The Northern Lights Came to Play

As of this writing, Ryan is in the homestretch...of the 350 version of the race. It's funny to thing two years ago we were all frustrated because we had spend 7 days following that little blue (orange really) dot along the Iditarod Trail, only to have his batteries die around the Nikolai checkpoint.  We had invested so much to be unable to root him on those last few miles.

Well, this time he has a functioning tracker and we get to follow along as he nears McGrath...we just have another 20 (!!) more days of dot watching ahead of us. Man, that seems daunting and I'm writing from the couch in the 70 degree comfort of the little Sturgis bunker....

Okay, enough reminiscing and on to the update.   After a series of trail naps (but now that I think about it...maybe stops to take a second and look up at the light show!) and maybe yucky trails, Ryan made the turn towards Nikolai and was a horse to the Mile 258.5 barn!  We're still communicating largely by inReach sat device, so I heard snippets from Ryan throughout the day (largely asking for score updates on Coach Bertsch's playoff game, but also rubbing in that he saw lots of lights the night before) and then once he got settled at Nikolai around 10pm AKST (we really need to work on his process, as I waited up to hear from him, as I saw he actually arrived around 9pm...I mean, can't you fire off a text first and then eat and warm up after?!?!). He said he just downed a double burger, felt good, and was going to get a "real sleep here."  Sounds like the new checkpoint/finish line accommodations are a bit tighter than before, and so racers were having to still bivy outside to sleep.  It does look like things have cleared out a bit with a lot of the 1000 mile bikers starting the next leg, so hopefully he can get a warm spot on the floor...and get the shirt he's been rocking since the start washed (I've already got a new shirt ordered since this one is certainly toast!)

Shortly before he took off I got a text from a random 215 area code (Philly apparently) with a couple photos and a note that Ryan asked to have these shared, that he is "doing very well and has some nice rest in Nikolai" ...turns out they were sent by George, the wonderful volunteer running the Nikolai checkpoint....thank you George!!

Northern Lights show in between Rohn and Nikolai

Fellow midwesterner and RD for the 24hrs. of Cumming gravel bike race, Steve Cannon (sans beard 🙀)

Ryan now has 47 miles before reaching McGrath.  According to Weatherman Rick, temps will be ideal, wind minimal, and I *think* sun??  McGrath is Checkpoint #8/ITI 35 Finish, Mile 306.  You may say, um, Emily, that math doesn't completely add up.  While I don't think anyone is really complaining about that (and if they are, I'm sure they're free to spin circles around the finishing lodge...), it's not quite 350 because (thankfully) they don't have to use the Hell's Gate route when Rainy Pass is passable...going the Hell's Gate route adds about 40 miles and makes people cranky just thinking about it.  If you were following along in 2020, you may remember Hendra's romp around Rainy Pass...he was headed that way...until he wasn't...and then he was again...and then he wasn't (probably the most excitement this dot watcher has ever had!)

I'd anticipate him arriving sometime tomorrow morning and hopefully he remembers the signs and people indicating 5 miles to McGrath are LYING...should prevent the waning speeds of disillusionment from last time haha!

Speaking of the McGrath finish...it's fitting to be discussing Ryan at Nikolai at the same time our two friends Jeff and Faye just finished their second ITI 350.  Why is it fitting?  Because 2x Women's Foot Champ Faye took one of my most favorite ITI pictures ever at the Nikolai checkpoint in 2020.  The story goes Faye ate a salmon burger and had a massive allergic reaction...being in the middle of a winter ultra, Faye wasn't frequently looking in a mirror and just assumed what felt like a little puffiness around her eyes was water retention due to, you know, 250+miles and maybe a slight electrolyte imbalance....Ryan arrived at the checkpoint a couple hours after Faye and Jeff and proclaimed, "OMG Faye, what happened to your face?!?!  Can I take a picture?!?!"  

Here is a picture of Faye normally:

Here is a picture of Faye post salmon burger at Nikolai:

She was fine a few hours later, but the laughs the story/picture have provided have lasted years! 

Major congrats to Jeff and Faye, who not only finished their 2nd ITI 350, but shaved basically a day and a half off their previous time!  Beasts!!