ID: Thursday Evening - Galena

Both teams are currently in Galena! It will be nice for Aliy and Allen to see each other, even if it's only briefly.

The Red Team has been resting in Galena since 5.54am so it is pretty safe to assume Aliy has declared her mandatory 24 hour stop there. We won't know for sure until they pull out of the checkpoint and she gets an official green tick next to her name on the standings list but it has been over 16 hours already, so I'd probably put money on it.

During the 24 hour layover the routine will include at least three or maybe four meals for the dogs supplemented with meat and fat. Aliy will give each dog thorough body, leg and foot massages with Algyval and apply "pink ointment" foot salve on all 64 feet. Aliy will also walk each dog after their first long sleep to loosen them up, as keeping them immobile for the whole time will only serve to stiffen them up a bit just like it would with us. Of course, sleep is also a priority for the dogs and musher.

When we packed the drop bags for the checkpoints where a 24 hour stop was a possibility (we packed several to give both of them options), we put in all sorts of goodies for the humans also. Allen was on the Quest at the time we finished off his bags so he will have some surprises when he opens them up. We packed bags of his favorite popcorn, some breakfast burritos and special home-made meals frozen in seam-sealed packages, along with all the stuff he planned and is expecting. Aliy put in packets of dried plantains and some different snack mixes to give her a change from her regular trail food - freeze dried meals and nuts.

Inside all the drop bags along the trail are pounds and pounds of home made oatmeal/peanut butter bars.

They don't freeze solid, even at -40F and both Aliy and Allen are so fond of them that they often steal them out of the freezer at home before we get a chance to put them in the drop bags.

They blame Bullet (one of the retired house dogs) but I know it's not her - she doesn't have opposable thumbs so would find using a knife difficult. She does have a long nose though so I could totally see her opening the freezer door! Oh poor Bullet, I'm just kidding.

The Black Team pulled in to Galena at 9.45pm after running the 55 miles from Ruby in 6 hours, 55 mins. They are moving at a good pace on the river - the tracker reports they have a moving average speed of 9.1 mph! He still has 15 team mates with him. We're unsure whether he will 24 there, we will just have to wait and see.

Drop Dog Update


Today we took Olivia into Fairbanks to our vet T Rose Veterinary Service for some laser therapy.

Don't ask my how it works, it's like magic, but it has reportedly excellent results on her type of pectoral muscle issue as well as wounds and other soft tissue injuries.

Olivia enjoyed the ride and curled up and slept in the back seat of the car as we stopped for some groceries and ran some other errands.

She will have another session of laser treatment later in the week then she is on strict rest for a while as we assess how she's healing.

Thanks T Rose!