Top 3 are in Nikolai

Posted by Sebastian Schnuelle
Date: March 5, 2013 9:27 am

I love sitting on the trail, unbeknown to the mushers and watch them approach. The Top 3 teams have a very different appearance. Aaron Burmeister snuck up on me, matter of fact I missed him on my first try. Not a sound to be heard other than the occasional jingle of a dog tag. Than comes Aaron, casually standing on the back of the runners, enjoying the ride, cigarette in hand. _ Governor has a sore wrist “ he mentions as he passes by. “ Not a big deal I shout back he always has that at the beginning in the race”, as I had the honor to run Governor myself. Love that dog.

Next up came “ the man “! Lance Mackey. He was urging his dogs to go, “ alright “ and quite a bit more determination in his face. The third team I could hear from a little further away, as they snakes their way though a dense poplar forest towards Nikolai. Aliy Zirkle was working as hard as her dogs, skipoling along and telling her dogs “ come on … get up there “.

All the teams looked nice, Aarons had the most pep in the step in my opinion. But Lance did the run almost one hour faster than Aaron. I guess Aaron is not in a rush yet. Aliy broke the run up. She likes to camp on a creek past post River, as there is open water, which makes it quicker to get a good meal into the dogs.

Attached a few pictures before I head back out again. On a sidenote, we got Gerd’s machine started and he is on his way to Mc Grath to see if he can find a mechanic, or take it apart himself there.