Iditarod And Snowhook (More)
“Day one is in the books,” Spence says. “And here’s what Rebecca – “
“Of Snowhook,” Admin says, “our team.”
” – has to say. And hat tip to Melanie for the screen shot above showing AJ and the wonderful team hitting the trail.”
When AJ said he wanted to run dogs, I made him this promise that I would do everything in my power to get him to the starting line, he just has to get the team to the finish line. Seeing the team leave the starting line brings mixed emotions—pride, joy, the tightness of separation from one another that I can’t shrug from my shoulders among them. The departure means I’ve done my part of the job—hopefully well. I still have other logistical tasks, but no longer work against what sometimes seems an impossible deadline. AJ’s part alters, moving from training to racing.
On a day of mixed emotions, we were fortunate enough to be surrounded by good friends and the family we have chosen. Before stepping on the runners, AJ passed out hugs and handshakes of gratitude. Rose and the Professor became insta-handlers as we harnessed the dogs, hooked up the team, and prepared to leave our dog truck and move toward the starting line. Rose and Professor also served as a much needed distraction and offered humor for me once the team took their leave of home and headed for Nome.
It was wonderful to share the starting line with part of the Plunderers. They will be missed. However, Rose has talked of making a career change to handler.
At the time of this post, AJ and the team have left the second of two checkpoints and are currently listed in 22nd place. There is no need to get too excited about ranking right now—a lot can happen in thousand miles. You won’t win the race in the first 300 miles, but you can lose the race in the first 300 miles.
“And this from Rose:”
Layers….the secret to warmth!
Tags: Iditarod, Justin Savidis, Rebecca, Rose, Snowhook
This entry was posted on Monday, March 4th, 2013 at 7:43 am and is filed under Chet The Dog. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
8:02 am on March 4th, 2013
Melanie’s right. We must remember to breathe. HOH does good, but mom gets forgetful, then screams and cries, we doon”t know why but she says it is exciting. Our thoughts are with Snowhook.
8:10 am on March 4th, 2013
Snowhook is looking good. But what is Buser doing?
8:23 am on March 4th, 2013
Rose is gathering memories that will last a lifetime. How wonderful for her and The Prof. to be involved.
315 posts yesterday. I know that has to be a new record!
8:40 am on March 4th, 2013
We also wanted to say a special thanks to Amalia for mentioning Barb and her recovery in last night’s prayer.
Barb is starting the last phase today – outpatient p.t. Good thing it is MWF this week, because tonight we are supposed to get another big storm. Roads will be bad tomorrow.
8:59 am on March 4th, 2013
Another great report and pictures. Thank you Spence (and Melanie, Rebecca and Rose).
Good morning all.
9:34 am on March 4th, 2013
Woo Hoo! Justin is headed to our Checkpoint!!!
And then On To Siber-H!
What the heck is Martin B. doing? He’s rested his dogs for minutes only each time.
He must have some plan, but I’m stumped.
Maybe he just wants to get so far ahead that the extra time he has to wait at his 24 hour layover won’t count?
9:39 am on March 4th, 2013
Melanie, Did you get enough sleep? You were posting really late last night! Thanks for the great pictures.
9:48 am on March 4th, 2013
Mommy says that now it’s time for me to calm down. Hopefully there will be no excitement until the finish. We don’t need the lost on the ice stuff like we had last year.
10:08 am on March 4th, 2013
Snowhook dogs are moving out! Woo Hoo!
10:16 am on March 4th, 2013
Posting? Late? Moi? I believe you are talking about Patsy.
By the way, if AJ saw a large black dog running with the team yesterday, it was Patsy. She ran in her sleep quite a bit.
10:18 am on March 4th, 2013
A quick Good morning!
I’ll be back after the GPS is checked!
10:20 am on March 4th, 2013
Fingers!…Our Giant and the A-Team (go Junior!) are on Finger Lake it looks like – almost to the Checkpoint…wheeze!…The team are really making great time!
10:23 am on March 4th, 2013
Looks like he’s there. The GPS has him going 0 miles per hour!
10:25 am on March 4th, 2013
Whew, when I wrote that all of the Newf Pack went blurring off in a gust of wind that rattled all the windows.
Looks like they’ve gone to their Checkpoint to give some headbumps and licks to the Snowhook Pack.
Except for Mattie, has anyone seen the Macy and the Small Dog Iditarod team?
10:29 am on March 4th, 2013
We are at Melanie and Zoe and The Pack’s checkpoint!!!!!
Rio, just for you: Here is a picture of Rio getting/giving loving that friend of Snowhook Phillip posted on facebookie.
10:30 am on March 4th, 2013
Gasp!…My tracker shows him above the checkpoint – he didn’t miss it, did he?…wheeze!
10:32 am on March 4th, 2013
Melanie: Didn’t someone invite me to be a honorary member of the Small Dog Team?
B: It’s National Grammar Day!
10:40 am on March 4th, 2013
Rio Jr. looks like he really needs that hug. Melanie, I was reading Sebastian Schnuelle’s blog and he also is wondering what Martin Buser is doing.
Now I am going to read Joe Runyon’s blog to see what he says.
Snowhook is looking good. Hope Rebecca can get some rest. I wonder if she needs some more cheesecake money since the other went to the dog truck?
10:46 am on March 4th, 2013
Why does Brent Sass look like he is in the lake?
10:49 am on March 4th, 2013
Brent might be camping on the frozen lake. The dogs want to be cold.
I read the Joe Runyon blog about Martin Buser. Funny. No one can figure out his race strategy.
Check it out. It is the one called “Finger 1:33 a.m. arrival of Martin Buser.
10:51 am on March 4th, 2013
On second thought. Since Brent is moving, not stopped, he might be taking a short cut. I noticed a lot of that in the Yukon Quest.
10:51 am on March 4th, 2013
What a Beautiful Day for a Race!
10:53 am on March 4th, 2013
Will be Back after Breakfast.
10:54 am on March 4th, 2013
Don’t Buser’s dogs have to eat? Maybe they have feedbags like horses. I am worried that he is pushing them too hard.
Last I heard from the SDT, they were leaving Willow, after having circled Willow Lake two or three times, just for grins. Holly decided to hitch a ride with Jan Steves. I bet she was surprised when she opened her sled bag. I hope Holly can catch a ride back with the IAF, or someone is going to have to blur up to get her.
10:56 am on March 4th, 2013
Snowhook!….Looks like they are running in 8th place!…Wow!Wow!…I know it is early, but this is really amazing…wheeze!
10:57 am on March 4th, 2013
Buser stopped long enough at the checkpoints to give his dogs frozen meats.
10:59 am on March 4th, 2013
Rio Jr. is a very handsome dog. Love that close-up picture.
11:01 am on March 4th, 2013
A.J. Blew thru Melanie’ checkpoint. Are The Steps before or after Rainy Pass?
11:04 am on March 4th, 2013
Junior!…What a great guy! What an awesome racer! What a good boy!….chuffle!snort!
11:05 am on March 4th, 2013
Thanks to Spence & Admin, Melanie, Rose & Prof, Snowhook Bella and the Snowhook Team for the post today. Go Snowhook!
I woke in the night wondering if I should go look at the green flags of the gps tracker. I didn’t and now the team has already arrived in Finger Lake! Wow! Twig must’ve gotten into one of her “pass anything that’s ahead of her” moods. Or maybe she was looking forward to seeing the RiverBearPack eating a delish burrito at their Finger Lake checkpoint. This checkpoint is dedicated to Melanie and Zoe and the River Bear Pack and the many losses and hardships they have endured this last little while and the respect and love the Plunderers have for these two fabulous women and their drooling pack of Newfoundland dogs!
Go Melanie, Go Zoe, Go River Bears and Go Snowhook!
11:09 am on March 4th, 2013
Snowhook is in 5th place according to the leaderboard – right behind Aliy Zirkle. Go Snowhook!
11:11 am on March 4th, 2013
Double Ditto to what Dawson said!!!
11:14 am on March 4th, 2013
Good Morning All!
Thank you for another wonderful start to the day, Spence, Rebecca, and Rose.
Thank you Melanie for all the photos you are putting up on the blog.
I haven’t been to the Iditarod’s website yet, but am going now. I have no idea what Buser is doing except in last year’s race he ran ahead of the other mushers like this and then fizzled out.
11:20 am on March 4th, 2013
The Newf Pack has come home (except for Mattie) and they said they would really like some frozen chicken skins. Yuck. They refrained from eating Snowhook’s. Head bumps and licks abounded.
They came in looking like frosted Newfs, but now they have warmed up and the house has more humidity in it.
On the leader board AJ is in 8th place.
11:22 am on March 4th, 2013
Siber: Wasn’t Buser’s son running in last years race? He seemed to be concerned about him and that most likely took his mind off his own race.
11:28 am on March 4th, 2013
Masquers, yes, Buser’s son ran in last year’s race, but I think in the beginning Martin was out to win the race and then something happened to slow him down and so he was then able to pay more attention to his son. I am just guessing.
11:30 am on March 4th, 2013
Am I reading this right? The GPS shows AJ ahead of Lance MacKey!
11:31 am on March 4th, 2013
Whitey-Lance reporting from Race Watching Central, or RWC for youse in the know. I can report that my mama slept for three hours during the night, and then woke to watch the race. She says I should use the word ‘watch’ loosely because AJs tracker didn’t update for three hours. AJ is heading to Rainy Pass. SiberH, are you going to blur to your checkpoint?
I can also report that our VIP handlers are leaving for home tonight. Sniff. We are going to miss them. I have it on good authority that Wose has been considering if she can leave her laundry behind and use her carry-on to carry a pup. And, the Professor spent some quality time with each of us in the kennel after the team left the starting line.
11:33 am on March 4th, 2013
Never mind…LM has stopped.
11:35 am on March 4th, 2013
Thanks for the update Whitely-Lance: You may have to count the puppies before Rose leaves.
The trail to Rainy Pass: After leaving Finger Lake, the trail climbs steeply over a ridge to Red Lake, runs along it for a mile or two, swings up a ravine, and then follows a series of climbing wooded shelves interspersed with open swamps. About ten miles from Finger Lake, the trail drops down a series of wooded benches toward Happy River, then onto the river itself via the dreaded Happy River steps. Then it’s down the river to its mouth, up the Skwentna River for a few hundred yards, and back up a steep ravine to the plateau on the south side of the Happy. The trail will cross Shirley Lake, then Long Lake (11 miles from Rainy Pass Lodge) and then run along the steeply sloping mountainside above the south side of the Happy River valley to the checkpoint. There are two nasty stretches of sidehill trail in the last eight miles. (from Iditarod.com)
11:39 am on March 4th, 2013
Good morning, Whitey.
I will be setting up the FTD later tonight to follow our intrepid travelers on the first leg of their journey home.
11:46 am on March 4th, 2013
I wish I could blurr to Rainy Pass, Whitey-Lance and I could wish all the Snowhook Dogs Godspeed in person. Mom won’t let me. She says I would never come back until summer arrives in Rainy Pass.
Since mom won’t let me do this, I think she should order me those sled dog treats that are advertised on the Iditarod’s home page.
11:51 am on March 4th, 2013
Steps!…So this means our team has conquered The Steps already?…snort! snort!
11:55 am on March 4th, 2013
How come my Leader Board shows Different Stats than the GPS Trackers?
11:59 am on March 4th, 2013
Siber-H, maybe someone else can blur for you and give you an update.
Dawson, thanks for the info on the trail. I have sent that on to my sister.
I HAVE to go grocery shopping. I HATE grocery shopping.
But the sooner I go, the faster I’m back.
12:00 pm on March 4th, 2013
One of the reports on the home page says that many a musher has popped to the top of the stats, then dropped into obscurity fr the rest of the race. Let AJ not be one of those!
I love the graph thingy, it tells just about everything you want to know. I especially like seeing the altitude changes, and the speed changes, and the rests, and and, everything!
REBECCA..what is the correct pronunciation of your last name?
12:04 pm on March 4th, 2013
SiberH: If it would put your mom at ease, we could send Luna with you to make sure you come home at a decent hour. As we say in the kennel, “Even if you’re not Luna’s offspring, ain’t no one mess with mama.” Of course, those treats sound like a good alternative. My mama is a bit ashamed to say she has subsisted on cookies the professor bought yesterday morning at the PTA breakfast.
AJ’s planned his schedule to run the Steps in the day light. Once the team reaches SiberH’s checkpoint, he will rest them through the heat of the day.
12:10 pm on March 4th, 2013
AJ will gain 1689 feet in elevation by the time he gets where Buser is now. I love the elevation thingy on the Tracker.
I am glad AJ is doing the steps in daylight. I remember that video from last year where we could all hear AJ as he started down the steps. He did good.
12:10 pm on March 4th, 2013
Macy: People make our last name more difficult than it actually is. Suh-vee-dis (dis rhymes with miss as in Miss Macy)
12:10 pm on March 4th, 2013
Thanks Dawson for the trail explanation. And thanks W-L for sharing race strategy. Going to the tracker to see how close we are to the steps.
12:12 pm on March 4th, 2013
He is past the steps!
12:17 pm on March 4th, 2013
Whitey!…Great reporting from RCW Whitey …snort!…Do you or do you not think they have gone through the Steps already?…grunt!
12:21 pm on March 4th, 2013
Howlers!…Thank goodness! Now I can wheeze easier…gurgle!
12:26 pm on March 4th, 2013
No one answered My Question about the GPS vs Leader Board. Sniff.
12:27 pm on March 4th, 2013
The descriptions of the trail can be found if you click on the “About” tab and then, from the drop down menu, on the “Iditarod Trail”. Then you click the trail section you want described and voila!
12:28 pm on March 4th, 2013
AJ is well away from the Happy River now. He is crossing a little lake and then he will have another little lake to cross.
Bear, I am going to go back and read your question again.
12:31 pm on March 4th, 2013
Bear, I think the answer to your question is that they are slow to update the leaderboard because they want the information on it to be correct. I always rely on the Tracker for up-to-date information instead ot the leaderboard.
I am worried about the Russian guy and his dogs because he started out with only 12 dogs.
12:32 pm on March 4th, 2013
The descriptions of the trail can be found if you click on the “About” tab and then, from the drop down menu, on the “Iditarod Trail”. Then you click the trail section you want described and voila!
BearSpiritDog: There is a discrepancy between the leader board and the GPS. Depending on whether you are an optimist or a pessimist you can choose the one where AJ is closer to the leader or further away from the leader. (I don’t know why they differ.)
I am trying to access the “new” feature where you can tell the run/rest times. For some reason it is not working for me.
12:34 pm on March 4th, 2013
Thanks for the Info, Dawson and Siber-H.
12:37 pm on March 4th, 2013
Doesn’t the Leader Board account for start time that will have to be meade up?
12:45 pm on March 4th, 2013
Fellow Sibers, I don’t know. Maybe Whitey-Lance knows.
12:45 pm on March 4th, 2013
Greetings!
Yesterday, was a wonderful day! Beautiful sunshine, and the start of the Iditarod. AJ was calm and collected, the picture of veteran musher. The team was calm and resting, having many photographs taken, as Rebecca, AJ and the handlers did last minute checks and preparations.
I presented Rebecca with a bag of Swedish Fish, which I was told AJ tried to swipe from Rebecca. (Lefty has trained him well). Before the race, I presented AJ with his very own bag! :^)
The Snowhook team looked great as they left the starting line.
The Prof and I truly grateful to Rebecca, AJ, Jodi, and Mick (the persons) for their hospitality, kindness, and their friendship. This is a vacation the Prof and I will never forget, and we are very sad to see it come to thia quick end.
We love the dogs, and the persons of Snowhook!
I may be sneaking home a puppy……..
Mama Luna and my VBFF Belle Starr were wonderful hosts. Even Annabelle let the Prof and me share her couch.
12:46 pm on March 4th, 2013
Rio: The Finger Lake checkpoint is at mile 123 of the race and the boards show our team at 124 right now…so the Happy Steps are coming up in about 9 miles or so.
12:46 pm on March 4th, 2013
Dawson, the detailed descriptions of the trail, at least this stretch, are way too scary. Thank Dog we have an experienced and smart musher, and a great team of dogs.
Speaking of our team, now would be an excellent time for Whitey-Lance to give us the rundown of who is on the team and the position each is running. How about it, W-L?
12:49 pm on March 4th, 2013
According to GPS! Finger Lake is at mile 108′ and we are at 124. So we have passed the Steps, no?
12:50 pm on March 4th, 2013
Rainy Pass is at 127.
Hi Rose! We are so happy you had this awesome trip! We can’t wait to see your photos.
12:55 pm on March 4th, 2013
I believe we are past the steps.
12:56 pm on March 4th, 2013
Oh…I read somewhere that Finger Lake was at mile 123…If it is at mile 108 then yes, we have passed the Happy Steps and are close to Rainy Pass, our own SiberH’s checkpoint! Wow! Go Snowhook!
12:57 pm on March 4th, 2013
AJ has left the Happy River for good, so we are past the steps and on our way to Rauint Pass
12:59 pm on March 4th, 2013
Hi Rose!
The Plunderers will be watching you and the Prof fly away home (sob) tonight and tomorrow.
Excellent photos and reporting by the way.
1:01 pm on March 4th, 2013
Can youse believe #61 Matt Failor is that far up? He is really flying.
1:02 pm on March 4th, 2013
Wose, We want to hear all about it when you get settled in back home. Mom and I are hoping we get to send you one of those gift baskets for new puppy owners.
1:03 pm on March 4th, 2013
Whew! Past the Happy Steps.
O’Howlers: Speaking of Flying…Buser and his team must be running on some kind of Power Drink. Hope he doesn’t fizzle out.
1:07 pm on March 4th, 2013
My mama said I could post this link.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TSmkmYdefk
B: Please excuse the twang.
1:16 pm on March 4th, 2013
Rose!…Sob!sob!Sob!..You guys have to leave already?…sniffle!…That doesn’t seem fair at all.
1:18 pm on March 4th, 2013
Thanks Whitey-Lance. We love that song and have it on a CD.
We cannot believe we are setting here this early in the race and waiting for the little green flag to update.
1:24 pm on March 4th, 2013
Wose is correct. I did share my loveseat with Rose and the Professor. I don’t share with just anyone. I don’t mind sharing with my Lady, but the Giant takes up more room. I bump him. He bumps me back. The Professor has a soft voice that puts me at ease and Wose has a gentle touhc. The three of us snuggled on my loveseat. As I understand it, Wose came to the dog truck yesterday after visiting the gift and craft booths. She said, “I’m poodled up.” It has somethig to do with me, but I’m furry on the details.
1:34 pm on March 4th, 2013
I have two reports in this post.
First, Rose did bring my mama a bag of Swedish Fish candy yesterday morning. A short while later, AJ came in the house, sat down on Annabelle’s couch to download the Plunderer playlist onto his ipaw. When he was finished, he reached for the bag of Swedish Fish which my mama placed on the coffee table. The Giant may be fast, but my Lady is faster. She said, “I gave you my cheesecake sponsorship money. Havan’t I suffered enough?” Wose saved the day by producing another bag that she gave to AJ. My mama put them in a reseable baggie and sent them on the trail with AJ.
Second, I am happy to report the starting line up:
Quig (leader)
Twig (leader)
Elim (leader)
Bjourn (leader)
Louisa Mae (leader)
Charlie (leader)
Fritz (leader)
Junior
Pancho
Lefty
Doc
Jesse, as in James
Garrett
Abe
Marco
Jem and his nose
1:47 pm on March 4th, 2013
Correction: Pancho did not go on the trail. He is at home. Orion is on the trail.
1:48 pm on March 4th, 2013
The graph page for AJ is blank. Fix it please!!!!!
1:58 pm on March 4th, 2013
Howlers: The GPS tracker shows where the team are in ‘live’ time. My mama has a love/hate relationship with the tracker. She loves being able to watch the team, but gets poodled up when it doesn’t update properly. The race standings are based on the times the musher enters and leaves each checkpoint, and at present don’t account for the 24 hour layover. Once the teams have taken their 24, you can get a better sense of where teams are ranked in the race.
2:01 pm on March 4th, 2013
Yark! We DO NOT like the GPS Setup this year! It must be Refreshed Manually and every time we do that we have to Reposition the Map.
Very Annoying to say the least.
2:09 pm on March 4th, 2013
The A-team!
We have many leaders and that is good. Thanks for the line-up Whitey-Lance.
2:13 pm on March 4th, 2013
The team is into the Rainy Pass checkpoint. He will rest the team for several hours before leaving.
2:15 pm on March 4th, 2013
Masquers the Snow Cat: That was me who thought the small dogs could use some help. You might have to disguise yourself in a dog costume. As this is the first small dog Iditarod, I thought it was going to be run in SiberH’s backyard excavation sites rather than on the actual Iditarod Trail! You small dogs (and one bear) are fast, fearless and furry!
2:18 pm on March 4th, 2013
Rainy!…I sure hope Rebecca takes this opportunity to sleep the rest of the day…snort!
2:20 pm on March 4th, 2013
SiberH’s Rainy Pass checkpoint!
Whew.
Eat and rest.
Great job, Snowhook!
2:21 pm on March 4th, 2013
Bear, It is updating automatically for me every 10 minutes.
Look above the list of mushers on the left hand side of the map. You should see these words, “Race Time Controls”. Beneath that will be, “Position Auto-Update” Make sure that is turned on.
2:24 pm on March 4th, 2013
Rio: That is the plan. I am going to force her to close the laptop and go get in her nice, warm bed with all her baseball toys for a few hours.
2:24 pm on March 4th, 2013
Dawson: As you know, when I first joined the S-Team (aka the Smoochers) everyone mistook me for a strange looking dog. I can do it again.
btw…I’m familiar with Siber’s backyard as a night was spent at his house after the infamous Vegas trip.
Whitey: That is a fine looking A-Team. Go Snowhook!!!
(kool tune by the Yodelin’ Logger)
2:31 pm on March 4th, 2013
Fourth!…Can this be true? Our team is in Fourth Place right now?…wheeze!
2:33 pm on March 4th, 2013
The Leaderboard shows Martin Buser at Rohn!
Maybe he’ll take more than a 2 Min. “Rest”. Heh.
Siber-H: Although my Auto-Update shows “On” it does not seem to be updating. Gah.
2:36 pm on March 4th, 2013
Riö! And only 12 minutes behind Allie!
2:36 pm on March 4th, 2013
Bear!…What version of Internet Explorer do you have?…sniff!
2:40 pm on March 4th, 2013
It sounds as though Rose and the Prof had a good time.
2:41 pm on March 4th, 2013
BSD! Maybe you should take a nap.
2:44 pm on March 4th, 2013
Rainy Pass, hope they get some rest there.
Rose is heading back. I wonder if they are planning to come thru Chicago again. The biggest storm of the season is starting later tonight and we may get around 10″. Haven’t seen any reports from O’Hare, but if we really get that much, it will be causing cancellations again. Will watch news later and report back.
Now heading to p.t. and grocery to stock up. BBL
2:47 pm on March 4th, 2013
Busier!…His team went 16 hours straight with only 10 minutes of rest….Krazy!
2:50 pm on March 4th, 2013
Rio: We are using FireFox…it Automatically Updates to the latest version.
A Nap may be a Good Idea now that Team Snowhook has stopped at Rainy Pass.
Whitey-Lance has advised SnowBella is resting too.
2:53 pm on March 4th, 2013
First, Thanks to the Great Whitey-Lance for posting the lineup. Thank Dog Orion is on the team after all. Second, Thanks again to the intrepid for posting the great song. We are juiced! Also thanks for explaining that we must wait for the real race position until after the mandatory 24s.
Rainy Pass!!!! Woo Hoo for Siber’s checkpoint!!!!
And#4 is our Magic Number!!!!!
2:56 pm on March 4th, 2013
Rio: I tell you he is running on some kind of Power Drink.
But now he is stopped for a Rest…as of 15 min. ago anyway.
We forget…what is the next Mandatory Checkpoint?
2:57 pm on March 4th, 2013
One possible explanation for Buser’s rush is to keep the trail clearers moving out. That could make the trail get worse by the time other teams come thru. We think it is really good that Our Team has gotten toward the front of the pack.
3:01 pm on March 4th, 2013
Tracker!…Shows The Giant in fourth!…snort!….Thats all I need to Believe!…gasp!
3:16 pm on March 4th, 2013
OUR TEAM shows up on Iditarod’s Home Page!
3:21 pm on March 4th, 2013
Sebastion took a picture of our patch! And gave us some news of Justin and the doggies. Go Snowhook!
3:23 pm on March 4th, 2013
Check out this writeup, and the pictures!
http://iditarod.com/musher/martin-in-rohn-matt-on-the-way-aliy-justin-savidis-and-dee-dee-in-rainy/
3:32 pm on March 4th, 2013
I SPENT 30 CARPOLA, SNIGGLEFRITZING minutes in the grocery line. Don’t those people KNOW that I have somewhere to be!!!?
I will be checking out the site in a minute. Had to catch up. I did see that the leader board has AJ and Snowhook at FOURTH! WOO HOO!
And another WOO HOO to YSAS’s SO who now has a job in her chosen field! She start March 18th! WOO HOO!
3:33 pm on March 4th, 2013
Woo Hoo for SO! Can this day get any better?
3:36 pm on March 4th, 2013
Confusion. Mom says back in the pleistocene when she nordic skiied and glacier climbed, frozen food with no/little rest was thought to lower core temp and not digest well. Ya’ll say Buser is using frozen meat and short (minutes) rest for the dogs. Is this now the way to do the food on the trail? She just worries about us of the nation within.
3:38 pm on March 4th, 2013
Grabbed some shots from Rainy Pass . .
3:39 pm on March 4th, 2013
3:39 pm on March 4th, 2013
To me, AJ looks happy and rested.
3:42 pm on March 4th, 2013
Have no idea, HOH. Good question.
I also am not receiving AJ’s analytic view.
3:43 pm on March 4th, 2013
SNORT! Our flight from O’Hare has been cancelled! I’m poodled up again.
3:44 pm on March 4th, 2013
Sharon, I just watched a video on the Iditarod’s website. They said that the air temperature is so warm the dogs do not want warm food right now. Their food is usually served warm on the trail.
No one yet can make heads or tails of Buser’s race strategy. We will see how it shakes out for him, but I know he will take good care of the dogs.
3:49 pm on March 4th, 2013
I have written the contact email address of the people who supply the GPS about not having AJ’s analytic view.
3:50 pm on March 4th, 2013
They just wrote back saying, “I am looking into this issue, I will get back to you when I have it resolved. Thank you.”
3:50 pm on March 4th, 2013
Rose, the world is saying you should have stayed in AK!
3:50 pm on March 4th, 2013
Rose: Another Midwestern storm…you might know.
Hey. You can always layover a bit in Seattle so I can visit with you and the Prof.
Just trying to look on the bright side of things. Heh.
3:54 pm on March 4th, 2013
Rose, never want to fly in a hurry with you but be safe and enjoy where ever Mother Nature leaves you.
3:55 pm on March 4th, 2013
Great news. I hope AJ and the dogs get a good rest. I am going outside to do a little snow shoveling.
BeeBackLater
3:57 pm on March 4th, 2013
Masquers, would love to visit you in Seattle. Our first cancellation, wouldn’t you know had to be Chicago. I hope there is no overnight at the Ashtray Inn again. sniff
3:59 pm on March 4th, 2013
OMD!!! OUR TEAM IS OFFICIALLY IN 4TH PLACE!!!
I’m TWIRLING, Twirling, twirling…….WoooHOOO!!!
And look how Cleverly Rebecca has Upgraded the Chet Patch!
4:10 pm on March 4th, 2013
Mikal Telpin is having to rest his dogs (or him) a lot. Those dogs are made for the cold and I think it’s just too warm for them right now.
4:14 pm on March 4th, 2013
Looks like no sleep for him.
Says he’s not taking his eyes off the Insider website for fear he’ll miss some new development.
It is up to me to be the professional here.
Howlers: Thanks for the update from Rainy Pass.
Melanie: Congrats to SO for the new job!
4:15 pm on March 4th, 2013
that would be…on the new job.
4:21 pm on March 4th, 2013
Oh no Rose! Goodness what a hassle this air travel is. I think I will drive up when we go….heh heh heh. Not.
4:34 pm on March 4th, 2013
Masquers – ve still have Corgi disguises vorn by all who visited Big Vedding back a vhile ago. Von or two are very stretched out – vas very hard to stuff big, husky doggie into little corgi suit. But von vorn by pug is okie dokey. Vould you vant borrow it for being on Small Dog Team?
4:41 pm on March 4th, 2013
Suit!…snort!…I’m pretty sure somewhere in what Natasha just said is an insult…grunt!
4:52 pm on March 4th, 2013
Gebhardt!…Oh no he is blowing through Rainy Pass…sniff! There goes our 4th place…wuffle!
5:11 pm on March 4th, 2013
Nattie: That is very generous of you. I would be honored to be seen as a pug. snort.
5:15 pm on March 4th, 2013
Rio: He may be blowing through Rainy…but remember it is in the heat of the day…which is why AJ and the team are lying low.
Not a good strategy for Gebhardt in our opinion.
5:18 pm on March 4th, 2013
Lance-Mackey!..Just blew through Rainy Pass too…..grunt!
5:25 pm on March 4th, 2013
It is 35 degrees at Rainey Pass right now!
5:28 pm on March 4th, 2013
Mike Ellis and his Sibers and the Native Russian dogs are both moving in this heat….35 degrees.
5:45 pm on March 4th, 2013
Thank ya’ll for the feeding info and temp info. Mom worries about cold (even for us with double coats). Says she worries about pupcicles. Wow, so much to think about for race!
5:59 pm on March 4th, 2013
I am testing the voice recognition on my iPod and hopefully this will be very good bark bark.
6:01 pm on March 4th, 2013
I Trost AJ’s care of the dogs and I think the sleepover in the heat of the day is the way to go I don’t know what these other guys are thinking
6:04 pm on March 4th, 2013
Hee hee not bad. I forgot to add the punctuation. This is too cool.
6:07 pm on March 4th, 2013
There is so much to catch up on when you are out all day. But all we can see is that AJ is in 4th place. WOOOOO HOOOOOO
We’ll be back later – gotta get dinner on.
6:09 pm on March 4th, 2013
Sammie: You’re the Dog! Techie all the way.
6:15 pm on March 4th, 2013
Cool Princess Sam! What app are you using?
6:21 pm on March 4th, 2013
No app Melanie. I’m just using the little microphone at the bottom of my iPod screen.
6:22 pm on March 4th, 2013
Thank you pentosan, I’m trying this out.
6:23 pm on March 4th, 2013
Princess Sam didn’t turn out to wheel but that is pretty cool!
6:27 pm on March 4th, 2013
Sammie, thanks! I sent an email using it.
6:30 pm on March 4th, 2013
WL, what twang?
Melanie, I also wrote to support, 5 hours ago. Still nothing.
What an afternoon we have had. Belle had to be dropped from the team. Somehow she got a 3/4 inch gash in her forehead, all the way to the bone. It looks like she was shot right between the eyes, but the v e t said that a bb would not make that big of a hole and a regular bullet would have sent her over the rainbow. We have no idea what happened and she doesn’t seem to be aware of it. She now has 2 staples in her head the same day that Dad got rid of his staples. Gah and gah. Too much on our plate here.
6:32 pm on March 4th, 2013
I see that the sunsets about 6:30 pm. Question . . Might AJ wait until it sets? I see that it is 33 degrees.
6:35 pm on March 4th, 2013
Macy, most of the time I am getting the info now.
Poor Belle. What a weird spot for a gash.
Did you just reuse the staples from Dad?
snicker
6:39 pm on March 4th, 2013
Poor Belle. Dropped so early in the race.
6:52 pm on March 4th, 2013
Belle isn’t the same one that was injured before is she?
This is terrible.
6:52 pm on March 4th, 2013
Melanie, you laugh, but The Man and I thought the same thing! However, Belle got hers before Dad’s were out.
I am still not getting analytics for AJ, and I am getting poodled up.
Can you imagine the number of people that will come here just to see what is going on, thanks to the picture on the Insider page? Best behavior everyone!
6:54 pm on March 4th, 2013
Masquers, no, Belle is the bee-och who bit Macy. Karma.
6:57 pm on March 4th, 2013
Hey read what they are saying about our team!
http://iditarod.com/musher/rainy-pass-2pm/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=facebook
7:00 pm on March 4th, 2013
Macy, the next time I’m at the big computer I’ll snap a picture of it and put it on the blog.
Just talked to YSAS. He is headed North to NYC after visiting family in the house. It is a small town and the thing he heard the most was, “Last time I saw you, you were dead!”.
He is very proud of his SO and can’t wait to see her.
7:03 pm on March 4th, 2013
I just heard on the news that our high temp today was 88. And a cold front is coming in and not out of the 50’s tomorrow. Texas.
7:12 pm on March 4th, 2013
If A.J. Waits until dark, he will be hitting Dalzell Gorge in the dark.
Next checkpoint is The Raven’s.
7:17 pm on March 4th, 2013
Melanie, Isn’t she an attorney? Congrats to her.
We were going to report that Rose might be OK, but then saw that she has a cancellation in Chicago. They are saying now that the storm will really start around 3:00 a.m. and then will continue all day. We were hoping they might get ahead of the storm.
7:19 pm on March 4th, 2013
warning, may be too scary!
https://fbexternal-a.akamaihd.net/safe_image.php?d=AQB8zCGWgd7_ZypT&url=https%3A%2F%2Ffbcdn-vthumb-a.akamaihd.net%2Fhvthumb-ak-prn1%2Fs403x403%2F158443_380753558690124_380753158690164_11968_1781_b.jpg&jq=100
7:21 pm on March 4th, 2013
hmm, take two
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=380753158690164
7:27 pm on March 4th, 2013
Watch for the team to leave within the next thirty minutes or so. They will have some daylight for the upcoming stretch. Please keep your paws crossed for a safe run.
7:28 pm on March 4th, 2013
Howlers; Great write-up.
Not to be picky, but that doesn’t look like AJ in the picture and they refer to him as “Dustin who never, ever sleeps.”
But who cares…at least we’re getting noticed!
7:33 pm on March 4th, 2013
Maskers!…We have to take what they give us at this point…snort!…Just wait until
Dustinthe Giant is consistantly in the top-ten…Woooo!…Then they will spell his name right, you betcha!7:35 pm on March 4th, 2013
Masquers, thanks for catching that. We didn’t even notice the picture; we were too overjoyed that the racing world is taking notice of our musher.
Thanks for letting us in on that, W-L. We were hoping he’d try to hit the gorge before nightfall.
7:35 pm on March 4th, 2013
Have you guys checked this out? http://iditarod.com/videos/checkpoints
Justin in Rainy Pass in 4th.
7:36 pm on March 4th, 2013
Rose: Oh no! I will hope for another flight to take you away from the Ashtray Hotel.
Belle: Sorry the gash on your forehead has ended your Iditarod dreams just when you were getting in the groove on the trail.
I hope the Snowhook doggies get a good rest at Rainy Pass.
Congrats to YSAS’s SO.
7:40 pm on March 4th, 2013
Ally is heading out.
Going to checkout Melanie’s video.
7:41 pm on March 4th, 2013
Melanie!…Which one?…grunt!…Is AJ in one of those videos?…sniff!….Hey its almost supper-bowl time here…wooooo!
7:42 pm on March 4th, 2013
Color!…AJ would never wear that Color in the photo, btw…heh!heh!
7:45 pm on March 4th, 2013
AJ looks good, very relaxed. Dogs were happy to get to the checkpoint.
W-L, hope he wakes up. We remember last year one musher said others were quietly sneaking out and he didn’t wake up.
Rio, you’re right about the color.
7:49 pm on March 4th, 2013
Trying this out . .
7:50 pm on March 4th, 2013
Darn I’m good (said with a rural VA accent) Don’t worry, I’m entitled to that accent.
7:51 pm on March 4th, 2013
Dustin wears orange? Must be AJ’s long lost twin.
7:56 pm on March 4th, 2013
Melanie, thanks for the capcha. I am still poodled that I can’t get it.
7:59 pm on March 4th, 2013
He is such a good Doggy Daddy.
I am off to take my shower (in more ways than one). I will be back later.
Oh, and to take a screen shot with the iPaw.
Hold down the big button at the bottom and hit the lock button. Don’t hold it too long because it just turns off. (Rolling eyes here. I did THAT several times) You held it correctly if there is a white flash and the sound of the camera going off.
It is then in your camera roll.
8:00 pm on March 4th, 2013
Correct facts seem to be lacking from time to time when it comes to the Giant. My Lady and I try not to get poodled up about it, but sometimes it is more difficult than others. The job listed in that little write up was something he did before he and my Lady moved to Alaska. My Lady snorted when it listed her as training the team. She will be quick to tell you that it was all AJ. And, the orange clad ‘Dustin’ is actually a man by the name of Kelly. Last year, if I remember correctly, they posted a video a with AJ in the title and it was LM.
8:01 pm on March 4th, 2013
Wake up Lady Bella! He’s racing again!
8:04 pm on March 4th, 2013
There’s the Lin going up!
8:04 pm on March 4th, 2013
I remember that video last year Rebecca. Hey R, did you check your SDD today?
I did like the video of Justin under the checkpoints tab on the video page. I can see why Rebecca likes to listen to him. What a great voice. Great picture of the dogs coming in also.
8:05 pm on March 4th, 2013
Team Snowhook on the move!
8:06 pm on March 4th, 2013
Another video from that group that was really funny was mushers reacting to Martin Buser’s fast start. No one wanted to say it was stupid but many of them expressed confusion. heh.
8:11 pm on March 4th, 2013
Whitey! Paws, tails, toes and eyes are crossed here.
Feet be nimble, feet be quick
Guided safely along the trail
A clever plan’s now the trick
Checkpoint reached without fail
Go Snowhook! Onward to Rohn!
8:11 pm on March 4th, 2013
We are up and at ’em and have been for quite some time. We had some technical difficulties, but are back up and running. Who taught my Lady such language? A certain evil pug?
8:13 pm on March 4th, 2013
Ahhh we are moving. W-L, What time does it get dark up there?
8:14 pm on March 4th, 2013
I am not sure about Alaska, but here we have about 20 minutes of twilight after sunset.
8:17 pm on March 4th, 2013
Thanks Sam. So maybe between 11:00 and 11:30 our time?
Melanie, What is the lock bitton?
8:17 pm on March 4th, 2013
BUTTON
8:24 pm on March 4th, 2013
Why is it that everyone is discussing Buser, but nobody is talking about Matt Failor, who has pushed it so much faster than Buser?
8:26 pm on March 4th, 2013
Old-Guy!…He finally left today and now everyone can stop walking on eggshells around here..grunt!…Unfortunately Beau just couldn’t stand the old guy snuffing around his toy-box any longer and decided to piss on everything…wheeze!heh!…The others in the house were not pleased at all. Everything had to be washed – all the chewies, bones, stuffed toys, you name it, it got washed…grunt!…Luckily, my favorite baseball toys were safely tucked away in my warm soft bed…wuffle!
8:27 pm on March 4th, 2013
Sneeze!…I didn’t do it I swear!…sneeze!sniffle!
8:33 pm on March 4th, 2013
Beau, you were simply re-claiming them as yours…perfectly normal dog behavior.
8:35 pm on March 4th, 2013
Matt Failer (second place) is running some Martin Buser dogs as he has done before. He and Martin Buser are running the same race so far: Only stopping for quick snacks – no long rest at all until Rohn. I wonder if they actually trained the dogs this way. Seems unsustainable for humans and for dogs.
8:39 pm on March 4th, 2013
But Matt Failor is Bib #61. He started the race 2 hours later than Buser!
8:41 pm on March 4th, 2013
Melanie,
How did you get the analytics to show up? I still can’t get Justin’s to show.
8:42 pm on March 4th, 2013
24-Hour!…After the time adjustment Matt Failor surely has to wind up in front, don’t youse think?…snort!
8:43 pm on March 4th, 2013
OleyHowlers: I know! Martin stopped in Rohn for some rest but I think Matt went on through, although he could be camped right outside of town. They have had virtually no rest.
8:45 pm on March 4th, 2013
Siber, where is the Dalzel Gorge on our gps map? Is it right at that river just before Rohn?
8:47 pm on March 4th, 2013
It is still very early in the race…anything can happen and it often does. I am speaking of the mushers that are in the lead right now.
I love that video of AJ and the dogs. Mom and I like the quiet way he talks to the dogs. We see people at the dog park trying to talk their dogs to death. I can’t stand that.
8:49 pm on March 4th, 2013
Zombie mushers on the trail!
8:50 pm on March 4th, 2013
I’ll look at the map, Howlers
8:50 pm on March 4th, 2013
Oh, Matt Failor is stopped at Rohn also.
8:58 pm on March 4th, 2013
SiberH!…Which video of AJ and the A-Team???…snort!…I’m missing something big here. What is the name of the video?
8:58 pm on March 4th, 2013
Twig: Pass King. Good girl.
That’s our telepathic message. 🙂
9:00 pm on March 4th, 2013
Creator – we thank you for another wonderful day that has passed. It has been a day of joy and happiness and excitement. We thank you now for the deep quiet stillness of the night, for it is now that we can listen and hear the heartbeat of the universe.
Creator – you have given all creatures a great gift in common. Each one of us has a heart, from the tiniest ant tunneling through the earth to the giant blue whale, singing her song in the depths of the oceans. Our hearts beat in rhythm with others of our species, tying us together in the music of life.
Tonight, in the stillness, we ask you to let us hear the strong heartbeats of the dogs of Snowhook as they continue their journey across the snow. Sixteen brave hearts are running in joy, running in freedom, and running for the love of the one who asks them to run. Let us be silent and listen for the harmony that they create by working together.
Tonight in the quiet elegance of the dark, the strong heart that leads this team is in two places. The heart of the one he loves beats with his as he travels further away. We ask you to bring peace to both hearts and let them hear each other’s soul across the distance.
Creator – tonight, the hearts of this family travel with AJ and the team and also surround Rebecca with their love and support. Let the song of our hearts lift them both up during their time apart.
This earth has a heartbeat that we can feel within our souls. It is as strong as the beating hearts of our mothers, our lullaby even before we entered this world. Just as our mother’s heartbeat brought us comfort and security, we can now hear the heartbeat of the earth that tells us we are safe and we are loved and that we are never alone.
Creator – we ask you keep all these hearts strong. Let all our hearts beat together with the sound of paws running across Alaska. Let the melody and the rhythm carry AJ and the team easily across the snow, making their journey swift and filled with wonder.
Creator – we thank you for another wonderful day that has passed. It has been a day of joy and happiness and excitement. We thank you now for the deep quiet stillness of the night, for it is now that we can listen and hear the heartbeat of the earth, and the ones we love.
9:05 pm on March 4th, 2013
I think the Dazel Gorge is on that creek right before the trail gets to that bigger river. Not a lot of water flows through the Dazel Gorge from the videos I have seen of it.
9:07 pm on March 4th, 2013
With our Love and Gratitude
Thank you, Amalia & Leonard
9:09 pm on March 4th, 2013
Rio, Go to the Iditarod’s home page. Scroll down just a bit to where it says in small print, “more insider videos”. AJ’s video is in that group.
Let me know if you can’t find it or maybe someone can make Rio a link. I really want him to see it.
9:10 pm on March 4th, 2013
Amen,lthank you A&L.
9:11 pm on March 4th, 2013
This is what Karen Ramstad (sp) says race judges do.
9:14 pm on March 4th, 2013
Thanks, Siber.
Rio, Someone posted that link above, but here it is again. Look at the bottom for the one that says “Justin Savidis 4th into Rainy Pass”.
http://iditarod.com/videos/checkpoints/
9:15 pm on March 4th, 2013
Thank You Amalia and Leonard. Reading your nightly prayer helps calm dogs like me who can get hyper over the Race.
9:21 pm on March 4th, 2013
Amen.
9:29 pm on March 4th, 2013
Amen and thank you.
9:31 pm on March 4th, 2013
Amen.
9:34 pm on March 4th, 2013
Prayer!…Just what I needed – I was getting All Poodled up over some small things…wheeze!…Amen!
9:35 pm on March 4th, 2013
Rose!…Where in the world are you?…sniffle!
9:36 pm on March 4th, 2013
Amen.
The team has been doing some climbing. I noticed that near the top AJ stopped. I bet some goodies and pats were given after the climb.
Bear, if you have the camera lens at the top of the iPaw while you are looking at it, the lock bottom is on the right top edge.
9:39 pm on March 4th, 2013
Staff, I don’t know how I’m doing this. I’m afraid to go off the link!
9:45 pm on March 4th, 2013
gah The temperture has only dropped a couple of degrees for AJ and the dogs.
9:53 pm on March 4th, 2013
Amen, and thank you, Amalia and Leonard.
9:54 pm on March 4th, 2013
Amen to another heartfelt prayer. What a day. Mel, thanks for the graphics. Rose, safe trip. Going night-night here before mom falls asleep on the laptop and drools on it.
9:58 pm on March 4th, 2013
Same here. We are off to bed. IPaw is about dead anyway. We’ll be checking on progress during the night. Godspeed and Dogspeed AJ and Snowhook.
10:01 pm on March 4th, 2013
AJ…5 miles behind Allie…in 8th place.
The Mackeys have advanced to 3rd and 5th positions.
Our Rose would like everyone to keep all paws crossed she and the Professor have a safe and uneventful trip home.
No more schedule changes!
10:12 pm on March 4th, 2013
Maskers!…Where is Rose and the Prof right now?…sniff!…Are they in the air or waiting to get up into the air?….shudder!
10:24 pm on March 4th, 2013
The Newf Pack has heard that Prof got himself a nickname while he was in AK!
I am goin to sleep now. Hopefully, I will wake up and watch AJ’s flag come into the Raven’s Checkpoint.
Smooth running, Snowhook!
10:27 pm on March 4th, 2013
Melanie,
I posted my problem on facebookie and they got right on it. That is what I did when I couldn’t get any video’s. If you put it out there in the public you get an immediate response. After about 5 minutes Jusin’s analytics appeared on my computer screen.
Heh heh heh. Go to the public that is the answer.
10:43 pm on March 4th, 2013
Staff – squeaky wheels get the grease, and melt-downs get respect. tee hee
10:46 pm on March 4th, 2013
We are going to sleep soon.
AJ appears to be off the trail right now, but, remember, the red line on the GPS Tracker is only there to give us a general idea as to where the trail goes. AJ isn’t really off the trail.
Wishing Rose and the Professor a smooth journey home,
GO SNOWHOOK!!!
night all
10:52 pm on March 4th, 2013
Tupper and Gilly, Youse guys are my mentors. I will follow you and your Mom while learning how to melt down in all the most effective ways.
Tell your Mom thanks again for the lovely prayer.
10:58 pm on March 4th, 2013
Riö: Their flight is scheduled to leave Anchorage at 12:39 am and arrives in Seattle at 5:05 am tomorrow morning.
Next flight leaves for Chicago an hour later…arriving around noon.
11:00 pm on March 4th, 2013
Money!…Someone asked about ways to raise money for their favorite Musher…snort!…I sort of outlined it for them, but if I forgot something, you guys should pipe up out there on the “Does Money Matter” topic….grunt!…There are some blow-hards out there all off-topic, just ignore thoses guys..sniff!
11:02 pm on March 4th, 2013
In keeping with my new policy of taking it to the source I have just posted this on the Iditarod Facebookie.
“Why are all the ‘featured’ video’s on the Iditarod.com from last year or instructional ones from this year. When is that going to be updated. So far in order to see current video’s you have to go to the Checkpoint video’s.”
Hopefully they will do something about that so Rio can find AJ’s video’s more easily.
11:07 pm on March 4th, 2013
Friend!…Hey, I got a New Friend request out on the Iditarod website – I accepted (what does this mean?) I’m not engaged or anything, right?…heh!heh!….The guy/gal is a real looker. I hope Tattoodawg1 comes over here someday….grunt!…I’ve asked, lets see what happens.
11:12 pm on March 4th, 2013
Riö: Check your SDD.
11:19 pm on March 4th, 2013
Has anyone looked at the weather reports for some of the next Checkpoints? They are talking about RAIN!
Jeez-Louise
11:24 pm on March 4th, 2013
I wonder…did Rebecca ever get the info about the recovered GPS from AJ’s 2010 Iditarod?
11:26 pm on March 4th, 2013
Rain on the trail…and yet the Midwest is due for another winter blast…just doesn’t seem right somehow.
11:28 pm on March 4th, 2013
Masquers, yes Rebecca did get that info and the Tag is on it’s way home. It wasn’t the GPS, it was a dogtag.
11:32 pm on March 4th, 2013
Staff: Whitey-Lance’s I presume?
Snow is falling in Kaltag.
11:39 pm on March 4th, 2013
Families come in all shapes and sizes.
11:40 pm on March 4th, 2013
Chattie!…I just chatted up the chat-room. Making new friends and rubbing paws with mover and shakers…heh!heh!
11:42 pm on March 4th, 2013
Pigs!…Kat and her pigs. I’ll be a bug-eyed pug…sniff!…My friend says little piglets look a lot like little puglets…grunt!…I don’t think so.
11:42 pm on March 4th, 2013
How do you get back in the chat room?
11:44 pm on March 4th, 2013
Gah!…I want to stay up and watch our teams little flag, but we are going to bed now…grunt!…I hate this…wheeze!
11:52 pm on March 4th, 2013
Signing off here for a bit.
The niteshift is coming up in a couple of hours.
Some of youse nightowls might even be around then.
11:58 pm on March 4th, 2013
Now that I can get AJ’s analytics I watched the temperature. It is going UP! It is at 33 degrees now on top of that Mountain. YIKES. It is supposed to be colder at the high elevations.
12:00 am on March 5th, 2013
Abbie wants supper so I better go get ready for bed. Night all. Except Liz. Hope all is well in OZ.
12:30 am on March 5th, 2013
The analytical shows AJ out of Rohn on Dec. 31 at 2 pm. That is some layover!
12:35 am on March 5th, 2013
Macy: At least he’s out!
12:37 am on March 5th, 2013
I really must sign-off now.
12:38 am on March 5th, 2013
HA! We’re over the top!
12:57 am on March 5th, 2013
Masquers, check out the date above, heh-heh Dec. 31
12:58 am on March 5th, 2013
378462 hours and 20 minutes in checkpoint!
1:03 am on March 5th, 2013
Macy’s Mom: Some layover is right! I saw a Dec 31st date on another mushers leave date. Too funny.
The numbers have to be taken with a grain of salt:
Right now AJ is in 3rd! or 13th! depending on which board you look at. Either way, it is still early, as SiberH says, there’s a long way to go. With this warm weather, the way might be wet. ((shiver))
I just got in and trying to figure out where AJ is. They are moving so fast I’m getting dizzy. He is in Rohn already. Raven’s checkpoint. The Trickster! The Raven has all those mushers close by looking at AJ & team and thinking, where did they come from? Heh, heh, heh!
1:08 am on March 5th, 2013
Patsy here, the Raven oversaw the arrival of the Snowhookteam and AJ. He said they have wings on their feet, wings in their souls.
1:19 am on March 5th, 2013
Patsy! I hope Melanie isn’t hogging the whole bed by the time you get back.
1:23 am on March 5th, 2013
There is some cooler air 21 degrees, for the next five Checkpoints. at Shageluk on there is a severe weather warning. A storm must be coming in.
Stay safe Snowhook and smooth running.
The Newf Pack
1:24 am on March 5th, 2013
Dawson, if I don’t hug the bed, I don’t get any cheese!
1:25 am on March 5th, 2013
Hog the bed . . Paws are too big.
1:33 am on March 5th, 2013
There are severe weather warnings from Shageluck all the way to Nome. It didn’t say what kind of severe weather. I do hope it isn’t rain.
1:35 am on March 5th, 2013
Hi Dawson. I’m back and had to wrestle the iPaw away from Patsy.
If it’s rain do you think AJ will just carry the sled? He is a giant.
1:41 am on March 5th, 2013
Here’s Anvik
WINTER STORM WARNING
Now – Wednesday, Mar 6, 6:00pm
…WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 6 PM AKST WEDNESDAY…
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN FAIRBANKS HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW…WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 6 PM AKST WEDNESDAY. THE WINTER STORM WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.
* LOCATION…HEAVIEST SNOW AMOUNTS WILL BE ALONG THE NULATO HILLS.
* SNOW…4 TO 8 INCHES.
* TIMING…SNOW WILL DEVELOP TUESDAY MORNING AND CONTINUE THROUGH WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON.
* IMPACTS…VISIBILITY MAY BE GREATLY REDUCED. TRAVEL AND OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES WILL BE DIFFICULT.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A WINTER STORM WARNING MEANS ONE OR MORE SIGNIFICANT WINTER WEATHER HAZARDS ARE OCCURRING OR EXPECTED.
&&
1:42 am on March 5th, 2013
I hope it is snow. I saw some videos from previous years with sled going over large dirt patches – must be hard on the sled runners. If everything turns to mush – ugh. It will be so hard on the dogs. Specially those Chukchi ones and the Siberians.
Looks like AJ is resting awhile in approximately 8th place…
1:45 am on March 5th, 2013
Patsy again. I barked and barked at her until she promised to go back to bed.
These two leggeds have no sense. The Plunderer four leggeds are on duty.
Nite all, for now.
1:46 am on March 5th, 2013
Yikes! Not that much snow!
1:48 am on March 5th, 2013
A watched tracker flag never moves.
Thank you for the prayer A & L
2:26 am on March 5th, 2013
It is nice seeing people staying up later than usual to watch over AJ and the team. That is dedication and love. May I say that I am proud of us for what we do? And I continue to thank Siber-H for getting us interested in the Iditarod and specifically Snowhook in the first place and Rio, of course, for yammering at everyone all the time.
3:46 am on March 5th, 2013
Gah! dozed off for a bit but now im awake
Awake i tell you. where’s my control?
3:56 am on March 5th, 2013
Sounds like you need some coffee there, Masquers.
No movement yet. Patsy decided she wanted out! Out! OUT!
Going to turn the controls over to you.
Rock a bye,Snowhook, on the valley so low.
Lay your heads down on the hay over snow.
Soon AJ will come with some tummies and treats,
And off you will go throughout the Land of the Snow.
3:57 am on March 5th, 2013
Hold on Rose…I’m coming to see you off!
3:58 am on March 5th, 2013
Cawfee? Yes! That’s the ticket.
4:28 am on March 5th, 2013
Boarding has begun.
The Prof & Rose will be leaving in 15 minutes.
Let me take this opportunity, in behalf of all the Plunderers, to wish you a comfortable and safe journey home; with no further cancellations.
4:40 am on March 5th, 2013
Flight #1548 is ready for take-off.
See you in 3 hours in Seattle!
4:58 am on March 5th, 2013
Masquers: My Lady arrived home a short while ago after saying good-bye to Rose and the Professor. She brought hot wings back to Race Watching Central. You’re welcome to them for katting the FTD.
4:59 am on March 5th, 2013
Green flag on the left
Blue plane on the right
Here in the middle are we.
Traveling through the night
One goes by dog sled to Nome
The other flies by plane home.
Green flag to the left of us
A blue plane on our right
Time for me..to say..Good night.
5:01 am on March 5th, 2013
Whitey! my man, er dawg. the hot wings are MOST welcome right now.
5:06 am on March 5th, 2013
My Lady is trying very hard to stay awake to see the team to their camping spot. Maybe it will help her stay awake if I get some rest.
5:08 am on March 5th, 2013
Great Kat! Are we ahead of Lance Mackey?
Why yes, I believe we are. Heh, heh, heh.
5:12 am on March 5th, 2013
You’re right, Whitey, time to catch a few zzzzs before dawn’s early light. See you in a couple of hours.
5:12 am on March 5th, 2013
Wait! Where is their camping spot?
6:25 am on March 5th, 2013
AJ’s moving. Godspeed Snowhook!
7:51 am on March 5th, 2013
AJ is still up with the front of the pack! Go Snowhook!!!!
Heading toward Wookie.
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