Nearly all the teams are headed to Manley another 90 miles down the route. This is about as long as the longest stretch between checkpoints on the traditional trail, but it isn't the longest stretch between check points for this year....coming up there is a 119 miler from Tanana to Ruby, where this trail will meet the traditional trail. Mushers who run the Yukon Quest will be use to the longer distance between check points. Other Mushers like Jeff King enjoy the creature comforts of a checkpoint to put in his rest. The longer stretches typically require a camping rest somewhere along the trail. Rumor has it Jeff will be using a heated trailer for him to sleep in....but that is just a rumor. He has something up his sleeve but wasn't telling at an interview in Fairbanks. We shall see what Mr. King brings to this race soon enough!
The tracker is looking like this on Tuesday morning in the Adirondacks: Petit doing his typically fast beginning, presently resting at mile 127, King still running at mile 124 after resting some time in Nenana, Ryan Redington moving along at mile 122, also at mile 122, Cody at mile 121 along with Ray Reddinton Jr, Michelle Phlips at mile 119, then Aliy, Diehl, and Vergnaud all at mile 118. Marrs, Buser, Gatt, Royer and Ulsom all all within 4 or 5 miles of them. Its still a tight pack.
Oh, the Seaveys you ask? They appear to be reverting back to a typical Seavey tactic of pulling back the reins some in hopes to have power left in the tank for later....they are both presently at mile 110.
Plenty of racing to be done. It is often the case they really dont start racing until 2/3 of the race is done, and then come on strong at the coast. But as I mentioned earlier, Sorlie grabbed an early lead in 2005 and never gave it up....they let him get too far ahead in the beginning and couldnt catch him.
Now that I have all that written it looks as though some of the front pack may be stopping to rest right were the trail leaves the river to cut off one of its many twists and turns on its way to Manley. In any event, you get the picture....this is just a snapshot in time....if you blink the race order changes in a heart beat!
Off to work now!
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