Bill Gallea for Ultimate Iditarod

No…only the meat….not the hand.

It is good

IT IS GOOD
THE CHALLENGE


Nine dogs trotted briskly into White Mountain at dawn today, pulling a sled and a gracious Norwegian musher, who is on the threshold of history.

It would appear that barring some unforeseen disaster, Robert Sorlie will be the first musher from another continent to win the world’s premier sled dog race. After their arrival at this picturesque village, Team Sorlie ate everything Robert offered, including slabs of frozen meat, salmon, and chunks of a buttery yellow material that the musher said was fat.

The dogs look as alert and energetic at this checkpoint as they did at Tanana, a thousand miles ago. The nine remaining superstars on this historic team remain standing as Robert signs in to the checkpoint in front of a small group of villagers, media, and race officials. They look back at their musher, awaiting his signal to proceed to the bedding area. They arrange the straw that he provides into cozy little nests. They inhale their food. They lick at their paws, which don’t look swollen or tender. It is more like a person would rub their feet after a long day of hiking.

After attending to his team’s needs, Robert gives some time to the press corps. Yes, he acknowledges that his team looks good, and remains exactly on schedule. Yes, he said he feels good. Yes, he said he knows he has a lot of fans in Europe, especially Norway. Yes, he agrees that if he wins it will be good for the sport he loves. Yes, he says again, “It is good.”

It is good.


THE CHALLENGE

We found Ramy Brooks camped along the trail, thirteen air miles outside Koyuk, awake and looking for Robert to come along. Robert was preparing his team to leave as we departed Koyuk in the Otter.

We heard from Race officials this morning that Robert was taking a short break in the checkpoint of Elim when Ramy came and went, much like he did in Koyuk. Presumably, then, Ramy got his team up and going right after Robert passed. When Ramy leapfrogged past him in Elim, Robert promptly gave chase.

Ramy Brooks’ team rests thirteen miles out of Koyuk after taking the lead in Iditdarod XXI

Ramy was reported to have passed the village of Golovin, about 21 miles from here. But Robert wasn’t seen by anyone to come through. This aroused some speculation for a while that Ramy was holding on to his lead. But local folks out scouting on snowmachines before sunup confirmed that Robert was in the lead, and close to town.

Robert has gained over an hour on Ramy, since the Alaskan challenger hasn’t yet arrived in this village on the Fish River, where an eight hour rest is required by Race rules. But no matter what the outcome, this surely has been an exciting Race to follow.