Anna and Kristy pulled into Ophir, race mile 352, a little after 7:30am Thursday. Their initial tentative plan did not have them staying in this checkpoint for long. Then again, that initial plan also included the 20 mile loop out to Flat and left open variables for weather, the dogs' needs, and a whole lot of unpredictable miscellaneous.
Whatever the logic behind it, the twins did ultimately rest in Ophir for nearly four and a quarter hours. They pulled their snow hooks around 11:50 am, and they both left with 12 dogs each. So at least that alleviates the concern that their change in plan was indicative of a problem with a dog.
They seemed to have really good speed along the trail, and I spotted them cruising along at over 9mph at mile 400, forty-eight miles from their last stop. They pulled over for a trailside camp shortly thereafter at mile 403. I'm sure they'll feed the dogs and let them rest for a good 4 hours or a little more before mushing the remaining 29 miles or so of the 80-mile stretch to the checkpoint of Iditarod.
And this may ultimately prove wise planning, as not long after they're hunkered down they'll see their first incoming team on the return southern route of this year's race. Dallas Seavey was the first musher to leave Iditarod and begin the return trip just before 3pm Thursday, and I could see his tracker within miles of the twins.
I'll be very curious to hear musher accounts later on both their own and their dogs' reactions to head on traffic. It's a new phenomenon in the Iditarod. The twins didn't think it would be a big deal, and might even give the dogs a little pep from seeing another dog team. Plus there are lots of mushers around their home base in Willow/Knik using the trails, and meeting another incoming team is fairly routine.
Race rules were modified to account for this as it pertains to passing rules and trail etiquette. The bottom line is the returning team headed south has the right of way. Outbound teams yield to them. When dealing with one-lane trail, this will probably prove a bit of a nuisance, but not nearly to the degree it would if they were on heavily tree-lined trail or hills. This section of trail is reasonably flat, open, and it sounds like it has good snow, and it's really the only section of trail that will feasibly see much mush two-way traffic.
And we have one less team on the trail. Rookie Christopher Parker scratched in McGrath feeling it was in the best interests of his dogs. That leaves 41 mushers on the trail, with the trailing couple of mushers in McGrath. With Dallas at mile 473, that gives a current spread to the field of 162 race miles.
Whatever the logic behind it, the twins did ultimately rest in Ophir for nearly four and a quarter hours. They pulled their snow hooks around 11:50 am, and they both left with 12 dogs each. So at least that alleviates the concern that their change in plan was indicative of a problem with a dog.
They seemed to have really good speed along the trail, and I spotted them cruising along at over 9mph at mile 400, forty-eight miles from their last stop. They pulled over for a trailside camp shortly thereafter at mile 403. I'm sure they'll feed the dogs and let them rest for a good 4 hours or a little more before mushing the remaining 29 miles or so of the 80-mile stretch to the checkpoint of Iditarod.
And this may ultimately prove wise planning, as not long after they're hunkered down they'll see their first incoming team on the return southern route of this year's race. Dallas Seavey was the first musher to leave Iditarod and begin the return trip just before 3pm Thursday, and I could see his tracker within miles of the twins.
I'll be very curious to hear musher accounts later on both their own and their dogs' reactions to head on traffic. It's a new phenomenon in the Iditarod. The twins didn't think it would be a big deal, and might even give the dogs a little pep from seeing another dog team. Plus there are lots of mushers around their home base in Willow/Knik using the trails, and meeting another incoming team is fairly routine.
Race rules were modified to account for this as it pertains to passing rules and trail etiquette. The bottom line is the returning team headed south has the right of way. Outbound teams yield to them. When dealing with one-lane trail, this will probably prove a bit of a nuisance, but not nearly to the degree it would if they were on heavily tree-lined trail or hills. This section of trail is reasonably flat, open, and it sounds like it has good snow, and it's really the only section of trail that will feasibly see much mush two-way traffic.
And we have one less team on the trail. Rookie Christopher Parker scratched in McGrath feeling it was in the best interests of his dogs. That leaves 41 mushers on the trail, with the trailing couple of mushers in McGrath. With Dallas at mile 473, that gives a current spread to the field of 162 race miles.
