Race from Anchorage to Nome with the Alaska Public Radio Network
Some cities — like New York, Los Angeles and Chicago — are racing their own version of the Iditarod and putting an urban spin on the traditional sled and dog team setup. They’re doing it in the name of charity… and fun. In Chicago, Ashley Gross brings us this report from the Chiditarod.
This story appears in this week’s edition of AK.
For mushers racing in the real Iditarod, it’s a little more than a fun, pre-spring pick-me-up; it’s a passion, one that takes grueling, hard work. And while many mushers say it can be a selfish pursuit, plenty of them are also racing for a charitable cause - like Bruce Linton, Cindy Gallea, Karen Ramstead and former racer Mike Williams. AK’s Jessica Cochran speaks with Mike Williams.
This story appears in this week’s edition of AK.
Perhaps taking a page from his 2007 Iditarod victory, Lance Mackey has pushed his well seasoned dogsled team to the front of the pack as the lead teams begin to take on the second half of the Iditarod race. With the top 14 teams now leading on the trail having completed their mandatory 24 hour layovers, the status of teams becomes much easier to follow, and Mackey arrived at the Ruby checkpoint first at 7:32 this morning.
Ruby is the first checkpoint on the Yukon River, thus Mackey is the recipient of the “First to the Yukon” award. A gourmet seven course meal cooked on a camp stove and a cache of 3500 crisp $1 bills comprise the award, and Mackey has frequently commented that he has hunger for both.
With temperatures hovering just below freezing, the trail which follows the Yukon river now has set up to be fast, but that could change depending on the heat of the day. Mackey will have plenty of company at the front as his competitors are leery of letting him get out of reach based on his past performance. There have been multiple lead changes over the past 48 hours and there will likely be more as teams are required to take at least one 8 hour layover at one of the checkpoints along the Yukon river. Closely pursuing Mackey are Hans Gatt, 4 time Iditarod winner Jeff King, 5 time Iditarod winner Rick Swenson, and Kjetil Backen.
Warm temperatures slowed the leaders in the Iditarod as they came through Cripple and headed toward the Yukon River and Ruby overnight. Lance Mackey was out first, but without rest, at 9:05 p.m. last night. Then Hans Gatt, a couple of hours later. Jeff King left a half hour after midnight, then Rick Swenson blasted through, taking no rest in Cripple. Kjetil Backen decided to go out right behind him. Aaron Burmeister was out next. Mitch Seavey and Jessie Royer have completed their 24-hour layovers, and soon Paul Gebhart, DeeDee Jonrowe, Zack Steer and Martin Buser will be finished with theirs, and in the chase. Someone will be first into Ruby this morning, and KUAC’s Libby Casey is waiting for them.
Meanwhile, back in McGrath, APRN’s David Shurtleff chats with some of this year’s crop of Iditarod rookies. Over 20% of the mushers in this year’s Iditarod are running the race for the first time and most first-timers find themselves towards the middle of the pack.
Be sure to listen to the attached audio report for all the details.
On the Iditarod trail, DeeDee Jonrowe was the first into the Cripple checkpoint at 6:22 a.m. She was followed in rapid succession by Paul Gebhardt, 6:30 a.m.; Zack Steer, 6:36 a.m.; and Martin Buser, 6:40 a.m. along with Ed Iten at 7:20 a.m. and Ken Anderson at 7:42 a.m. As of late afternoon, the Iditarod report showed 10 mushers in Cripple. All appear to be taking their mandatory 24-hour layovers, perhaps reflecting a difficult trail between Ophir and Cripple.
Len Anderson, KSKA - Anchorage and Libby Casey, KUAC - Cripple
Iditarod trail reporter Libby Casey caught up with several mushers this year that are mushing with purposes bigger than winning, bigger than just competing.
In this interview, Lachlan Clarke discusses his purpose:
Clarke maintains a web site here.
The checkpoint personnel at the remote Cripple checkpoint were expecting Paul Gebhardt, but when they spotted the pink harnesses on the team coming in, they knew it wasn’t him. At 6:22 this morning, DeeDee Jonrowe pulled by the fake palm trees into the makeshift checkpoint to claim the first position in this year’s Iditarod. She was taken aback when she was told she was the first team to check in. “No no. Isn’t Paul here?” she asked. “Your kidding!” she said and she had to grab a seat on her sled to let it sink in. “You better get the pink hats ready” she joked.
Jonrowe has yet to take her mandatory 24 hour layover yet, and she may well do that at Cripple. Within 20 minutes, Paul Gebhardt, Zack Steer, and Martin Buser also arrived at the checkpoint. None of these have taken there 24 hr stop yet either, and some or all of them may choose to do so here.
Gebhardt saw his nearly 6 hour lead over Jonrowe at the Ophir checkpoint disappear in what he has termed as his worst run ever. Shortly after leaving Ophir he was forced to begin packing a 60 pound male dog which slowed his team down, and then he ran into heavy snow, which slowed him even more. He turned around at one point when he thought he had passed the checkpoint, and that is where Jonrowe passed him.
Further back are a pack of fresh teams just coming of their 24 hour layovers and storming down the trail. Leading this charge is Norwegian Kjetil Backen who breezed through the Ophir checkpoint about 12 hours later then Jonrowe passed through there, so if he keeps a similar pace he will pass Jonrowe while she is on the 24 hour break. Within 45 minutes of Backen all with their 24s completed are Lance Mackey, Jeff King, and Hans Gatt. It appears at this juncture that those teams who chose to take their mandatory breaks earlier now have the upper hand.
Iditarod trail reporter Libby Casey caught up with several mushers this year that are mushing with purposes bigger than winning, bigger than just competing.
In this interview, Cindy Gallea (age 56) discusses her purpose:
Iditarod trail reporter Libby Casey caught up with several mushers this year that are mushing with purposes bigger than winning, bigger than just competing.
In this interview, Karen Ramstead discusses her purpose:
Ramstead maintains a web site for her kennels and sled dog racing here.
Iditarod trail reporter Libby Casey caught up with several mushers this year that are mushing with purposes bigger than winning, bigger than just competing.
In this interview, Bruce Linton discusses his purpose:
Linton also wrote an Iditarod 2007 diary at the DSWF site here.