Aliy Zirkle has come and gone through the Checkpoint here in Ruby. She is on her way to Galena, a schedule she ran in 2012 also. The next group of mushers has arrived, with Robert Sorlie, Nicolas Petit, Kelly Maixner and Hugh Neff.  They all will be able to leave here around the same time as as Jeff King and Sonny Lindner who are taking their 24 hrs.

Notably is the runtime of Nicolas Petit. He had the second fastest runtime into Cripple of the front runners. Only Robert Sorlie was faster. In Cripple Robert only rested 3.06 hrs while Nicolas stayed 5.27 hrs. That is a big difference. A difference big enough to ensure he keeps  his speed up. Not that Robert Sorlie’s runtime was slow coming here into Ruby with 9.48hrs, yet Nicolas shaved another hour off that time, with getting here in 8.40hrs. That is very fast for this stretch and to be driving right in the front of the pack. Hugh Neff did a big push into Cripple, he came all the way from McGrath. That was close to a 15 hr run and with doing that, he stays close to the front. His runtime into Ruby with 10.34 was not far off pace. He is driving a smaller team than most of his competitors, but knowing Hugh, he has done that before. In the Yukon Quest this year he piloted a small team of 8 dogs for the final part of the race and still pulled off a second place finish. The 10 he is driving now are his Quest dogs and plus two he got from Brent Sass. 

There is a few hours break now here in Ruby,  then Mitch Seavey and Ray Redington leading a big group of mushers. All the while Aliy Zirkle is out front on the way to Galena. Time to saddle up the snowmachine.