The math of the Iditarod once again coalesces into an abstruse blob of dog kibble and chicken fat. Who’s the leader? Buser is in front but pulls up early in Nikolai for his mandatory 24, but Petit and Sonny Lindner (still driving 16 dogs, a comment on his strategy for avoiding disaster down further), to name several, are bound further than local pit stop Takotna. Zirkle, King, and Seavey may be predictably destined for Takotna,checkpoint of homemade pies. All are driving beautiful teams of 15 or 16 dogs.
Sonny Lindner, 64 and a veteran of the trapline in his youth, arrived with sled, dogs, and driver unscathed. “I can stop them for a while. I say whoa and they stop—-maybe not all day—-but I have time to adjust the sled and go again.” He is driving 16 and one of those mushers who embrace the race philosophy of going further into the race for a 24. I am one of those who believe a 24 is more sensible further up the trail, but it is not necessarily a proven bias. Nevertheless, I am happy to hear that Sonny plans to move from Nikolai and past Takotna. At what checkpoint is a propietary/confidential to the Lindner team. He did say one thing for certain. “I am not going back up the trail.”
Sonny said the trail was so confusing on bare ground that even the dogs were at a loss to decipher the pot holes, downed logs, boulders, and brush normally blanketed with a layer of snow. Asked about his favorite leaders, he laughed and said P-Two and Nick were his favorites because they brought him alive to Nikolai.
Asked about his big team, he said that he would reduce the team intentionally later in the race. “While I am fooling with 15 or 16 dogs, I see these guys with 8 dogs leave before I even have the booties on.” Team maintenance on larger teams becomes a time issue later in the race. Some mushers believe going with the ones really on their game is the best approach. More on that in five days.
Aaron Burmeister has unfortunately damaged his knee, probably a ligament. He is familiar with the injury having done exactly the same thing to the other knee as a wrestler in high school. He thinks he can continue with his wonderful team by bracing the knee, but he looks to me to be in considerable pain and not so mobile.
Robert Sorlie survived the trip as did his sled. Incidentally, his sixteen dogs are gorgeous. He allowed them to lope on the river into the checkpoint at Nikolai, as if to advertise to the pack that he was very much in the race. Usually, Robert only allows his dogs to trot. “This team,” he said with a smile, “is very fast and I let them run.” Once again mushers are finding the dogs enjoyed the trip immensely, but gear and humans suffered. Robert searched for the word, then finally said, “You know what I mean—” and said the “word” in Norwegian. I think he meant something like overwhelming fatigue.
He was driving a traditional sled—no trailer sleds—and might be part of his success formula. Still, he admitted he lost the team six times, flipping over in terrifying conditions and bruised but not broken. In 2005, the last time we saw him race, he won his second Iditarod with a phenomenal dog named Tip in the lead.”Do you have a new Tip, Robert?” “Yes, and his name in Fuder” which I am sure is the wrong pronounciation. I had him say it correctly on camera several times (check the Insider) as he petted a coal black dog in the middle of the team. As snow lightly fell in Nikolai, he said, “I really like this dog.”
Jeff King is an enigma. How did he survive this obstacle course so well? He looked perfectly preserved as I talked to him in the school cafeteria. ” Did you effectively use the command “Whoa”! ” “Yes, I used and screamed the word whoa about every twenty seconds. After a while I didn’t train my dogs to whoa, but they learned that the sled was going to hit a rock or a tree in a couple of seconds. ” So yes, Jeff King’s dogs did begin to understand the command whoa meant that Jeff was about to collide with a new inanimate object.
Bailey, male, and Zig, female, controlled leader duties for Jeff on the Rohn to Nikolai traverse. Utilizing his caboose sled for strategic purposes paid off. He transported Zig in the caboose on his run to Rainy. Then, rested, she was able to assume full duties on the run over dangerous territory. Having completed the bad part of the trail to Salmon River (about 22 miles from Nikolai) her put her back in the caboose where she very willingly curled up and rested. He also rotates other dogs, finding that 14 dogs on the towline is more than enough pulling strength.
Aliy Zirkle was wincing as she stretched to put on her insulated pants and then pull on her boots. “Nothing is broken but I really hit my hip.” She was obviously inconvenienced and not too limber. She said that she and 15 dogs made it, but it took a little luck. Her key go-to leader Quito, the quick little female, was her guiding star across the berm. “I didn’t believe the trail could be that bad. When I realized it I sent word to advise Dee Jonrowe to not attempt the run.” Dee, age 60, driving a very powerful team took her advice and decided to run another day. She did not attempt the Dalzell.
A comment about strategy, to be taken not very seriously. I am going to Takotna shortly to watch teams arrive late tonight. Then , I hope to arrive in Cripple because I think main players will be pushing the pack by leapfrogging mushers on a 24 hour. This is all very debatable, but at least we can have the enjoyment as sports fans to watch the strategies unfold.
Buser pulled up short in Nikolai for 24. He has a lead, gained early.
Seavey, Zirkle, King have not made a move. Where will they stop, how will they respond to Buser’s 5 or 6 hours gained? Petit has committed to going deeper into the race with calorie consuming chargers. How far can he go—-Ruby?
