Joe Runyan
6am Friday—Ruby —The Yukon—Crowd of spectators mills at the checkpoint by Joe Runyan “Four miles out,” resounds through the log cabin community hall in Ruby. All know that Mitch Seavey, the 1x champ leads the race. His son follows a half hour or so behind and the fans all have that instinctive feeling he and …
7pm Ruby–gateway to the Yukon—waiting for arrival of lead pack—Seavey holds court by Joe Runyan
7PM Ruby—Gateway to the Yukon—Waiting for arrival of lead pack—Seavey Holds Court Our crew has now been shuttled to Ruby, where we wait the arrival of the lead pack. Here’s the challenge. From the air it’s easy to see that the trail departing the very remote checkpoint of Cripple heads more or less north for …
4PM Wed, A trip around the dog yard, Seavey looks back on the Race, Jim Lanier Seizes the moment by Joe Runyan Mitch Seavey’s statement 98 mile run from Takotna to Cripple placed he and team in control of this year’s Iditarod at the critical halfway point. I talked to him in the dog yard …
Jim Lanier challenges the field, First into Cripple, wins the gold by Joe Runyan 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 …
10 am—Camp on Edge, Speculation out of control, more info on trail to Cripple by Joe Runyan Speculation here at Camp Cripple is reaching critical mass as the little green squares (available for users at the Insider) indicate the approaching mushers. At this moment, Jim Lanier, running tenuously to the front, and bound to Cripple …
6AM Thursday CrippleCheckpoint—-top 5 leave Ophir in Knot to Cripple—Lanier and Herbst battle for the gold prize—by Joe Runyan Mitch Seavey, Zirkle, Dallas Seavey, King, and John Baker leave Ophir in a one hour time knot around 4AM bound for Cripple. Trail breakers I talked with here in Cripple tell me the mileage is a …
5PM Cripple checkpoint—We land in a pillow of new snow, wait for the Pack Part of the Insider Crew departs for Cripple, the very remote checkpoint which communicates Ophir with the village of Ruby on the Yukon. First, a description of the now more rested front runners we left in Takotna. Just before departure, Andy …
10 am wednesday TAKOTNA —Mushers retire for a respite from the rigors of the trail by Joe Runyan
10 AM in Takotna checkpoint—-The mushers retire for a respite from the rigors of the trail At 7am and with the suffused light of day, I attempt to survey the resting dog yard, now populated with teams parked in the designated “24 hour mandatory” section. A group of Norwegian students, as part …
1am Wednesday in Takotna—Pack settles for 24 hour Mandatory break Aliy Zirkle continues to maintain steady pace into Takotna, followed by a determined (dogged) group of front runners. The scene in Takotna Since we have internet in Takotna, we are able watch the little green dots approach our vantage, noting Zirkle in the lead. This …
8PM—Tuesday—-Zirkle in front of pack enroute to McGrath Aliy Zirkle continues to hold on to her lead position as she and the pack approach McGrath. Baker, King, Mitch Seavey, his son Dallas Seavey, Hugh Neff, Paul Gebhardt, Ray Redington, and Lance Mackey remain in the following pack. I cant bore you with place and travel …
