Day 22-23: Golovin (881) - Topkock Cabin (923)

At the time of this writing, Ryan has weathered the storm hitting the western coast of Alaska and is heading to the Topkock shelter cabin. The trail seems to be okay, as speeds indicate more bike riding than pushing or post holing.

Ryan arrived in Golovin after a substantial push to get as far along the trail as possible before said storm hit.  Frank 'n Friend stayed up until 4am when he arrived, only to be back at school at 8am.  Ryan was blown away by their hospitality, but not at all surprised.  Ryan repaid (??) Frank's hospitality for sharing a picture of me with my office mascot, Rebecca the Raccoon (don't ask why and just don't ask hahaha).

He was able to get some napping in, laundry done, and plan out the remainder of his journey (to the best of his ability, unsure what the trail conditions would be like).  He was greeted to ham and potatoes upon arrival, treated to moose sandwiches for lunch (which I'd like to say he helped prepare, but from the photos it looked more like overseeing sandwich prep), and Frank hosted him to moose chili for dinner.  Somewhere during all of that he acquired his beloved chips and canned nacho cheese.

 

 

(School lunch, Golovin, AK-style)

The storm was certainly a thing, with sustained winds of 30+mph, gusting to 50+mph at times.  There wasn't much snow accumulation, so it was just a matter of drifting.  The walkers put up remarkable speeds overnight during the storm, so I think the beta he had indicated good vibes only (okay, there was some finger and toe crossing)! He slept in the school gym, but was up early because of so much day sleep...this meant a decent start to the day, with a cooperative trail hoping to get him easily to a quick stop at Trail Angel Joanna's house (the White Mountain CP, mile 897.5) before moving on to the night's destination of Topkock cabin (923).  Have nachos, will travel!

We chatted a bit about his goals to finish in the light tomorrow ("I don't want Nora (Nome Trail Angel) to have to wait in the dark") and flights back to Anchorage and home.  He sounds excited to get to Nome, less excited to get back to work in Sioux Falls (understandable).  Temps look to be decent and wind quite manageable as he hits the second most nerve-wracking part of the 1000 mile course tomorrow, the Blowhole (here's video of Jay Cable's 2018 experience to get a sense of what a night crossing in less than optimal weather looks like!).  After that, it's the "check point" in Safety (it's only a bar in the middle of nowhere during the dog sled race, for those coming after it's a couple of structures that provide some protection from the elements while taking a rest). From there it's a cool 22 miles to Nome (okay, maybe a few hills thrown in at the end for good measure).  

For those interested in "watching" the finish, the best option is the Nome Cam.  The burl arches might be tucked away around the corner (much to his aunts' dismay...good effort y'all, thanks for trying!!), but I know we'll all be "there" in spirit.  Enjoy this tail end to your epic journey Ryan, we're all so excited for you!