Hi Boys and Girls

The teams are finishing up their 24 hours rests.  If I calculated correctly, all or almost all the teams should have that completed it by tomorrow morning.  It appears most of the teams are done and are back on the move.  Look at the number of teams traveling between Ophir and Iditarod! 

Todays picture from Jeff Schultz is of a volunteer keeping the fire going on the water pot.

Now for today’s update:

DATE:   March 7, 2013  PM Edition

TIME:   12:44 Alaska Time   

LEADERS: 1. Lance Mackey 2. Sonny Lindner  3. Jeff King 4. Martin Buser 5. Jason Mackey.

WHERE ARE THE MUSHERS: Lance, Sonny and Jeff are in Iditarod. It looks like they are taking their 24 hour.  Martin is in Iditarod and has completed his 24 hour, Jason and the next 30 teams are between Ophir and Iditarod, I team is in Ophir, 8 teams have left Takotna, 5 teams are resting in Takotna, 4 teams have left McGrath, 9 teams are resting in McGrath, and 1 team is in Nikolai.

RED LANTERN POSITION: Newton Marshall who is in Nikolai

WEATHER:   Weather today along the trail is in the lower 30’s and it’s been cloudy. There is still a high wind warning for the area.

SCRATCHED: David Sawatzky scratched in McGrath over concern for his dogs.

AWARDS:

Answer to this mornings Question: Until the teams take their 24 hour rest, we really don’t know the correct position of the teams.  The first team leaves the start line at least 2 hours before the last team.  That first musher has a time advantage over all the other mushers.  So to even it out, at the 24 hour, that differential is made up.  Once everyone has completed the rest, we are able to see what position a team is really in. 

QUESTION OF THE DAY check back in the morning.

Hope you are enjoying the race and following your musher.

Until tomorrow,

Gypsy