whats happening?

Hi Friends and Family,

Things are still good around here. Paige has gone back to work and now Cody has taken overwith the race team. It has been extremely warm around here, which makes running dogs difficult. We have been getting the dogs out for some good runs in the White Mountains, Minto Flats and around our valley. Some pics from the whites..

Cody will be running the Chatanika 200 race starting March 12th at noon. This race goes from the Chatanika lodge out towards Chena Hot Springs and then back to Pleasant Valley Store in Two Rivers, AK. The dogs look good and Cody is excited. You can follow at http://www.trdma.org/ and click on the events and chatanika 200 links. Paige will be handling and may have access to update blog so check in if you have a chance.

Squid Acres

Page 74

Here is a video of a fellow mushers run over eagle summit. Page 74 Paige went over in the dark so had no video to share.

5th Place Finish!

Paige is in! The team rolled in at 10:45 am AK time looking good! Cain came in around 9:30 so Paige has Clinched 5th place. Good job. Now it is time to get the team home and rest. Check back later for stories from Paige. thanks.

Circle City Chef fuels Paiges fire.

Here is a story about the chef at the Circle City Checkpoint. I don't think 5 minutes went by without her asking if I wanted another burger... for 7 hours straight.. She shoved a double cheeseburger in Paige's hands and well, she had to eat it.. The volunteers in these communities are amazing and make this race so much fun. Thanks to all of them. Read here about the circle city chef... Yukon Quest

Who will come in first?

Sean Williams came in to the finish in Central in 3rd. Congrats! Cain left Circle a few minutes before Paige around midnight. They both had a 9 hour run into Circle. If they both have a similar run back, then we will have 4th and 5th place finishers in around 9 am. Check the Yukon Quest Facebook Page for more up - to - date info than the actual website. If you like following this race but thought that the official quest website was poorly done, please let the Yukon Quest know so it will be better in the future.

Paige in Circle City Checkpoint .. for now anyway :)

What a run folks. Paige and the pups did a 74 mile run from Central to Circle and got in just at dark around 6 pm. The run took her approximately 9 hours and the dogs were super happy and waggy. This stretch of trail followed Birch Creek for the entire route and was a fast nice trail all the way in. A few miles outside Circle she had great head on Passes with Sven who was already headed back towards Central. She dropped her Ipod that keeps her boogieing somewhere on the river so she put Sven on the task to find it on his way into his first place finish. A couple more miles down the trail she had another great head on pass with Magnus and gave him a high five and told him to catch Sven. Paige said the dogs have stepped it up a level and at this point she wishes she was signed up for the 1000 mile race and continuing down the Yukon River. Instead she'll get the dogs up around midnight and head back the 74 miles to Central to the finish line. Sven has just finished in first place and Magnus is expected in second. Way to go guys. Sean Williams left about an hour ago and is likely to get third although he has a broken runner and has been suffering on it since mile 101. The race is now on for 4th place. Cain came in 1 hour and 25 minutes before Paige, putting him currently in 4th. Throughout this race they have been moving at the same pace.. If that trend continues the 4th place finish will go to whomever leaves first.... who will it be? Lets hope it is Paige.

The race has been going great. All 4 teams in front of her come from Large Iditarod Racing Kennels. If Squid Acres can hang right behind with this low level of experience than good things are to come.

As for the rest of the 300 mushers, Harvey is on his way and due in Circle soon and Mike King and Travis I believe are still in Central for their mandatory layover. Check back around 9 am alaska time tommorow to see if Paige has finished and find out what place.

Central Checkpoint

Hi all, Paige and the pups rolled in in 5th place to Central last night about midnight after a succesful run over Eagle Summit. Sounds like the trail over the summit was great. In past years some bad things have happened to folks up there, but this year the conditions on the down side were awesome and everyone had a good run. Trail was a bit rough from the base of Eagle to Central, but the dogs came in looking like they could have continued forever. Paige had to stay for a mandatory 6 hour layover and decided to give the dogs a little extra rest.

The dogs were camped out in the park in Central and Paige was able to catch some sleep in the tight little musher cabin... she was lucky as the truck was mighty cold for this handler.

She pulled out around 8 am for her 75 mile run to Circle. At Circle she will rest the dogs and head on back to Central for the finish. Paige should be into Circle sometime around 4 or 5 pm this afternoon. Check back to see how she is doing.