2024 (1000): Day 2 - Love An Uneventful Day! Bentalit (76.6) to Shell Lake (102.7)

Let me say again for those in the back...I love an uneventful day!  

As such, I have little to report tonight!

Ryan left a crowded Bentalit Lodge (76.6) shortly after my post at 6pm (AKST).  Matt Webb & Co. decided to hunker down at Bentalit in case the gaggle at Skwentna weren't stirring.  Ryan sounded on the fence as to what to do, but opted to push on to Skwentna. He reported it got down to -15 the night before, but that everyone seemed to be managing the significant swing in temperature (aka no frostbite issues).  He also said they got maybe 1.5 in. of snow, so nothing too terrible.

Arrived at Skewntna (86.6) around 9pm. Ate, showered, and caught up with some favorite trail friends.

Rumor had it that Shell Lake's cabins weren't shoveled out or stocked with wood for fires. Deciding any shelter would be welcomed, and that Nome wasn't going to come to him, he opted to press on ;-) Ryan arrived at Shell Lake right at noon today...to find wood-a-plenty and accessible cabins. Sad news to share that our dear friend Jeff Goldstein had to scratch due to a deteriorating meniscus. Heal fast my friend!

We discussed a bit about the slower speeds witnessed ahead, making a game out of guessing what was the cause. I thought I was pretty accurate with overexerted athletes inevitably slowing down on a technical part of the course....and maybe some snow.  Ryan went with this might be a pretty rough piece of trail...the Iron Dog race the ITI uses basically as trail breakers, took a different route over the pass.  I can't say that I'm wrong, but I'm betting he's right. Good news is that in a day or so, he can tell us himself!

Took off for Finger Lake (123) without much chatter...as sign I take that things are going well. It will be getting significantly colder in the next few days, so there's that to look forward to.

(Janky photo of the iPad while dreadmilling it this morning bleeblarblarb)

Oh! A Theo Challenge update!!

Tonight carrots were pitted against a red bell pepper. The carrot was chosen because it seems a common food to give dogs... Red peppers were a result of our last dog, George, who would only eat red-colored bell peppers...certainly not the cheaper, just fine green bell peppers.

As you can see, not a huge fan of either, but I'm calling this a win for CARROTS!

Last night, 6/44 entrants guessed correctly with cheese (Ryan was NOT among them). Tonight, 22/46 guessed correctly...including Ryan. Nice work, y'all! Next up: turkey lunch meat vs. ham lunch meat.