lft to rt, Joyce Cordella,Oline Ticknor, and Shelmarie Nikoai organize kitchen for musher breakfast

Nikolai—warm at 20F (that’s plus)—-wakes up to greet Mushers

Village volunteers Joyce Cordella , Oline Ticknor, and Shelmarie Nikolai (the same as the town) start mixing for pancakes and prepare for incoming mushers.   The village of Nikolai traces its name and heritage to early Russian fur traders who established a post here.  Names (like Nikolai and Petruska) are common here, and the Russian Orthodox church is still active.  Nikolai is isolated and remote and can only be reached by aircraft landing at an improved Alaska state runway.  McGrath, the nearest village of any size, can be reached by dog team—or snow machine.  Note the next checkpoint for Iditarod mushers is McGrath.

 The access to vast areas of wilderness in every direction make Nikolai an ideal location for a subsistence way of life.  Yet, the school is provided with internet connectivity making the residents truly world citizens.   Kids helping in the kitchen were also checking the internet for news and music.

Aaron Burmeister , Lance in his tracks, seizes control of race

The wonderful Tracker tool at the insider gives us  an update at 7 30AM noting Aaron Burmeister just ten miles or so from the Nikolai checkpoint.  Lance is in his tracks and holding down second place, a statement  to the champ’s durability.

A film guy with a crew following lance Mackey, but now in Rohn, tells us that Lance took a dump in the Dalzell and came into Rohn soaked to the bone.  His brother Jason gave him a dry pair of socks and he was good to go again.

Nikolai prepares

Race officials are finally inspecting the dog yard set up for incoming mushers.