Till the last team comes to the finish line, the ”Widows Lamp” will burn as always.

This year we had a great batch of rookie teams racing for the rookie of the year award. That of course was won by Dan Kaduce. Though a rookie to the Iditarod Dan is no mushing rookie. He had run a large number of races before entering the Iditarod and successfully completed many Yukon Quest sled dog races. He would be a good example of someone doing their homework and training well before entering the Iditarod. Though they weren’t the first rookies to cross the finsh line we should also note that Mike Willams Jr., Michelle Phillips and Peter Kaiser also had very competitive finishes coming in 26th, 27th, and 28th.  Each of them did a great job preparing  for and completing the Iditarod.

Dan Kaduce, who finished 21st,  said the the race seemed relative short to him.  Maybe that’s because one and all set a very fast pace this year. Along the trail the word amongst the race officials was there is no back of the pack this year, just the front of the pack and the middle pack. Everyone is running a fast pace and chances are they will all we across the finish line before the awards banquet.

Dan also commented that he was surprise by the constant changes of the landscape. The Iditarod , more than the Quest which  he has run many times, goes through a number of Alaskan environments from the south-central coastal forest, the Alaska Range mountains, the  interior forest and wide Yukon River to the vast open expanses of the frozen ocean of the Bering Sea coast. Mushers have everything thrown at them and get to see an Alaska that most only dream of. Each new landscape gives the mushers a feeling that they are making progress.

Lots of folks are still watching our Jamaican musher Newton Marshall’s progress up the trail and it looks like he’s doing a good job though some said he wasn’t enjoying the 40 below weather that the interior gave the mushers.

None the less he’s still on the go.

There’s lots of talk in Nome amongst the mushers of next year.  Some say they’ll never race again, some are planning already for next year. Others talk of taking a year off to run other races around the world. Dog trades are going on, breeding’s for puppies talked about.  Some mushers came across the finish line already talking of next year race. That’s the way  it always goes. Before one race is over another is being planned.

IDITAROD XXXVIII rookie musher Hank Debruin, (Bib #45) scratched at 5:08 p.m. Alaska Time (March 16, 2010) in Nulato Checkpoint.  The 47 year old musher from Haliburton, Ontario, Canada had 13 dogs on his team.  Debruin made the decision based on his team’s ability to continue to compete in the 2010 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.

IDITAROD XXXVIII Musher Lance Mackey (Bib # 49) arrived in Nome Alaska at 2:59 pm Alaska Time with 11 dogs, and is the first musher in Iditarod Race history to win four back to back Iditarod Championships.  Mackey gave all the credit to his team and his leaders… especially his three year old female Maple (last year’s Golden Harness winner).

Mackey also recognized the fact that there were no less than four other mushers that battled him all the way to White Mountain.  Even then, Mackey’s battle wasn’t over as the 2010 Yukon Quest Champion, Hans Gatt, continued to gain on Mackey’s team before running out of trail on Front Street.

Mackey’s team made it to Nome in 8 days, 23 Hours, 59 Minutes, 9 Seconds making him the second musher to ever eclipse the 9 day barrier. 4 time Iditarod Champion Martin Buser still holds the record.

But no one has ever accomplished what the incredible Lance Mackey has: win 4 straight Iditarod Championships. Mackey did say that he thinks he’s up for a fifth in 2011.

The lead teams at this point are all in White Mountain and Lance Mackey has just headed out on this final stretch to Nome.  All the dogs in the front 3 teams ate well here and all the mushers were exceedingly sleepy.

Both Lance and his team seemed revived after their 8 hour rest and the others most likely will be too. Although this is Lance’s race to lose at this point, the race isn’t over until the lead dog reaches the finish line.  Many Iditarods have been won and lost along this last 77 miles of trail.  Lance’s Dad, Dick Mackey took the lead to win his 1978 championship along this section.  Rick Swenson has taken over the lead a number of times along this section of trail as well.  I don’t expect Lance to falter in this run but as the saying goes, it isn’t over until it’s over.

Lance was greeted in White Mountain by his father Dick Mackey as a little bonus to his run.

As for other reflections at the front, John Baker is in White Mountain and if you look at his times and subtract the 5 hours he had the misfortune to spend outside of Cripple he would be right in the mix of this front pack now.  Ramey Smyth came into White Mountain with a strong looking team and reported losing his dog team out on Golovin Bay.  He ran after them for about an hour into the village of Golovin and there he found his team where they had luckily pulled in and parked themselves instead of heading all the way to White Mountain.

How do you know Nulato?  As a checkpoint on the Iditarod trail?  As a small village on the Yukon River?  Maybe you’ve learned a little history and know it began as a Russian trading post.  Being here for only 3 days, I’ve seen mostly the inside of the school and gym.  My journeys outside the building were limited to running out to check the temperature and wind speed.  Today I asked if I could be shown around the village.  I don’t think it’s fair to say I know about Nulato, unless I know more about it.

Bill offered to take me around Nulato on his snowmachine.  We began on the river, on the Iditarod Trail, and surprisingly he spotted a musher coming that I couldn’t even see.  Considering we are down to just a handful of mushers coming through, it was a gift that there was one on the trail for me to take pictures of.  He pointed out fox, rabbit, and lynx tracks.

A trip up to the cemetery was next.  I’m awed and amazed at the beauty of the wooden fences and crosses that embellish these sacred places.  Bill told me about the families buried there, who they were and their roles in the community.  He even pointed out his grandparents’ and parents’ final resting places. It was a history lesson given by someone who had lived it.

From the hill the cemetery is on, Bill pointed out the mouth of the Nulato River on which he would wind back into the hills to fish for grayling and other types of fish.   He showed me the mountains the other direction where he goes to hunt wolves and geese.

Around town I saw the airstrip, the electric plant, one of the stores, the tribal council building, two wash-a-terias, the post office and the city offices.  Bill pointed out the newly graveled road for expansion building.  When we reached the dump site, he mentioned that it is where wolves like to hang out. And he said up into the trees he hunts black and grizzly bears.

When we reached the mouth of the Nulato River, we stopped and I gazed down the Yukon into which it flows while Bill explained that the wolf skins weren’t good this year because there wasn’t enough snow.  And he described the breaking up of the river as a big celebration.  People sit along the river bank watching the  powerful display of nature.  Back down onto the river and the Iditarod Trail where there are tripod trail markers.  He said, “See where the wolf tracks run alongside the rabbit tracks? The wolf was probably running after the rabbit.  Amazing, isn’t it?”

And I thought to myself, “Isn’t this – ALL of this – Bill – Nulato – Amazing?” Now I KNOW Nulato.

By Nulato Jane

Jeff King gave his dogs a little more rest last night at Koyuk.  At this point we’d have to say that this is Lances’ race to lose.  But remember that happened two years ago when the rolls were reversed, Jeff was in first place coming into Elim and Lance went on to win.

Though both Lance and Jeff might like to back the pace off a little they are keenly aware that Hans Gatt is breathing down their necks and posting faster travel times.  All three front teams look great.

In the middle of the night at Koyuk when the teams arrived, all the mushers seemed exhausted, cold and mentally stressed because they came into Koyuk on a different trail over the sea ice than they had used in previous years.  The new trail  may have added an additional 5-6- miles to the run.

The situation now is with a mandatory 8 hour layover at White Mountain,  even if your team is a little slower… it’s hard to get caught before the finish in Nome if you have much of a lead.  Nothing is impossible and anything is possible yet.

IDITAROD XXXVIII rookie musher Emil Churchin, (Bib #53) scratched at 12:40 p.m. Alaska Time (March 15, 2010) in Ruby Checkpoint.  The 42 year old musher from Anchorage Alaska had 13 dogs on his team.  Churchin made the decision based on his team’s ability to continue to compete in the 2010 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.

These two guys remind me of something from Greek mythology, warriors traversing a battlefield with chariots led by half wild animals.  This may not only be one of the greatest Iditarods competitively ever but those of us standing out here along the Bering Sea ice watching this, feel we may be watching one of the greatest competitions in any sport.

To add to this mix the teams nipping at their heels aren’t rolling over or backing off.

On March 10^th, 2010 IDITAROD XXXVIII Musher Justin Savidis (Bib #10) lost one of his team members, Whitey, a three year old male, between Nikolai and McGrath Checkpoints.  Friday, (March 12, 2010) Justin Savidis scratched in McGrath in order to help McGrath Volunteers and the Iditarod Air Force continue to search.  Earlier today, Whitey was located and returned to McGrath in good condition.  Both Whitey and Justin Savidis are now back in Anchorage, Alaska.

Three- time Iditarod Champion Lance Mackey is the first to arrive at the Gold Coast community of Unalakleet in bold attempt to distance himself from the rest of the front runners. Mackey (Bib # 49) arrived in Unalakleet early this morning at 03:32 am Alaska Time with 12 dogs. Mackey’s team’s strong run from Kaltag to Unalakleet earned him the Wells Fargo “Gold Coast” Award.

The Wells Fargo Gold Coast Award includes a beautiful gold cup and $2,500 in gold nuggets. Mackey was presented the award and the gold nuggets by Scott Johnson, Nome Business Relationship Manager and Dave Cunningham, Unalakleet Advisory Board Member.

Unalakleet is strategically located on the coast of Norton Sound, just north of the Unalakleet River. There are only six more checkpoints remaining between Unalakleet and the burled arch of Nome.

The award will be re-presented to Mackey in Nome on Sunday, March 21^st, during the Iditarod Awards Banquet.

IDITAROD XXXVIII musher Warren Palfrey, (Bib #27) scratched at 7:00 p.m. Alaska Time (March 13, 2010) in Galena Checkpoint.  The 34 year old musher from Quesnel, British Columbia, Canada, had 10 dogs on his team when he made the decision.  Palfrey made his decision based on his team’s inability to continue to compete.

Jeff decided it was more prudent to rest his dogs and try to maintain his speed rather than chasing down the trail after Lance.  Jeff said with a smile on his face, “this guy really knows how to race”.

Someone once said that a great warrior deserves a great opponent.  These two have certainly found theirs.

Hugh Neff decided to follow Jeff’s lead and rest his dogs before trying to take over first place and Hans Gatt raced through Kaltag  to position himself closer to the championship.

All I know is we’re having trouble keeping up with these guys with snowmachines and airplanes so we’re off to Unalakleet to try keep up

As of this writing, the first 5 mushers into Nulato, have been greeted, parked, and checked in by the vigilant people of the village who will be there for the remaining field of racers as well.  “We love this race,” they say here.  Welcome home to Nulato!

IDITAROD XXXVIII musher Ryan Redington, (Bib #25) scratched at 3:30 p.m. Alaska Time (March 13, 2010) in Galena Checkpoint.  The 27 year old musher from Wasilla Alaska had 11 dogs on his team.  Redington made his decision because some members of his team were not feeling well. He felt it was in their best interest to scratch in Galena.

On March 10^th, 2010 IDITAROD XXXVIII Musher Justin Savidis (Bib #10) lost one of his team members, Whitey, a three year old male, between Nikolai and McGrath Checkpoints.  Since that time, Savidis has joined Alaska State Troopers on an aerial search but they were not able to locate Whitey.  All Iditarod Air Force Pilots traveling north and south of McGrath have been on the watch for Whitey from the air.  Local McGrath volunteers have also been looking for him on the ground via snowmachine.

Savidis remains in McGrath with his team in hopes that Whitey will be found and returned to him.

IDITAROD XXXVIII musher Tom Thurston, (Bib #68) scratched at 8:38 a.m. Alaska Time (March 12, 2010) in McGrath Checkpoint.  The 39 year old musher from Oak Creek Colorado had 9 dogs on his team when he made the decision.  Thurston cited his team’s performance as the main factor in making his decision. He is expected to run his team back to McGrath, where they will be transported to Anchorage.

IDITAROD XXXVIII Musher Jeff King (Bib # 15) arrived in Ruby Alaska at 03:08 am Alaska Time with 15 dogs, and is the first musher to Reach Mighty Yukon.  King was greeted by well wishers and an eight course meal courtesy of the Millennium Hotel Anchorage, proud “Lead Dog” Partner of “The Last Great Race to Nome.”

As the recipient of the “First Musher to the Yukon Award”, King was treated to an eight course meal prepared on camp stoves by Millennium’s Food and Beverage Manager Jared Leake.

This year’s menu included Alaskan king crab, bison stew, grilled halibut in citrus sauce, lemon sorbet, and much more, including a blackberry jubilee.  There was also an After Dinner Mint of $3500.00 in $1 bills!

The Millennium Alaskan Hotel “1^st to the Yukon” Award will be re-presented to King in Nome on Sunday, March 21st, during the Iditarod Awards Banquet at the Nome Recreation Center.

IDITAROD XXXVIII musher Karen Ramstead, (Bib #29) scratched at 8:00 p.m. Alaska Time (March 11, 2010) in McGrath Checkpoint.  The 45 year old musher from Perryville, (Alberta) Canada had 14 dogs on her team when she made the decision.  Ramstead scratched for personal reasons.