FINALLY!
Dust off and oil the mapping servers!
Send out the drones!
The season is starting!
Today is race day for the Solstice Invitational.
Sarah is running the 50 miler, Shawn the 20 mile race.
Both names should ring a bell if you follow @ataokennel.bsky.social.
And if you don't why don't you?
Now, though the Two River Dog Musher Asociation has a website, the info available is very limited.
This makes the race different from what you are used to, as there is barely any info available. No trail, no trackers, no spreadsheets (GASP!).
This will be like in Ye Goode Olde Tymes.
We do have some info, though.
Well enough info to speculate.
We _are_ a mushing tabloid, after all.
As Will carried his personal tracker when he did the race in 2019, we know a bit about the course.
Of course today's course could be completely different, but since the checkpoints are the same and this runs along a valley, how many options do they have?
Checkpoints:
Both races start at the Pleasant Valley Store in Two Rivers, Alaska.
After running for 20 / 50 miles, the races will end at the Pleasant Valley Store in Two Rivers, Alaska?
... wait one, I have to have a talk to my sources.
Well, turns out this is correct. If we assume the race follows Will's trail from 2019, the Pleasant Valley is placed right in the middle of the round course.
Plus, the Western lobe is conveniently about 20 miles long.
So please make sure to send your good luck wishes skywards for a great race for everybody and, well, let's pretend it's 1970 and wait for someone to tell us the result. :)
I'm not on the clock but old habits die hard: Shawn and Sarah from @ataokennel.bsky.social left the chute between 11am and 12pm local time! (That's 3-4pm Eastern.) Shawn should be done around 2:30pm local! If you, too, want to know these things, become a Buddy! ataokennel.com/be-a-buddy/#UglyDogs