Aurora Johnson with a parka made by her mom. coincidentally, she is also the Dental Therapist in Unalakleet who could help with Lance’s broken tooth

With our competitors ten miles out, I take the time to take a few photos around the checkpoint. Although we think of 9AM as top of the morning,it is just making a transition from the gray light of dawn to day.  Wind is blowing at the checkpoint, a preview of the winds stacking up drifts in front of the mushers.  Locals assure me that the drifts are forming behind the leaders, so there is no advantage in “drafting.”

Unalakleet, with its dedication to an educated citizenry, is also known for its artisans.  I see Aurora Johnson in a beautiful parka and ask her for a photo.  She was raised in Kotzebue (north of Nome and north of the Arctic Circle) and married and moved to Unalakleet, a place she loves citing  easy access to the sea and the Unakleet River  .  She is also, coincidentally, the Health Dental Therapist, where she is quite prepared to help Lance with his broken tooth.  She took her husbands and kids to New Zealand where she studied. Education in Unalakleet, she told me, is not something you think about, it is expected in Unalakleet.  Unk is a model of how a community balances traditions and the world as it is.

Her mother originally made this parka 22 years ago as a “packing Parkie” so she could put babies on her back under the parkie.  After her children were born, she had it altered to its present design.  The ruff is elaborately sewn from wolf, wolverine, and beaver.  The cuffs and trim are sea otter and wolverine.  making the parka incredibly warm, her mother used mouton lamb for the body ( commonly done), covered with a cloth cover.  The cover is changed from time to time.   The bottom border is reinforced so the parka can be used for tens of years.

the checkpoint at Unk with musher bags in order

Final thoughts

WE can see on the tracker that Mitch and Aaron are to the front, a little more an hour out from the Bering Sea Coast.  note that King has vaulted to the front, running in 4th place.