ID: It's Saturday Night, It Must Be Koyukuk

It's 11.30pm Saturday night.

RED TEAM UPDATE

Aliy and the Red Team are currently resting in Koyukuk. They arrived just after 8pm and we expect 4-6 hours rest here.

She pulled into the checkpoint with Mismo and Junior in lead, Spark and Dutch in swing, Commando and Iron, Izzy and Driver, Amber, Schmoe and Rodney, Champ and Felix. We have concluded that it was Kodiak that she left in Huslia but we don't know why at this point.


Mismo and Junior lead the team into Koyukuk

You can see just how warm it is in the video with several of the dogs running without their jackets and Aliy with only her red beanie and one neck gator.




Formally signing into Koyukuk

We also see that Aliy has attached one of the Head-lites glowing collars to her sled. She will be lit up like a Christmas tree tonight.

Remember when I mentioned that at some points through the race we watch inch-by-inch and minute-by-minute of the tracker. The next leg is one of those times. Thanks to everyone that is doing that right alongside us.

BLACK TEAM UPDATE

Allen and 15 team mates left Huslia almost exactly as the Red Team pulled into Koyukuk, after resting nearly seven hours. He has left one team mate behind to be returned to our Anchorage team of Linda and Margie. As you are sick of me saying by now, at this stage we don't know who he has left so will have to wait and see until he or she arrives back to Headquarters. This info can take a few days and there's not much we can do to hurry it along.

They are currently 25 miles outside of Huslia and we expect them to camp along the trail at some point. Allen may break it into half with two 45-odd miles runs like he did the Galena-Huslia stretch or go a little further, blow through Koyukuk and head straight for Nulato. Or he may choose another option - I really don't know.

The stretch they are currently on has been slow for everyone and with the temperatures rising we are presuming the trail is getting soft and slow. Jessie Royer described that part of the trail as having a thin crust on top like an eggshell and once it's broken through it doesn't have much of a base. It's possible it may "set up" overnight in the cooler temperatures and make it easier going.

RETURNED DOG UPDATE

Woody and Violet are now with Margie at her kennel in Knik. It is a beautiful spot there and they get to have their own space. They're doing well - they seem happy and having had a couple days rest their soreness is mostly gone. They ate a nice meal and are settling in for a sleep.


No, Linda, you can't keep her! Walking the neighbourhood


Good boy Woody; with Margie (yes, they are holding hands)

NOTE

Alaska moves into Daylight Savings time tonight so for those of you watching from outside the US and you are wondering why things look about an hour out, that's why.