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| Heather Calls Mom from Checkpoint | Mar-20-2007 | |
Normally when the phone rings after 1 AM you may get upset and wonder who is calling at this hour. Today Heather's mom didn't mind getting woke from a sound sleep when Heather called her form the White Mountain checkpoint.
Heather said Odo, one of her lead dogs is "awesome!" Odo was bred from the kennel of 4-time chanpion Martin Buser. She also said one stretch of the trail left her breathless.
"The view along the Norton Sound was incrediable," Heather said.
Heather also relayed a story that could have had a tragic ending. Heather said during the stretch from Kaltag to Unalakleet she fell asleep and fell off her sled. The dogs kept going and soon were out of sight. Luckily for her Ellen Halverson was was trailing several miles behind her and gave her a ride up the trail. Don Smidt, who at the time was ahead of Heather, caught her team as they reached his and held them until she arrived with Halverson.
Heather says she is looking forward to a shower and lots of sleep. Guess what Heather, both wishes will be granted soon!
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| Heather arrives at White Mountain | Mar-19-2007 | |
Heather arrived at White Mountain about 6:30 pm AKDT (10:30 PM EDT) where she will take a mandatory 8-hour stop before continuing on the last 77 miles to Nome.
Bruce Linton arrived there about a 1/2 hour before Heather with no word yet on Smidt or Halverson.
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| Update on Linton/Smidt | Mar-19-2007 | |
Earlier reports had Donald Smidt leaving Elim about the same time as Heather at 11:13 AM AKDT today. This report was incorrect. Race officials have updated race records to show it was Bruce Linton who left with Heather. Smidt left about 4 hour later at 3:30 AKDT.
As of the 5:13 PM AKDT update, Ellen Halverson was still shown as being in Elim.
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| Heather Leaves Elim | Mar-19-2007 | |
After about a 10-hour rest, Heather and her 9 dog team left the Elim checkpoint at 11:13 am AKDT (3:13 pm EDT) headed for White Mountain. Don Smidt, who arrived in Elim at 9:10 AM this morning, rested his dogs for only two hours before leaving the checkpoint one minute before Heather. In Nome, race records give us no indication that Bruce Linton and Ellen Halverson left Elim.
As Don and Heather hit the trail, the temperature was about 6 below with no wind. The first part of this leg from Elim to Golovin will be 28 miles. It will be one of the more interesting with a variety of trail and terrain in a very short distance. The first ten miles follows the main snowmachine “highway” and is usually well marked and packed. The trail heads back out on the sea ice from Elim and runs a mile or two offshore to a cabin at Walla Walla, on the coast eight miles south of Elim. There will be a series of long, moderately hard grades and climbs over the Kwiktalik Mountains. The final summit is 1,000 feet at Little McKinley, about eight miles past Walla Walla and ten miles from Golovin. This is considered the hardest climb on the last half of the race. The trail then makes a fast descent to Golovin Bay for the last five miles to Golovin. This part of the leg should take about 3 to 4 hours. The trail over Little McKinley can range from icy and windswept to soft and punchy. When they reach Golovin they will sign the race record at the checkpoint and leave immediately for White Mountain.
The last 18 from Golovin to White Mountain can be a yawner (unless the wind is blowing or it’s snowing). The trail follows the main snowmachine route, running straight as an arrow for ten miles across Golovnin Lagoon, then winding gently around (with some gentle ups and downs) to cross the delta of the Fish River. The last few miles are on the river. There is sometimes overflow on the lagoon or river. This should take about two or three hours.
We estimate that Heather will arrive at the White Mountain Checkpoint between 5-6 PM AKDT this evening (9 to 10 PM EDT).
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| Next Stop White Mountain | Mar-19-2007 | |
Heather and Bruce made it to Elim! Bruce arrived at 1:06 AM and Heather and her 9 dog team at 1:14 AM AKDT (5:14 AM EDT). The run from Koyuk took roughly 5.5 hours.
Meanwhile Don Smidt left Koyuk at 10:30 PM and Ellen at 00:58 AM AKDT. Based on previous run times they will arrive in Elim about the time Bruce and Heather leave for White Mountain.
As we stated in an earlier post, Heather has now broken the 1000 mile mark. She has completed 1008 miles of the scheduled 1131 miles for this years race.
Heather will now take a brief rest before leaving for the 46 mile trip to White Mountain. This run to White Mountain is broken into two legs;28 miles to Golovin and then 18 more to White Mountain. Mushers stop in Golovin only long enoungh to sign the register. At White Mountain they must rest for 8 hours.
Look for Heather to leave Elim around 6 AM AKDT with an estimated arrival time at White Mountain set for noon. If she departs White Mountain after her 8 hour rest at 8 PM AKDT and you figure an estimated run time of 11 to 12 hours to Nome, she should arrive in at the finish line in Nome between 7 and 8 AM (11 and 12 EDT) on Tuesday, March 20th.
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