3 a.m. Koyuk—-Unusually calm, lights on the ice, Seavey the Younger approaches Koyuk by Joe Runyan

Flash,   Dallas into Koyuk , check out the photos , and a few observations.

Dallas into Koyuk at 3:17 a.m. with smooth moving team, big crowd applause, Dallas immediately transforms into checkpoint robot

At the checkpoint, first hand reports from local teenagers give a graphic snapshot of the storm that hit Norton Sound this winter (remember the news of the icebreaker leading a fuel cargo ship to Nome?) as “Like a tsunami.” “Won’t see it again for another 50 years.”  “Pushed ice just below the store, but another storm in my childhood pushed ice above our house.” And so on.

Once again, I rely on Kim and her associate at the COMMS desk to provide the human software to interpret the GPS data.  Without reason, it appeared that Aliy was gaining dramatically on Dallas thru the night, but all resolved when I said we flew over a huge dog leg in the otherwise straight trail across the ice, which skirted an area the size of Manhattan congested with pressure ridges and slabs of ice even obvious from the airplane.

In the checkpoint, a group of young kids keep us informed on local conditions.  But I did talk to a woman who was checking for information at 2 a.m..  “I’d stay but I have to go check on my twins,” she told me.  When I asked her about the lights on the ice that can be seen for twenty miles, she told me, “We get used to waiting.   After a while we know exactly when we can see the lights and know how long we have to wait for the mushers.”  The lights of snowmachiner and dog teams advancing to Koyuk can dance on the ice for a couple of hours.

Round up of what we know thru the night

In an obvious strategic move, Dallas checked quickly out of Shaktoolik yesterday evening.  I was there to see him efficiently grab bags of dog food, line the team up on the slip off the spit to the wetlands, and literally lope slowly towards Koyuk.  

Later, I kept thinking that Dallas might have moved 15 miles on the wetland to the barely discernible transition from beach to sea ice thinking he could stay at a shelter cabin at Lonely rock.  But, I was told that mushers were emphatically informed at the musher meeting that the trail “missed the shelter cabin this year.”

At any rate, Dallas camped here, according to my human computers, for several hours and then continued direction Koyuk. 

The trip across the ice to Koyuk requires a certain confidence for a musher because the distance is interminable, the limitless ice and the feeling of isolation pressing.  I can imagine Dallas on the ice, alone with his team, assuring his dogs, while he fed and rested them for two hours.  He in his own way, comforting them and gave them confidence that they were going to pass through this gate, like knights on a quest.   In terms of human experience, a trip across the ice with your team of sled dogs—at night, in complete and encompassing silence,  exhausted, but completely consumed with the adventure—is transformational.  

Note:  I asked Dallas about this and he responded, “I don’t think they were ever apprehensive.  When we stopped on the ice, the dogs were saying,  “really, you’re kidding, we are gonna take a break?  This is great.”

The checkpoint waiting for Dallas at 3 a.m.

The entire checkpoint of veterinarians, volunteers, out of towners from Dallas, Texas,  Denver, etc. etc. vacate the checkpoint when the COMMS GPS watchers alert the group.  All the kids stay seated and continue to talk about topics in People Magazine,  “Beyonce had a baby,” and discuss a few movies.  “I’m going with you guys, where is he?”  They already know from a couple of snowmachiner friends that he just crossed the river on the trail to town.   “Oh, yeah, just take it easy.  He’s at least another 20 minutes” a bright eyed teenager tells me.   Another five minutes passes, and the entire checkpoint comes back in with their cameras.  We all still wait for Dallas and the teenagers are still in the same seat.  They are utilizing local knowledge, and just laugh when I tell them, “I’m sticking with you guys.”

best informants in Koyuk, local teenagers tapped into reliable knowledge base

Strategy

Baker and Aliy basically matched Dallas’ two hour rest on the beach (15 miles out of Shak) with a two hour rest in Shaq checkpoint.   Burmeister , in what may be a wise contrary move, rested 4 hours to get some rest in the tank and possible gain speed.

Dallas arrives at about 3:20 (don’t trust me, check the official) with a big crowd of locals suddenly appearing at the dog yard.  The local knowledge base was more attuned than our traveling crew of volunteers.

Here’s what I just saw.   I took a photo of Dallas in marginal clothes to prove that he considered the race an “athletic” event, not a game.  He was working all the way, confirmed by our film crew on snowmachine.   Our crew, Robert and Sasha, are professional climbers and elite athletes and reported that Dallas was off the runners jogging every time they saw him on the transverse of the ice.

dallas in work out gear. he told me he got cold on last twenty miles, even while working. He said he was tired and sweating, which worked against him. in checkpoint, he was hustling.

Additionally, I saw Dallas as he arrived in the checkpoint.   Immediately he launched into a quick moving orchestration of checkpoint efficiency (reminds me of Lance Mackey when he was winning.)  This undoubtedly gives the dogs comfort after a trip in a new and novel setting.

A volunteer toted a five gallon bucket of water,  “Please set it by the sled,” Dallas directed, while he offered frozen slabs of sheefish to his team.  Another minute later, the dogs were on straw , the cooker was ignited into an alcohol blaze, and Dallas continued to remove booties.

Briefly, we learned that the rest on the ice was actually successful. “I didn’t have straw but the dogs rested well for two hours because it was absolutely quiet.” Dallas asked, “How far is Aily behind?”  We asked in return, “How did you know it was Aliy chasing?”   We should not have been surprised when he replied, “Her name was next on the sign in board.”

Ah, a little logic based on observation!

Final Thoughts

Check out a few photos, I’m back to the dog yard to talk to Dallas.   Anyone with a GPS account can see that Aliy follows behind.  Dallas acknowledges that she may have gained some speed because she rested longer in Unalakleet.

Dallas in checkpoint, after consuming pizza, and now going to sleep area until 6am wake up call.

Note : I took a photo of Dallas in the checkpoint at 4:15 as he ate pizza and contemplated the “gap” between he and followers. “Any time I get after 4:17 is minutes to my clock.” Also, you can see Dallas is a compact built man.  He then asked COMMS KIM to wake him at 6 a.m.  He went to sleep directly in front of the checkpoint heater, his clothes draped on a chair guarding his bed.