Martin Buser arrived in Unalakleet this morning at roughly 1030.  True to his efficient reputation, Martin’s dogs were on straw, fed and resting in less than half an hour.  Martin went up to the checkpoint for a hot meal and some rest.  He knows so many people along the trail, there was undoubtedly some socializing during breakfast.  At this point Martin is within 300 miles of Nome and that much closer to Seattle.  Folks who are following Nikolai’s remarkable progress share good pieces of news with Martin and he’s very grateful to hear of Nikolai’s progress.  Most recently he’s gone from crutches to a cane.  It’s easy to see both the worry and pride in Martin’s eyes when he learns of the progress Nikolai is making in rehab.  

Martin prepares to leave Unalakleet

Currently Martin is running in 42nd place of the 73 mushers still in the race.  Watching him work with his canine athletes is a privilege.  Martin put his heavy coat on then walked up the team hooking tug lines to harnesses.  He joked with each dog, made rhymes with their names, sang to them, whistled little tunes and scratched each of them in its favorite place.  Those dogs were on their feet instantly and ready to run for the master.  They departed for Shaktoolik at 1711.  The run is taking most mushers 5.5 to 6.5 hours.  I’d figure Martin to make the checkpoint on the spit about 2300.  Leaving Unalakleet will be icy until he reaches the Blueberry Hills where he’ll find more snow along the coast into Shaktoolik.  Progressing to the next checkpoint, Koyuk, Martin and the other mushers will find an abundance of snow.

Mike Williams Jr into Unalakleet

Mike Williams, Jr made the run from Kaltag to Unalakleet in 10 hours, 28 minutes.  He parked on the slough, took care of his dogs then went up to the checkpoint for a hot meal, rest and seeing good friends.  Mike is from Akiak, Alaska.  He’s been mushing all his life and has been very involved in training his father’s dog team.  Mike Sr has made many Iditarod runs.  In 2013 the father and son duo were on the trail together. Mike Jr’s Iditarod career began in 2010 with consecutive runs through 2014.  He took 2015 off and is back on the trail for this year for his 6th run to Nome.  Mike completed his rookie run in 26th place with a time of 10 days, 6 hours and 45 minutes.  His best finish was 8th in 2012 with a run time of 9 days, 13 hours and 12 minutes.  His best run time was in 2014 with 9 days, 11 hours and 50 minutes in 11th place.  Coming into Unalakleet mike was wearing a beautiful white parka.  He set it aside before beginning dog chores.  Mike said he was pleased with how his team has been running considering the number of miles he’s been able to run in training.  With three young children at home, Mike says parenting is very important.

Jim Lanier in the Northern Lights 300

I met up with another Iditarod icon this afternoon.  It wasn’t at the checkpoint though it was at the airport with his left arm in a makeshift sling.  Jim Lanier scratched in Kaltag after being injured about 10 miles out of the checkpoint.  His team deviated from the trail and ran into some jumble ice.  Heading back to the trail, his sled tipped and he injured his collarbone.  Jim righted his sled and made his way to the checkpoint using only one arm for steering knowing he’d have to scratch.  Jim’s not the first guy to break a collarbone on the trail.  A few years back in 2011, Rick Swenson crashed coming off the Happy River Steps and suffered a similar fate.  Swenson immobilized his arm and finished in Nome.  Robert Nelson dislocated his shoulder pulling a bag of salmon treats out of his sled bag short of Eagle Island on the southern route.  Nelson finished the run to Eagle Island where Jim Gallea an ER doc was the checker.  Gallea relocated the shoulder and Nelson finished in Nome.    He and Swenson were referred to as the wounded wings in that race.  These mushers are a tough breed.  Lanier normally wears hockey gear and a helmet.  He was wearing the helmet when his sled tipped and wished he hadn’t sent his hockey gear home from McGrath. Lanier said his team was doing well and he figured he’d finish this race in Nome, not Kaltag.  Wishing Jim speedy healing.