir, and then it's too far to run straight through to Cripple. Camping on the trail before Cripple makes the run into Cripple too short for a rest, but again way too long to run straight through to Ruby. This is why she probably camped on the trail to Ruby, and will have a good run there before stopping at that checkpoint.
In other words, the dogs have been trained and conditioned for certain run/rest lengths. These do not coincide very well with the placement of checkpoints on the remote sections of the Trail, so Aliy has to "camp out" -- i.e. make her own "mini-checkpoints" -- along the way. Just because she is stopped on the trail does not mean she has a problem. Okay?
Frankly, the leader board is -- in my opinion -- the least useful data source. It's sort of an "arbitrary" snapshot that does a poor job of accounting for run/rest status, and it is delayed in updating which adds to the confusion. In the case of Allen and the Black Team, for example, the leader board shows him only out of Takotna and not yet into Ophir. The GPS has him already into Cripple. To me, that simply means the leader board is out of date... by quite a bit.
Bottom line: Aliy is solidly and consistently in "the front group" and running very well. Allen is at the "halfway mark" and moving well. I don't see anything that worries me. Enjoy the "drama" but don't take any one piece of data to seriously... Capice?
Stay tuned!
I don't "know" anything more than you do from watching the GPS and leader board. What it looks like to me is that Aliy left Takotna after her "24" and blew through Ophir, stopping only 7 minutes to drop an (unknown) dog. Then, it looks like she "camped" on the trail -- something we've explained she like to do -- and blew through Cripple, stopping only long enough to drop two (unknown) dogs and get supplies out of her drop bags. She probably rested on the trail again, and now the GPS shows her on the move with only 10 miles to go until she reaches Ruby.
For those of you who are trying to "figure it all out" on your own, I suggest you watch three things at the same time: the leader board, the GPS and the trail map. This last pice of the puzzle -- the map -- will help you see that, for example, the run from Takotna to Ophir is too short to warrant a rest in Ophir, and then it's too far to run straight through to Cripple. Camping on the trail before Cripple makes the run into Cripple too short for a rest, but again way too long to run straight through to Ruby. This is why she probably camped on the trail to Ruby, and will have a good run there before stopping at that checkpoint.
In other words, the dogs have been trained and conditioned for certain run/rest lengths. These do not coincide very well with the placement of checkpoints on the remote sections of the Trail, so Aliy has to "camp out" -- i.e. make her own "mini-checkpoints" -- along the way. Just because she is stopped on the trail does not mean she has a problem. Okay?
Frankly, the leader board is -- in my opinion -- the least useful data source. It's sort of an "arbitrary" snapshot that does a poor job of accounting for run/rest status, and it is delayed in updating which adds to the confusion. In the case of Allen and the Black Team, for example, the leader board shows him only out of Takotna and not yet into Ophir. The GPS has him already into Cripple. To me, that simply means the leader board is out of date... by quite a bit.
Bottom line: Aliy is solidly and consistently in "the front group" and running very well. Allen is at the "halfway mark" and moving well. I don't see anything that worries me. Enjoy the "drama" but don't take any one piece of data to seriously... Capice?
Stay tuned!
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Iditarod 2010: Thursday Recap
After loading up and leaving Anchorage early this morning, I drove to the home of Ken and Amy Wheaton -- who pick up our dropped dogs whenever they are flown back to Anchorage -- in Wasilla, and got a couple of dog crates out of "Big Red" which is parked in their driveway. From there I drove to the home of Margie Bauman -- who very kindly allows our dropped dogs to stay at her kennel until they can be retrieved -- in Knik, where I picked up Olivia and Snickers. As you can see, there is even more to "Iditarod logistics" than we've already told you about!
It was 11 o'clock by the time that mission was complete, and the three of us headed north. The drive wasn't too bad until we approached Cantwell and encountered a ground blizzard -- white-out conditions with really high winds -- that lasted for almost 100 miles. After that it was smooth sailing all the way to the Kennel where Olivia and Snickers are now happily home and telling all their pack mates about their Iditarod adventures.
It was actually a good day for me to be off-line, because we have no new information from the Trail. Aliy left Takotna on time after her "24" and has already cleared Cripple. She is clearly moving well, despite dropping a second (unknown) dog in Ophir. Allen also left Takotna in good order with his 13 dogs and is well on his way to Cripple. We do not expect to hear from them until tomorrow at the earliest, so we will all have to be patient!
Stay tuned!
It was 11 o'clock by the time that mission was complete, and the three of us headed north. The drive wasn't too bad until we approached Cantwell and encountered a ground blizzard -- white-out conditions with really high winds -- that lasted for almost 100 miles. After that it was smooth sailing all the way to the Kennel where Olivia and Snickers are now happily home and telling all their pack mates about their Iditarod adventures.
It was actually a good day for me to be off-line, because we have no new information from the Trail. Aliy left Takotna on time after her "24" and has already cleared Cripple. She is clearly moving well, despite dropping a second (unknown) dog in Ophir. Allen also left Takotna in good order with his 13 dogs and is well on his way to Cripple. We do not expect to hear from them until tomorrow at the earliest, so we will all have to be patient!
Stay tuned!
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Iditarod 2010: Wednesday Night Wrap-Up
Both SP Kennel Teams are in Takotna, taking their mandatory 24-hour rests. According to the GPS, the teams are parked only a few yards from each other, so perhaps the dogs are swapping stories of the Trail.
Bridgett received a call this afternoon from Aliy and relayed the following to me:
Aliy is in really good shape, as focused and positive as she has ever been. The dogs are in good shape too, with just a few minor "dings" from running across the rough trail. Aliy is giving them lots of rub downs and thinks this 24-hour rest will be good for all of them.
Standouts on her team include Biscuit and Tatfish who are, according to Aliy, "just insane!" Eating everything in sight, jumping up from every rest and ready to roll. She also repeated that ChaCha is still totally on her game, still barking and definitely "the boss." One more superstar is Nutmeg who is "the best she's ever been." So, it all sounds good for the Red Team!
Allen had just arrived when Aliy called, so all she could report about the Black Team was that Spicy and Moonpie were the other two dogs dropped after Olivia. We don't have any information about why, but it's a good bet the rough trail was to blame for typical "front end" soreness.
Since Aliy's Red Team arrived in Takotna at about 2am this morning, they will leave shortly after 2am. Allen's Black Team arrived a little before 2pm this afternoon, so they will leave about the same time tomorrow.
I will be on the road early in the morning and off-line all day as I gather up as many dropped dogs as I can and drive back up to Fairbanks. I'll hope to receive some intel along the way and try to post an update tomorrow night.
Go Teams!
Bridgett received a call this afternoon from Aliy and relayed the following to me:
Aliy is in really good shape, as focused and positive as she has ever been. The dogs are in good shape too, with just a few minor "dings" from running across the rough trail. Aliy is giving them lots of rub downs and thinks this 24-hour rest will be good for all of them.
Standouts on her team include Biscuit and Tatfish who are, according to Aliy, "just insane!" Eating everything in sight, jumping up from every rest and ready to roll. She also repeated that ChaCha is still totally on her game, still barking and definitely "the boss." One more superstar is Nutmeg who is "the best she's ever been." So, it all sounds good for the Red Team!
Allen had just arrived when Aliy called, so all she could report about the Black Team was that Spicy and Moonpie were the other two dogs dropped after Olivia. We don't have any information about why, but it's a good bet the rough trail was to blame for typical "front end" soreness.
Since Aliy's Red Team arrived in Takotna at about 2am this morning, they will leave shortly after 2am. Allen's Black Team arrived a little before 2pm this afternoon, so they will leave about the same time tomorrow.
I will be on the road early in the morning and off-line all day as I gather up as many dropped dogs as I can and drive back up to Fairbanks. I'll hope to receive some intel along the way and try to post an update tomorrow night.
Go Teams!
Iditarod 2010: City Moose
You never know what you might see up here in Alaska, even downtown in the city of Anchorage. Repeat with me, "That's a big moose."
Iditarod 2010: Allen's Good Deed Of The Day
Here's an audio post from Bridgett describing a story she heard from Aliy about one of Allen's experiences on the trail. I'll compile my notes about other info Bridgett got from Aliy during her phone call from Takotna and post them soon. Meanwhile, here's a little glimpse of the kind of unusual things mushers can face -- and find themselves doing -- out on the Iditarod Trail:
If you are having trouble with the embedded mp3 player, you can click here to access the mp3 file directly and play it however your computer normally handles mp3 files.
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