We are treated to a beautiful sunset here in Koyuk. Joar Leifseth Ulsom has just arrived. He is now the leading Norwegian musher having passed Robert Sorlie while he rested in Shaktoolik. From talking to Robert’s snowmachine friends, a female in heat is still causing issues in the team. Joar is another musher, who has, like Dallas Seavey, done a very strong surge up the Coast. Where Dallas was in 13th place in Kaltag, Joar was even one place behind him in 14th. Yet he methodically pushed his way into the front. He might even catch a few more teams.
For the teams resting here, feeding their dogs and changing running plastic is on their mind. Aaron let his team rest for about 2hrs first before he fed them. After a long tough run over he plans to give the team a good solid 6 hour break. Leaving 4 hrs after feeding is kind of a ” magic number ” That is the time when the dogs have to get up and pee and roust around, so once they are up anyhow it’s best to leave. If they settle back down, let’s say after an 8hr rest, they are sometimes more sluggish to leave.
I talked a bit with Dallas Seavey about the fact that he does not race much pre-Iditarod and his reasoning behind it. I personally think that best training for racing is racing, but then Dallas has plenty experience. He believe that he an better train on his own schedule without being bound to a race dictating him 8 hrs rests and certain run schedules. Dallas also thinks that in racing, sometimes he would continue in conditions which are not beneficial for the dogs, like 40 below, because he would be too proud to scratch and thus ultimately do damage to his team. Dallas prefers to train the way he sees it best suited for his dogs. It sure seems to work for him.
Here are a few pictures of tonight and Joar Leifseth Ulsom coming into the checkpoint.
Dallas Seavey changing runner plastic
Aaron Burmeister changing runner plastic
Checkpoint
Putting the pin back in which holds the plastic in place
Iron dog… and checkpoint
Aaron’s dog eating
Joar Leifseth Ulsom
Joar Leifseth Ulsom 
Joar Leifseth Ulsom 
Joar Leifseth Ulsom
