Hello friends,

I don’t know about you, but I’m all caught up in this race. I can’t keep my paws off the computer to check up on my favorite teams. Some pups recently asked me how it was fair for the last musher to leave the starting chute about 2 1/2 hours after the first musher left. We call this the differential. The extra time is made up during the 24 hour layover.

Here’s how it works. Each team takes a mandatory 24 hour layover at a checkpoint on the trail. The only true 24 hour layover will be Kristy Berington who was number 73 and left the chute last. Number 72 will have a 24 hour layover plus 2 minutes, Number 71 will have a 24 hour layover plus 4 minutes, etc. Ryan Redington, who wore Bib Number 2 will have a 24 hour layover plus 144 minutes. When all the teams have had their 24 hour layover, all the times are even. That’s when we know who the true leader is.

Rule #13 states that along with the 24 hour layover, teams must take 2 mandatory 8 hour stops. One needs to be on the Yukon River and one in White Mountain. None of these mandtory stops can be combined. There are a lot of rules for mushers to remember, but they are in place to keep themselves and their K-9 athletes safe.

                                                             Tail wags,

Zuma