Jim Lanier challenges the field, First into Cripple, wins the gold by Joe Runyan
Jim on sit down sled, arrives Cripple in 1st to the halfway check point
He said in Takotna, “I am going to Cripple” and he meant it. Jim arrived in front of an enthusiastic crowd of locals at about 2PM (please check wonderful data sources at the Insider) as first musher to the halfway point. His single white leader smartly led his team of pullers directly into the chute of officials , volunteers, fans, and media.
Jim Lanier appears on the horizon
Personally, I was really pulling for this witty, subtle, adventurous musher. I thought for sure Seavey or one of the front runners would catch him enroute to Cripple, but he defied the odds maker and appears he will eclipse Mitch Seavey, about three or four miles back.
For his efforts, Jim will be awarded $3,000 in gold nuggets, a first place award sponsored by GCI. Jim will be formally awarded the prize after he takes care of the dogs. As Jim said, “Dogs come first.”
Jim performs the obligatory check in, signs in, shows mandatory gear
Mitch Seavey takes control of the race
Just as I write this blog, 18 minutes later the bullet train of Mitch Seavey arrives. I take a photo, just to prove I saw it.
Seavey in with snappy dog team, just 18 minutes behind Lanier, hustles his team to bed his dogs down in Cripple
Pilots recently arriving had reported the Mitch’s team was moving beautifully on the soft trail.
As a statement, this monstrous run of 100 miles—on soft trail— from Takotna to Cripple demonstrates this team is the real deal.
Final thoughts
Back to the dog yard for more details from Mitch and Jim. One thing that goes through my mind is timing. Mitch could not have arrived more fortuitously in the day. Just as the trail is really beginning to disintegrate (how do I know? We could hardly walk to the checkpoint chute after foot traffic started to tear up the trail) Mitch is comfortably camped. This also puts him on a perfect run/rest schedule.
Dogs like to run at the turn of light—a topic for the next blog.
Meanwhile, following mushers are enduring the afternoon sun and attendant destruction of the trail.
