Dear Friends,

Last night, Anna Berington’s sled runner broke!  This was going to be a huge problem while going up into the Alaska Range and down the steep Dalzell Gorge!  Anna and her twin sister, Kristy, are twins who are skilled in carpentry.  They lashed together the runner with what looks like a bungee cord.  Later, some of the people in the community let them use a drill to add plates that would support the runner, like a splint on a broken bone.  Anna said, “It was good they had a drill.  I don’t carry something like that.”  Mushers never know what they are going to need along the trail; they try to carry some items to repair their sleds when something breaks.

Speaking of sleds, Joar Ulsom has a fancy one!  His handlebars look like sports glasses that easily bend sideways so they don’t break.  One side of his sled bag also folds out into a pop-up tent!  He said he took a little nap in it along the trail.

Many mushers have extra sleds flown ahead to a checkpoint like Unalakleet.  If their first sled is broken at all, they can exchange it.

Extra sleds awaiting the mushers in Unalakleet

Enjoy all the excitement of the race, friends!  Look for the different designs of sleds as you see photos and videos today.

Until next time,

Gypsy