On the Road To Nome!

Dallas Seavey pulled into the White Mountain checkpoint last night just after midnight Alaska time (or more properly Iditarod Race Time since the race seems not to have recognized the switch to daylight savings time). He had a seemingly comfortable lead over Aliy Zirkle who arrived an hour and 11 minutes later. Not far behind, however, was Ramey Smyth who showed up 52 minutes after Zirkle. All three must remain in White Mountain for a mandatory 8 hour rest before they can depart for Safety about 50 miles away and eventually the burled gateway that marks the finish line in Nome another 20 miles further on.
Aliy lost some time to Seavey on the last couple of legs coming into White Mountain and Smyth has been steadily gaining on both of the leaders so this could get real interesting later today.

Further back the winds kicked up across the ice out of Shaktoolik where a couple dozen mushers and their teams have been stuck. With temperatures near minus 10 degrees and sustained winds out of the north at around 30 miles per hour, no one is venturing forth onto the ice of Norton Sound to head into the wind and advance to Koyuk.

Currently there are two mushers running more or less together at the tail of the race (the Red Lantern position). Bob Chlupach and rookie Jan Steves are in Galena on the Yukon River and nearly 400 miles from Nome. The weather is a bit nicer there (only 2 below and 9 mph winds with a light snow falling) but they haven’t moved for quite a while. They had better shake a leg or they will be faced with a decision to be made or made for them.

Ahead of the two at the next checkpoint (Nulato) is Dallas’ Grandfather, 74 year old Dan Seavey. It would be somewhat historical if Chlupach and Steves drop out, Dallas wins and Dan gets to blow out the Red Lantern.

Following the race and chatting with other enthusiasts online in the forums sure beats following the news.