Its the critical phase of the race. If a musher wants to stay within the mix, Koyuk is the place. Even IF Jeff King and MItch Seavey rest a few hours in Elim, which I can not see them do more than a few, the choices of doing moves are getting less. If Jake Berkowitz would have wanted to stay within the hunt, he should have left within 3 hrs of either Mitch or Jeff, than he could have potentially blown through Elim and cut the gap. He chose to stay. That was sure a wise choice dog wise, as they rest perfectly in the warm afternoon sun. But I am relatively certain it took him out of the race for 1st. He is currently getting dressed to head outside.
Jeff Kings move to go 8 miles though, I can only explain with wanting to put a bit of a gap between himself and Mitch. He rested at a strategic spot, where he could see ” down ” on the trail, and watch a team approaching. No long after Mitch appeared on the ice, Jeff packed up and left. He rested exactly 3 hrs according to the tracker. The insider guys went out to visit him, to check out their video. WIth rested 3.38 and thus Jeff put a bit of a distance between the two teams. They are about 4 miles apart now, about the time of the rest stop. The two Champions are currently a bit of in a league of their own. The group of 3 trailing them is quite a bit behind. everybody rested somewhere between 3 and 4 hrs here. It will now come down to pure traveling speed, which Aaron seemed to have lost. Aliy and Ray are moving at over 7 mph.
A huge group of mushers filing the places between 12 and 24 are en route over the sea ice. Its perfect Norton Sound traveling weather. As good as it gets in these neck of the woods. Sitting on the sea ice waiting for Dee Dee earlier, it was as pleasant as I had seen it. Scanning the horizon for a team, I was reminded of how lucky I am to be right here right now and being able to follow the race. I would have not wanted to be any other place. Not only can I see many friends again, its given me some very valuable insights of the dynamics within the race. As a musher, I only saw my own bubble, a little snapshot of the actual happenings. The only bad part is, it´s awakening that itch, the urge to take a dogteam over the trail again, to apply the things learned. So when time passes, I hope I remember all the hard work, determination and sacrifices it takes, to get a dog team to be in the position, these mushers are in.
I am expecting Joar Leifseth Ulsom to leave soon. He got his boot situation figured out and seems a much happier camper. Questioning about a wheel dog I noticed pretty much doing nothing and having her tail up n the air when I saw him on the ice, he noted: ” She is half Greenland dog and always has her tail up in the air “.
Its going to be a tight race to Nome. There is no sure winner, or even favorite yet, as in most other years by this point. Nobody is clearly dominating. This might be a photo finish!
