Bill Gallea for Ultimate Iditarod

Rookie Bill Pinkham takes a Sunday snooze with his lead dogs at Eagle Island

This sign greets mushers on their way into Eagle Island checkpoint the second time

RAMY BROOKS
MITCH
CINDY
TYRELL
JIM


RAMY BROOKS

Ramy Brooks was in a talkative mood in the communications tent at the Eagle Island checkpoint at lunchtime today. After he went over the stat sheets with fellow racer, Cim Smyth, who is on his way downriver, Ramy and I sat down on a straw bale together. While he ate his fish chowder, he told me how pleased and surprised he is to be the team in the best position to challenge Robert Sorlie.

At this point in the race he is only two or three hours off the leading pace. Here’s how he figures that. Presumably Robert mushed two or three hours upriver from Eagle Island, and is now resting through the warmest part of the day. If he and Ramy start their teams back on the trail at about the same time in late afternoon, then they are separated by the time Robert spent heading to Kaltag after leaving here.

He may even have stopped closer to the checkpoint for a longer break, unaware of how close Ramy was to him, leaving the Grayling checkpoint, about 60 miles back. Robert told me that his team took a break along the trail, but Ramy said he didn’t see any evidence of a significant stop.

If it is true that Robert came more or less straight through – perhaps only stopping for a snack, or to put booties on – then Ramy’s team is indeed faster. Ramy’s official time from Grayling to here is 7:08. But his mother, Roxy Wright says that his actual time is only 6:32. Either way, Robert took 7:22.

Ramy is a very experienced racer, and he’s being patient. He told me that he’s not even thinking about the prize money to be given out at Kaltag and Unalakleet. He said: “I’m only thinking about the yellow roses”, referring to the collar of yellow roses bestowed on the winning lead dogs at the finish line.”


MITCH

Our plane-based crew hasn’t seen Mitch since Tanana! It’s really tough to keep in touch with everyone at this point in the Race, when things get spread out. Word from the boys on snowmachines is that his team is strong, and he’s in good spirits.

Jeff’s team lopes into Eagle Island Sunday afternoon

Martin’s team follows Jeff’s into Eagle Island, currently in fourth place.

CINDY

Cindy came through here about 9:30 AM, and stayed only a few minutes. She apparently rested on the trail between here and Kaltag, and plans to rest further down the trail through the heat of the day. She seems to be on a great schedule of running and resting.

I didn’t see her as she came within feet of the communications tent, because I was posting my earlier update! But the checker, vets, and members of the media who saw her said her team – and she herself – looked great.


TYRELL

Tyrell Seavey left Kaltag at about 3:30 AM, and may be getting in here any minute now, unless he is also resting along the trail. I haven’t seen Tyrell since Ruby, so I look forward to hearing what he has to say.


JIM

I also have not seen Jim since Ruby Friday morning, as he started the second half of his 24 hour rest. He had good trail speeds on the way to Kaltag, and had a long rest there, so hopefully he’ll be strong on the trail in here. He left Kaltag at 9:30 AM, though, so I worry that is going to get him off schedule as far as running in the heat of the day.

Speaking of heat, it’s now sunny and breezy on this point on the Yukon. Not a cloud in the sky, and temperatures not far below freezing. But the breeze is keeping it cool, so teams might conceivably be able to run through the afternoon, particularly if they’re accustomed to it from earlier training runs.