Iditarod 2010 coming to a close; still too warm here

Aliy Zirkle and her great dogs finished in 16th place with her fastest time ever.
Allen Moore is taking his mandatory rest in White Mountain and will be out soon
to run to the finish in Nome. We've really enjoyed their video coverage this year and if you haven't watched it be sure to check out their blog (top of page here).
Congratulations to both teams from SP Kennel, Two Rivers, AK.

We had another great run with the quad and Skinny, Eos, Sierra and Buddy.
It was just too nice to work all day and we went to the park with Josefina, almost three.

Morning Sled: Hot Sun : Afternoon Quad

Yesterday morning we took a run with Skinny on the sled, ice, mud, more ice, hard to control. In the 61 degree blatant sun, by afternoon, those same trails were mud, period. So, we initiated the ATV and we took a run through the mud with the ATV and Skinny, Sierra and Buddy. We had to voice our way around the usual trails that had some isolated deep snow pockets and the dogs loved the change. Cold temps should return this weekend so the mud trails will harden up, hopefully. The pens have drained very well, whew, fast Spring. This can't be it, we'll see more snow?

And, again, another 60 degree day. Eos and Skinny ran together and they are a funny pair... both are serious leaders, but maybe not together.

Iditarod Winner will be Today

Lance Mackey is resting his 8 hour mandatory in White Mtn, two hours ahead of faster
Hans Gatt. King is three hours behind Mackey. The winner should charge in about midday today. Father and son Seaveys are running together now. Aliy is running
11th and looking really good. Rests are critical here, timing, need of dogs.
GREAT videos on Aliy's blog, taken from her sled. ADN calls her "a model of consistency" complimenting her race and seeing her as a 'surger'. Allen is doing great with the younger dogs, moving right along. This has been a great race to watch with SPKennel Blog, fantastic Macgellan!!!

Iditarod: Day 9 (Unalakleet): Iditarod photos and interactives | adn.com

Iditarod: Day 9 (Unalakleet): Iditarod photos and interactives | adn.com

Great photos of Aliy into Unalakleet... in 9th position right now both on standings AND on
GPS... go Aliy!

Honoring Retired Racers

At this time of the year, with dog racing at its peak, we like to honor our
kennel dogs who have raced and those who have stellar racing blood lines (all of the dogs here.)

The dogs who are still with us who have raced Iditarod and/or the Yukon Quest are: Zeus, Eos, Copper, Lillen, Skinny and Martin. Each of these dogs is still active every day, either with sleds or running free.

Past kennel family members who ran Iditarod or raced other sled dog races are, in memoriam, Scuba, Liller and Sulatna.

Buddy is with us and he raced the UP200. Jackpine 30 and other sprint race dogs are:
Frita,Buffy, Herman, Medio, Ruthie, Kiddo, Quattro, King, Glory and Balto.

PHOTO: Ten dog, 28 mile run to the river with many of the above mentioned dogs,
Skinny and Liller leading.

Aliy out of Kaltag

Current standings via GPS and official Iditarod show Aliy in 9th or 10th out of Kaltag with 12 dogs. Temps still range in minus twenties, although one GPS posting
says it is minus 57.... I think it's an error as the surrounding mushers are in the minus twenties. Mackey jumped out in front of King and now Gatt is placed between the two in three running ahead. Aliy is steady, steady, moving forward. Continuing ahead is a dense top twenty of contenders.

Meanwhile our dogs at home are still biding their time in the major meltdown.

Photo is Copper (Iditarod 06).

Iditarod Cold

Galena is currently minus 31 and the next few checkpoints are experiencing the same low temps, wind at 5MPH, current. For mushers and dogs, it is a challenge as they travel in wide open country. Aliy reported minus 50 along the run . She does camp out for between checkpoint rests and takes a warm dog in her sleeping bag with her.
Race is going well and fast.