When the drop bags were sorted out and alphabetized at the checkpoint, one of Lachlan Clark’s bags was missing. Seems that this would be troublesome not having all the gear or food at a checkpoint point that one planned on. Word was sent out to the other checkpoints in an effort to locate the bag but nothing came of the inquiry. Ed Stielstra was parked on the other side of the berm from Clark. Knowing Lachlan’s dilemma, Ed offered him a bag of booties. These mushers are competing in the truest sense of the word but they are also concerned for each other and their dogs. They will help anytime help is needed. They know that sooner or later the favor will be returned. This is only one example of trail sportsmanship that happens all the way up and down the trail.

Both Stielstra and Clark were happy about the weather and the trail. Compared to their previous Iditarod runs, they’re churning out the miles faster than ever this year. They’re amazed at rolling along so fast while finding themselves in the last half of the field. If they’d been running this fast in previous races, they’d have been high up in the ranks of the finishers. Time and conditions are all important. Mostly it’s the lack of precipitation that’s kept the trail speedy. Either rain or snow would have slowed things down.

While Ed and Lachlan were tending to their dogs on one side of the slough, village children were participating in an age group ski race on the other side of the frozen backwater. The ski team coach offers ski school to anyone in first grade or above on Saturday mornings. The children learn skiing through a variety of fun activities with lots of encouragement from their coach and other adults. Middle and high schoolers participate in skiing as well as biathlon competition against other village teams. Alaska is one of the few if not the only state that sanctions the combined sport of marksmanship and skiing known as biathlon.

Born to Run,
Sanka