Rookie all gone......

"I'm loving this!" That's the first thing I heard this morning just past midnight when Zoya arrived in McGrath. She smoked down from Nikolai in just over 6 hours---one of the faster runs from there. Zoay broke her sled in the Dalzell---the product of too much rest mostly. The team was flying and that is not the place for fast travel. The left stantchion sheared at the base. She manged to glue it back together with a hockey stick, but the brake isn't working well. That is likely the reason for the long, long, long time in the burn. word from the trail was that there was a fair amount of dirt, and a few rocks. She fiddled around in McGrath looking for another sledd----decided not to switch out but use some of the equipment and parts she has with her to do a solid repair at her 24 in Takotna. the Iditarod site shows her running 47th now, but that is deceiving; she hasn't 24'd so when whe comes off from that she will be in the low 6o's. Her team looks real good though and if she should decide to race, there are a lot of teams she will pick-up by the coast. Her run to Takotna was much faster than the Idit. site shows--they show her out of there at 1:13, when she physically left the clinic yard at 1:35. She went in and out with Sebe and Bridle up front and Peak running single swing. The dogs were bouncy andthe girl focused.
Robin was doing her bounce and croak routine and all of the dogs were whining and straining to go. "They are getting stronger now." she told me with a little wonder in her voice. She hasn't seen this before because she hasn't been beyond 300 miles. She is taking excellent care of them--their weights are all like they were at the start, and I think that Peak, who is a real tough keeper, is heavier than she was. It was good to see the team in such high spirts. I even got to pet my 'baby"; Hunter. She is in Takotna for her 24---I will see about getting a ride into there this morning. later, john

You come thru the burn with minimal brakes and you no longer can call yourself "rookie"