Off Road TTT (doubles) Racing

[alaska teardrop]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAHa-6VkUQY

[Fenlason]

Wow! that looks like a rough ride. I was surprised at the lack of snow also...

[alaska teardrop]

Hi Glenn,

That stretch of the trail has always been notoriously difficult, this year it was terrible. It literally busted up a number of mushers & sleds. In fact, a dozen racers where unable to continue. While much of the lower 48 states have had an unusually cold & snowy winter, much of Alaska has had a warmer than normal winter. On the bright side, the rest of the trail has been good & fast.

BTW, my favorite to win, Ali Zirkle, just left Kaltag & the Yukon River in the lead on her way over the pass to Unalakleet on the Bering Sea - my old stomping grounds. But, it's a tight race with a long way to go.

http://iditarod.com/race/2014/standings/

[Fenlason]

I was surprised to see "them" run on bare ground. I would think that is hard on the sled, and hard for the dogs.

The first time the sled tipped, and he "called" for them to stop. I was like cool.. that worked well… well most of the times after that..that did not work quite so good.

[alaska teardrop]

I was surprised to see "them" run on bare ground. I would think that is hard on the sled, and hard for the dogs.

It is certainly hard on sleds & mushers, but not dogs. After all, dogs are one of those creatures that Mother Nature made to run in all conditions. And, unlike pet house dogs, mushing huskies are conditioned & trained to run in the wilderness. Mushers train & use their dogs without snow in the off season using 4-wheelers in place of sleds. Running on dirt produces fewer injures than snow & ice, because the dogs can see where they are stepping & they don't slip or step in holes made by moose ect.

Ali Zirkle first into Unalakleet: http://iditarod.com/race/2014/standings/

Story on trail & weather conditions today: http://iditarod.com/musher/march-8-unk- ... sea-coast/

Glenn, have you considered bikejoring with your fat bike? Fred

[alaska teardrop]

The first time the sled tipped, and he "called" for them to stop. I was like cool.. that worked well… well most of the times after that..that did not work quite so good.

Ya, difficult to set the brake in frozen dirt!

[Fenlason]

I was surprised to see "them" run on bare ground. I would think that is hard on the sled, and hard for the dogs.

It is certainly hard on sleds & mushers, but not dogs. After all, dogs are one of those creatures that Mother Nature made to run in all conditions. And, unlike pet house dogs, mushing huskies are conditioned & trained to run in the wilderness. Mushers train & use their dogs without snow in the off season using 4-wheelers in place of sleds. Running on dirt produces fewer injures than snow & ice, because the dogs can see where they are stepping & they don't slip or step in holes made by moose ect.

Ali Zirkle first into Unalakleet: http://iditarod.com/race/2014/standings/

Story on trail & weather conditions today: http://iditarod.com/musher/march-8-unk- ... sea-coast/

Glenn, have you considered bikejoring with your fat bike? Fred

I only meant hard on the dogs.. as in I would think the sled would be hard pulling on bare ground.. so not so much hard on them as in more work. Although from the work he had trying to stop and or slow them down.. I guess that isn't so much a problem. I have a friend that has done bike and skijoring. I like my making my own power.

[rowerwet]

I've seen them training the dogs near here using a jeep, those dogs love to pull!

[alaska teardrop]

I only meant hard on the dogs.. as in I would think the sled would be hard pulling on bare ground.. so not so much hard on them as in more work. Although from the work he had trying to stop and or slow them down.. I guess that isn't so much a problem. I have a friend that has done bike and skijoring. I like my making my own power.

You'd probably pass the dogs anyway.

Jeff King, the musher in the video, could very well win his fifth Iditarod. King just arrived in White Mountain with Ali Zirkle 57 minutes later. After an eight hour break, it's a 77 mile race to Nome.

[Fenlason]

Wow that is an amazing photo. I do love playing outside in winter and winter adventures. We do have some mushers and sled dogs here.. and or seeing video of others… they do sooo love to run.

[alaska teardrop]

Jeff King hit the wall. Dallas Seavey & Ali Zirkle are a couple of hours from Nome.

http://iditarod.com/race/2014/standings/

Ali is 19 minutes behind Dallas, but Ali has 2 1/2 hours rest & 3 more dogs headed into strong winds.

[alaska teardrop]

Dallas Seavey won by 2 minutes.

[Fenlason]

Dallas Seavey won by 2 minutes.

Wow! that's a close race.