Final Stretch

  Well, the final stretch to the finish line is on! Hugh Neff and Allen Moore have been neck and neck the entire second half of the race and I'm sure it will be another exciting finish. I really like Hugh, but I'd feel really bad for Allen if he lost by less than a minute again this year! The two mushers are just about to head out of Two Rivers (10:30 pm Sunday) and are expected into Fairbanks in the early in the morning (7 or 8 am?). Hugh's tracker isn't working and so it really will be a mystery until a headlamp is seen coming up the trail into Fairbanks as to who the champion is this year.
  Here is a map of the whole route as well as the elevations the mushers have been racing through. Most of the mushers are headed toward or climbing Eagle Summit which is a dreaded "hill" with unwieldy weather conditions. Any trail the leaders make going up the summit is lost due to the wind and so although it is well marked, dogs have a difficult time finding their way up it. It has also been really warm the last 24 hours (+1 in Whitehorse!) and the sun beaming its warm rays on the dogs has also slowed them down.
 

(This map is backwards :) We started in Whitehorse and will end in Fairbanks this year. Also from Two Rievers to Fairbanks should be 72 miles not 45)
 
  Two other fierce competitors have been Brent Sass and Jake Berkowitz. I've shared a few things about Jake with you already. Earlier today he got stuck on Eagle Summit. His dogs couldn't find the trail and so I think he tried to lead them up the summit by pulling his lead dog forward, but then his sled tipped over and became kind of a yard sale. Brent Sass noticed him having trouble as he passed by up the summit. The rule is that no one can help a musher or the musher will receive a penalty (of time and/or dollars). However, a fellow musher may help and no reprucussions will occur. Brent anchored his own dogs down and then walked back to help lead Jake and his dogs up the rough part of the summit. A trail breaker captured some of the camraderie on film.
 
 
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpw5187hEBA
 
This is the two of them coming into Mile 101 after the big climb and talking about what happened.
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wqmBFZcmpw&feature=youtu.be
 
Brent Sass is a fan favourite. He is just a really nice guy. Easy to talk to and emanating a vivacious energy and zest for life! He is a 32-year old from Eureka, Alaska and he has been running dogs for 10 years. He came in fifth in last year's Yukon Quest and it looks like he will be beating that record this year. His occupation (s) are listed as: Dog musher, landlord, cabin builder, wilderness guide, and gold miner-- so basically an all-out Alaskan. It won't suprise you to know that his kennel is called Wild and Free and he loves going on adventures like this with his best friends (his dogs!).
 
 
 

Brent's arrival into Circle, AK. Photo taken by Alistair Maitland-- sick photo!
 
 I haven't heard from Marcel at all today, but yesterday I heard he was back in a town with a road (Circle, AK) so that made me happy. Then in one of the above videos I found, I saw his black snowsuit and his furry brown hat and so I know that he made it to Mile 101. It must have been a beautiful drive in the sun today. On Friday, Marcel took a little float plane from Dawson City to Eagle, AK. Here are some of his thoughts (from an email) about the town of Eagle (remote fly-in only town):

"We flew in here yesterday in a Cessna 206 (pic). It was quite the flight. Our little plane was blown around by the wind like a balloon. But we landed her safely. First thing we see on the runway in Eagle is a lone outhouse, and a small plane getting groceries unloaded from it. Then we got picked up by the town "mayor" in his classic old-school Chevy pickup (pics). The Alaskan newspaper reporter rode in the back. Lol. A customs officer met us on the runway to check our passports. He also stands at the race checkpoint and asks for passports when they show up. Most of them just chuckle and say nice try.

Eagle has a population of 87 people. The school we sleep in has 18 students. Everyone calls me "Canuck" and they love the Roots patch on my coat sleeve... This trip has been exhausting and thrilling at the same time. Sometimes it's magical, when you see a headlight beam out of the darkness and it looks like a dog team coming out of some sort of smoke (actually dogs breath) into a checkpoint. Most of the top mushers know us now, since we interview them at every checkpoint."  

  He landed in Circle yesterday and I can only imagine that he is headed towards Fairbanks to meet the leading mushers tomorrow morning. It is strange not to have had a newspaper update from him yesterday or today... I'll be eager to pick up tomorrow's news :)

A frost-bitten toe for Dawson's famous Sour Toe Cocktail. It is a shot that you need to drink down with the toe in it. You don't drink the toe, but in order for you to receive a prized certificate it must touch your lips! I'm not sure if Marcel took up the challenge, but he took this photo of it! Eww!

View of Dawson City from the sky.

Marcel's sweet ride. All the media and even some dropped dogs needed to be transported this way!

View of the Yukon River.

Airport Shuttle service via the Mayor of Eagle

The Eagle Library was closed for a couple of days and made into the YQ Media Headquarters. Yes, it is heated by woodstove!

Keep the peace in Eagle and don't speed!