Iditarod Ophir to Nikolai

On Friday, the team left Ophir (south for the return journey and 2nd time here) at 2:46pm AKDT. Four and half hours later, they were at it again. When we checked, the team was averaging a solid 8.3mph. Go, Ryne go!

A little night run brought them into McGrath at 12:26am for a slightly longer break of 5 hours and 19 minutes. The temperature was cold here last night and the same was true for the Iditarod team. Cold weather is a mushers friend since dogs tend to run and eat better when they’re not overheated. Ryne left McGrath at 5:45am with 12 dogs.

Plenty of mushers sent a second sled to McGrath. Ryne did this and planned on switching to it. The second sled is light-weight and fast. However, after running over the trail once already, she’s sticking to the DogPaddle that she began the race with. It’s a well-built, robust sled and perfect for keeping control in tough conditions. So, continue to keep your eye out for the Ryno colors of teal and purple that form her sled bag!

6 days, 2 hours, and over 50 minutes into the race. Ryne is currently resting at Nikolai checkpoint. She’s taking her first mandatory 8-hr rest out of two. The dogs and musher alike are soaking in the sun rays. 247 miles to go!

Tyler and Kelsey, good friends of the kennel, picked up Uno in Anchorage and are loving on her until the end of the race when she’ll join the rest of the team for the return trip home to Two Rivers. She was a “doggy pogo stick.” That’s Uno for you!