How good it is to be where the action is! Mitch Seavey and Aaron Burmeister rolled into Unalakleet ahead of the afternoon deluge. Citizens of Unalakleet gathered on the slough in windy but not overly cold weather. They had cameras in hand to snap pictures and while waiting for the next team to arrive they visited with friends, neighbors and relatives. This checkpoint is known for outstanding food. Sourdough pancakes courtesy of Middy Johnson are available anytime of the day or night. A huge kettle of moose soup arrived in time for supper. The leaders are on their way to Shaktoolik with serious contenders close on their tail.

Aliy Zirkle and dogs were just coming off a short nap. Zirkle moved with great efficiency to boot the team and head out into the wind for the 40-mile run to Shaktoolik. Okay, a dog has four feet, two in the front and two in the back. Aliy squeezed a gob of pink foot goop on two fingers and grabbed two booties. One finger’s worth of goop went onto one front foot and the other finger’s worth went onto the other. Then the booties went on. Front is done and the same procedure follow for the two back feet. It didn’t take her long to goop and boot 44 paws. Sitting in the middle of the team was a photographic sort of diva dog named Olivia. Olivia is a champion Yukon Quest dog from Allen Moore’s team. With her blue eyes accented with eye liner, Olivia knows she’s beautiful.

Jeff King pulls out, the checkpoint folks hustle to rake his straw up and Martin Buser’s team gallops in. His dogs were peppy, energetic and ravenous. Martin moved up and down the line with kibble, soup and other snacks. It was a canine feast quickly devoured. If his dogs were a little off at Kaltag, they appeared to be back in Unalakleet.

DeeDee Jonrowe is parked next to one of the man-made berms. She’s changing to a coast sled while the eleven dogs on her team enjoy a nap on straw. A huge shell is printed on Jonrowe’s sled bag signifying Shell Exploaration’s sponsorship. Then I spotted her booties. Hot pink with a shell imprint makes them the most sought after booties on the trail.

Norwegian musher, Joar Leifseth Ulsom, also parked next to a man-made windbreak is replacing his runner plastic. Thanks to the Quick Change Runner system, it’s an easy job. Ulsom is very methodical and particular in repacking his sled and preparing his team for the 40 miles to the spit village of Shaktoolik. He’s crafting an awesome run although he seems to think he should be doing much better. There’s no question in my mind that he’ll finish his rookie run high in the top ten. I have to find out about the little stuffed animal attached to his handlebar.

Earlier in the day it was snowing here as it was when we took off from McGrath. Linda in comms said when she was outside waiting for Mitch Seavey and Aaron Burmeister to arrive the flakes landing on her coat were in the perfect shape of stars. Had it been during nighttime, she could have said the stars were falling. More from UNK in the morning.