Peace on Earth (and Wind)
The trail is getting even more interesting for athletes as they experience disagreeable weather and grumpy, overtaxed bodies start to break down. Leaders have now passed through Unalakleet, home of much-beloved Peace on Earth Pizza; more on that later.
At the front of the pack yesterday, bike leaders Casey Fagerquist, Joshua Brown, and Peter Delamere stayed quite a long time in Shaktoolik and, in the early afternoon, took a brief foray north towards Norton Bay before turning around and heading back to Shaktoolik. They reported crazy snow drifts, strong winds, and no marked trail, all of which would make crossing the sea ice exceedingly difficult. They waited it out in Shaktoolik where we imagine there must have been quite a party in the school where athletes sleep, with bikers Perry Jewett, Roberto Gazzoli, Willy and Tiziano Mulonia, and Mike Beiergrohslein trickling in later.
The weather may have shifted overnight and now six of these bikers are well on their way to Koyuk. Over the next few days, athletes will continue to face the challenging sea ice crossing. During this section of the route, athletes are likely to encounter numerous snow drifts and an incessant wind and could face the disorientation of being unable to see the shoreline. Flat light conditions may lead to further disorientation. Currently, it appears they are facing north/northeast winds of perhaps 20mph, although we realize it may be worse over the Norton Sound.
Mike Beiergrohslein and Perry Jewitt left Shaktoolik later, and while Mike is on his way north, Perry is back in Shaktoolik. Team Tanaka (bikers Janice Tower and Matt Tanaka) completed a big push yesterday riding from Kaltag to Unalakleet in one long day. They’ve both been sharing humorous stories on Facebook, and despite the challenges, they appear to be getting their share of laughs. They departed Unalakleet this afternoon and headed towards Shaktoolik.
As the first women arrive in Unalakleet, let us share the tradition at Peace on Earth Pizza. Unalakleet’s small pizza joint is a family operation that was opened in 1996 by Bret and Davida Hanson. Family and friends call in orders for their racers (Iditarod Sled Dog Race, ITI, and likely others), often leaving them a message to go with their pizza. If you’d like to buy a racer a pizza, call (907) 624-3373 to place an order!
In the case of the ITI, racers sleep under tables and have been known to score a shower from the owner's own bathroom. Julie Garcia, Ryan Wanless, and Karl Booth broke up the trip from Kaltag, staying last night at Old Woman cabin, and they should be arriving in Unalakleet soon.
Currently, there are just three racers on the Yukon River, foot athletes Gavan Hennigan and Jon Richner, and skier Erick Basset. Gavin is, unfortunately, dealing with some of the less pleasant impacts of more than two weeks on the trail; he’s holed up in Galena with a skin infection on his lower legs called cellulitis. Luckily, he was able to visit the local clinic and get antibiotics, and hopefully, he and his toenails will be back on the trail in time to meet the 30-day race cutoff. Bodily rebellion becomes more and more prevalent as the miles rack up; imagine run-down immune systems and tired feet fighting off colds and viruses, blisters, stomach issues, infections, and numerous other potential ailments.
Climbing the final - and enormous - hill into Ruby around 4:00 am today, we’re so proud of our very own Kari Gibbons, who has finally arrived on the Yukon River. Kari pushed through from the Sulatna River crossing for 24 hours with no extended breaks; she certainly deserves a good long sleep and plenty of food in Ruby after her long march. Skier Erick Basset left Ruby this afternoon just as walker Petr Inman entered this small village.
Foot athlete Magdalena Paschke is now just ahead of French foot athlete Daniel Heon, and both are on the final approach to Ruby. Magdalena has about 6 miles to go for her well-deserved reward of hot food, a shower, and the company of Petr and Kari. Magdalena and Daniel swapped the red lantern slot, a place that can be a bit disconcerting because there won’t be anybody behind you in case something goes wrong.
Mild temperatures are predicted to continue in this area for another couple of days, with highs in twenties and lows above zero. East winds blowing down the Yukon are typical in this area, and athletes should have a pleasant tailwind as they continue their journey.
By Amber Crawford