Great Photos of Pete headed into Unalakleet! Thanks Don!!
Pete’s Official Unalakleet IN Time
Ruby to Unalakleet
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Mar 152010
I was right. Pete and fellow Musher Thomas Lesatz were traveling together. Pete arrived in Unalakleet 10 minutes before Lesatz at 13:47 with 11 Dogs. I would guess that he will rest here and then continue to Shaktoolik.
Paul Ivanoff is going to try to get some photos for us from the Unalakleet checkpoint.
In other news, Lance Mackey is In and Out of Elim! Going for a record?
Kaltag Vet Check
Contributions from the Trail, Ruby to Unalakleet
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Mar 152010
Our Iditarider, Gail has once again been straining the web for Kaiser photos and stuff.
Here’s her new find: Jeff Schultz photos, a nice site for photos that you can buy prints. Check it out here!
Here is a sampling of the Vet Check in Kaltag:
Vet Check Kaltag
Vet Check Kaltag
Pete and a Dog Doc in Kaltag
Pete is into Kaltag
Ruby to Unalakleet
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Mar 142010
Word has been a bit slow from the trail and the tracker was down, so we were in a bit of a black hole there for a bit!!
Pete was into Kaltag at 2:05pm with 12 dogs.
Pete made excellent time into Kaltag from Nulato. He posted a 4 hours and 9 minute run for the trip. We’ll see whether he heads out, or takes a break and makes the next run to Unalakleet in the afternoon/evening. He’ll say good-bye to the mighty Yukon River and head for Old Woman’s Cabin and the Bering Sea from here. From Moose hunters on one side, to Seal hunters on the other. Go Man GO!
Thanks to our Iditarider that pointed me to this interview. Enjoy!
Interview in Galena, Mar. 13, 2010.
Pete left Nulato at 9:56am this morning.
Day 8- Onward to the Bering Sea
Ruby to Unalakleet, Trail Tails
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Mar 142010
As the competition heats up between Jeff King and Lance Mackey as well as the other front runners in Unalakleet, the weather is about to do the same.
Predictions for Tuesday are a dramatic warming trend. From the looks for the surface chart, it could happen a bit sooner than that if the High Pressure that has been producing this perfect mushing weather dissipates.
Pete and the team have a 42 mile run into Kaltag, and then one of the longest runs of the race, 90 miles into Unalakleet. He will leave the mighty Yukon and head for the hills as he heads for Unalakleet. By late tonight or early tomorrow morning, the team will be able feeling the winds of the Bering Sea.
At Nulato, he is 351 miles from the finish line and 646 miles from the restart in Willow. So he is 2/3 done with the race, with one of the more difficult stretches below if the weather doesn’t cooperate.
A quick play with statistics shows this:
He left Takotna on 3/11 at Noon. He got into Nulato, 317 miles down the trail at 01:59am and 62 hours later. This gives him an average speed including layovers of a bit over 5mph. (The Ruby mandatory 8 layover would pretty much have matched his run/rest schedule) Now that doesn’t include the Nulato rest period which will make his average a bit slower.
My prediction for his finish is Wednesday late or Thursday early. (Hopefully without storm)
The day ahead:
LOWER KOYUKUK AND MIDDLE YUKON VALLEYS-
INCLUDING…GALENA…NULATO…HUSLIA…KALTAG…RUBY…KOYUKUK
316 AM AKDT SUN MAR 14 2010
.TODAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. HIGHS 5 BELOW TO 5 ABOVE.
NORTHWEST WINDS TO 10 MPH.
EASTERN NORTON SOUND AND NULATO HILLS-
INCLUDING…UNALAKLEET…STEBBINS…ST MICHAEL…ELIM…KOYUK…
SHAKTOOLIK
316 AM AKDT SUN MAR 14 2010
.TODAY…SUNNY. HIGHS 5 BELOW TO 10 BELOW. NORTH WINDS TO 10 MPH.
.TONIGHT…MOSTLY CLEAR. LOWS 15 BELOW TO 25 BELOW.
NORTH WINDS TO 10 MPH.
Nulato to Kaltag
Kaltag Trail
Kaltag 3-14-2010 am
Into Nulato
Ruby to Unalakleet, Trail Tails
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Mar 142010
Pete and the team were into Nulato at 1:59am. Expecting he will be back on the trail by 9. (Clocks were “sprung” ahead last night)
Mar 142010
You’ll enjoy these! Thanks to Paul and Isabella in Galena!
Pete in Galena
In Galena
In Galena
Out of Galena for Nulato
Ruby to Unalakleet, Trail Tails
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Mar 132010
Pete was out of Galena at 7:45pm. He is sticking to is run/rest schedule. He rested for 6 hours and is off to Nulato with 12 dogs. Teams have been averaging 6 hours from Galena to Nulato, so I would expect the team in to Nulato by 1:30- 2:00am.
He is currently showing 1/2 way from Galena to Nulato. Current weather conditions are pretty cold at -19 with a 5 mph headwind for Pete and his team. Wind chills are going to be pretty cold tonight. I anticipate a 5-6 hour rest in Nulato for Pete and his team.
Nulato Trail
Nulato Trail
Nulato Village
Pete and his team checked into Galena at 1:34pm this afternoon with 12 dogs.
He is currently running in 33rd place according to the Current Standings and was also the 33rd musher into Galena. He has completed all layovers, but on his rest/run schedule, I anticipate a rest in Galena before heading to Nulato.
Cub Reporters- Paul and Isabella Apfelbeck- Pete in Galena
Contributions from the Trail, Ruby to Unalakleet
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Mar 132010
Paul and Isabella Apfelbeck were gracious enough to make sure they got us the photos right away! Team looks pretty darn good doesn’t it? So does Pete!
Coming In to Galena
Coming in to Galena
Signing in at Galena
Talking with Checker in Galena
Mackey leaves Kaltag with no Stop
Iditarod News, Ruby to Unalakleet
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Mar 132010
Jeff King reached Kaltag about 45 minutes before Lance Mackey, but Mackey has decided to stay on the trail while King rests in Kaltag. This should prove exciting. It is an interesting strategy and this might be the deal maker/breaker for both mushers.
Meanwhile back in our neck of the woods, Pete reached Galena about 30 minutes ago.
Weather in the area is typical for this time of year when not under the influence of storm activity. Very Cold nights, but Sunny days that warm the air dramatically. Long range forecast should be fairly similar weather as the State of Alaska is under the influence of two very large air masses that are not moving. There is a low in the Gulf of Alaska, but it appears not to be causing any dramatic changes for the area short term.
Current Weather- Galena, Alaska (Airport)
Updated: 1:58 PM AKST on March 13, 2010
-5 °F Clear
Windchill: -19 °F
Humidity: 54%
Dew Point: -18 °F
Wind: 7 mph Variable
Pressure: 29.73 in (Steady)
Visibility: 10.0 miles
Forecast-
Tonight
Mostly clear. Lows 25 below to 35 below. Light winds. Partly Cloudy.
Sunday
Mostly sunny. Highs 5 below to 5 above. Northwest winds 5 to 10 mph.
Current Iditarod Status Race Leader to Cripple:
16-20 Miles from Galena
Ruby to Unalakleet, Trail Tails
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Mar 132010
Ruby Out Time
Ruby to Unalakleet, Trail Tails
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Mar 132010
Pete was Officially out of Ruby at 7:48am with 12 Dogs.
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