Iditarod Race Updates and Coverage--Ultimate Iditarod

Bill's machine is up and running and after the mechanic does a quick inspection on my machine we'll be moving out again. The trails are much better from here on out. So, with a little luck, we'll have smooth sailing for a day or two and catch up to the leaders by Ruby.

Currently the front teams are 24ing in Cripple. They are resting up after the long haul from Ophir. While there are several teams clearly in the lead the race is not over yet for racers like King, Boulding, Swenson and Seavey who opted to take their 24hour rest soon. In fact, sometimes a more conservative schedule will keep a team stronger for longer, which gives them a chance to catch up when the other teams slow down. Complete meltdown is not out of the question either. If a team runs too hard in the early part of the race they end up dropping more dogs which in-turn stresses their remaining dogs. It's all a down-hill spiral after that.

Gerald Riley is a possible example of that theory. He is currently running an 8 dog team. Now, if it is the right 8 dogs he could still win, but the fact that he has dropped half his team usually indicates a problem. Martin Buser on the other hand is driving a thirteen-dog powerhouse, which indicates a well-trained, properly managed team that is definitely a force to be reckoned with. I am going out on a limb here but my pick for the top five at this point in the race are as follows in no particular order:

Swingley is retiring or least he claims to be. Right now he is out here enjoying himself; traveling at a 'touring' pace. The speculation is that he is passing his team on to his fiancée Melanie Shirilla next year. Through his years of racing Swingley has received bad press because of his occasional rude comments and snide remarks and also from his fellow racers, who never seemed to accept him, partially I'm sure because of his mannerisms and also partially because of the fact that this Montanan was beating them so soundly. Personally, I have been a little put-out by his apparent lack of 'people skills' at times but at this point I have to look at Swingley with the highest level of respect. He is a musher who has dreamed and achieved. He is a true champion of the sport and deserves, in my opinion, to go out with full honors.

Also of note is that he has seemingly adopted Jason Barron as his protégée. Swingley and Barron train together in Lincoln, Montana and Swingley has helped Barron out tremendously in building a competitive kennel. If there is a musher who can pass on the key to winning the Iditarod, that musher is Swingley.

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