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Lance Mackey, Jason Mackey and the Mushing Mortician, Scot Janssen depart Unalakleet

Traffic has ebbed and flowed in the checkpoint all twenty-four hours.  At that place was a major exodus just before several teams rolled in.  Scott Janssen, Lance Mackey and Jason Mackey all decided to boot and pull out together.  About a half mile from the checkpoint, the teams pass under the Kouwegok Bridge.  It's a nice walk upwardly there only the timing is often tough.  I walked upwards there when Lance, Jason and Scott began booting their dogs.  It was an hour later that the three teams left the checkpoint and passed under the span.  The shot was worth waiting for and I'm glad the winds have died down and the temperatures have risen.

Allen Moore is here in Unalakleet and hasn't been able to proceed up to engagement on the forepart of the pack.  Allen is running the "SP" puppy team.  After finishing his dog duties, Allen cam into the checkpoint and read the almost recent stat sheet race comms could provide.  First he said, "Wow."  Then he said, "Wow."  The first was probably addressing the lead Dallas Seavey has sitting in White Mountain.  The 2nd "Wow" might have been seeing Aliy is out of Elim and in 5th place.  Allen'southward young dogs were quick to bed downwards.  The ii pictured beneath must be very best friends.

Best Friends

Best friends on Allen Moore's team

When I returned from he span, Matt Failor had come up into the checkpoint.  He's very photogenic.  I have a very similar photo from ii years ago – big smile while massaging wrists.  Matt was very happy with his team.  Looking at the electric current stats, he's decided to rest a couple of hours then shoot right through Shaktoolik to Koyuk. He figures to catch a few teams on the way.  Showtime though before his nap, there were four Peace on Earth Pizzas waiting for him in the checkpoint. As a perfect host, Matt opened the boxes and put the pizzas out for the locals, volunteers and mushers to savor.  Matt sends a big thank you to Nicole Sopkins and Family.  Nicole and family sponsor ane of Matt's dogs, Two-Face.  2-Face is looking adept hither in Unalakleet and so are Fuse and Rebel.

Rick Casillo is also on the slough hither resting.  Rick's kennel carries the name Boxing Dawgs.  He'due south teamed upwards with Alaska's Healing Hearts, an organization serving the boxing wounded and boxing weary.  Rick is happy to be in Unalakleet and occupy with how his dogs have been running.  With his affiliation with our country's veterans, information technology'due south not surprising to meet camo coats on his canines.

Yvonnie Debakk is in with her predominately Siberian squad.  Each dog'due south proper noun is written on its neckband.  I happened to notice 1 named Civic.  Yvonne's hubby was standing off to the side, then I asked if that litter of pups was named after Honda cars.  Yes indeed!  Civic has a brother named Prelude.  Mother to Civic and Prelude is Honda.

Three time rookie, Chuck Schaeffer had checked into Unalakleet too.  Schaeffer wore his trademark hat while bedding his dogs down and doing other dog chores.  Schaeffer wasn't having the run he had planned but with he dogs he has left on his line things are going good.

Vets

Vets Kim Henneman and Debbie Hadlock exam a Chuck Schaeffer dog

When the teams get in in a checkpoint they are treated past the vets who showtime ask the mushers if they take any concerns near their dogs.  Then the vets become to work addressing concerns and examining all the dogs using the HAW& L acronymn.  H = hear and hydration, A = attitude and ambition, West = weight and the L = legs and lungs.  Vets in each checkpoint communicate with vets further down the trail through the vet notebook which is mandatory equipment.