Rootin for Newton! Iditarod starts today!

[Nanook]

News article about Newton helping the injured man o the trail...

here is a great news article, Newton really was a angel, the man Newton helped was seriously hurt, had spent a couple of hours unconscious and then he fell in the river and broke his ankle. Newton I am sure was a great help in this man's time of need. Here is a link to the article:

http://news.yahoo.com/iditarod-musher-flown-hospital-ordeal-195422206.html?soc_src=mediacontentsharebuttons

Newton left Nikolai a few hours ago and must have gotten some good benefit from his rest as he was just cruising along at 9.8MPH a few minutes ago. I think there are more stretches ahead with no snow but soon once they hit the snow the rest of the trip should be a piece of cake.

Right now Newton is on his way to McGrath from Nikolai which is a 48 mile stretch of trail. He is in 44th place and still has 15 of his 16 dogs he started with. Given the circumstances this is amazing. Seasoned long time Iditarod mushers like Deedee Jonrow, people who are fixtures of this race gave up the fight before or in Nikolai, mostly because they were injured or sleds broke beyond being able to continue or had injured dogs.

It's time to start planning that finishing line party because if getting to Nikolai didn't stop him, I think he will get to Nome no problem!

[Nanook]

Newton's rescue, Alaska Dispatch

I haven't checked the race yet except Newton is on his way from McGrath, I'll be back later with more but here is another story of Newton coming to the "mushin Morticians" rescue. It sounds as though our guy deserves an award at the end of race ceremonies for this. He might have gotten one last year if he hadn't lost a dog helping soeone else in distress, that cost him the race. How can you not love Newton Marshall!

There is a wonderful picture of Newton in the article as well:

http://www.alaskadispatch.com/article/20140305/iditarod-musher-marshall-recounts-coming-aid-injured-janssen

I borrowed this picture from Newton's page. It shows the beating the sleds, as well as mushers riding them, are taking on the snowless frozen trail as they hit tree stumps and jagged rocks. Once again, file to large to post so you must click to see it in it's ugliness..

https://scontent-b-ord.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1/1797618_236166799901805_1393727078_n.jpg

[goldilocks]

Wow, Newton is the angel of the Iditarod! thanks for this, Nanook, I had no idea he was still racing!

[Tuff Gong]

Chree Irie Mon fi dis thread!

[Nanook]

Welcome Goldilock and Tuff Gong, long time since I last saw you both, thank you for stopping by and commenting! I wasn't sure if I was talking to myself and hoped someone was following along.

Newton hasn't yet moved from McGrath. Besides resting when they feel it's time for a break, feed dogs, or have a meal at a checkpoint, here is a mandatory 24 hour rest and a mandatory 8 hour rest that the mushers have to take during the race and today Newton and several others are taking the 24 hours. It's been about 21 1/2 hours for Newton as of a little while ago, so while the rest of us (at least those in the lower 48 or Ja) will be sleeping, Newton will go out in the cold of the night, harness up his 4 dogs (yes, he dropped a second dog after the rough section of trail earlier), and head on down the trail towards Takotna which is 18 miles. Since we're getting down in the thread and the link to the race map is so far above and I haven't got much news here is the race map link again so you don't have to go searching far:

RACE MAP

http://iditarod.com/race-map/

I saw pictures today of how the sleds are looking after the mushers are going over the frozen bare ground and it is downright hideous. Some have already wrecked 2 sleds, some of the sleds are around $2,000 so imagine they are very unhappy.

Here is a link from the Iditarod page of one such sled, I'm sure the image is too large to upload but it is really something to see & worth a click, and the mushers have 600 and some miles to go yet.

Newtons is in 50th place (a lot of mushers are taking their mandatory 24 so this plays big in the standings once everyone is on the move again). His latest speed average is 7.2 MPH. Temp tonight in Takonta which is the next checkpoint will dip to -6F and tomorrow a high in the single digits so good for running dogs! The BEST NEWS is...SNOW! It sounds like from McGrath on there is going to be snow so if our guy made it this far he will make it to the end! Plan on a Wednesday party or somewhere we can watch it online like the other year!

Here is an Associated Press story on the conditions of the trail. It is so brutal, last night I saw video of one of our local mushers on the trail and the man he looked beat up bad and sounded defeated and even shaken, but I'm sue now that they have snow it's a new day.

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/iditarod-5-things-know-about-trail-conditions

Mush on Newton!!

[Nanook]

PS, yes Goldilocks Newton has been in the race I think this is year 4. Last year I didn't have a chance to come post and Newton's run was very short as he lost a dog early on the race which put him out. Then it was the year before Newton took a dunking in a river in -30F below with a long ways to go to the next checkpoint which ended his race.

I know he is having fund raising issues, I don't know who is actually sponsoring him besides a handful of supporters, I don't see Jimmy Buffet's name involved so I'm not sure what's going on in that regard but I wish I did.

On Newtons FB page there are occasional posts asking for donations, or support to help get the dogs to their home after the race and Newton as well. https://www.facebook.com/MushinMonNewton?ref=ts&fref=ts

[Nanook]

Race map

Ok since we're on page 2 here is the map again, make it easier to follow along:

Race Map

http://iditarod.com/race-map/

[Nanook]

Good morning! I don't have a whole lot to report, the GPS & standings page are arguing with each other again but the hour delay GPS reports Newton on his way to Ophir at 9.5 MPH with an average speed of 7.3 MPH with 14 dogs. 343miles and in 50th place.

This is the one day a week I work (gotta get out of the house and have some fun at the same time once in awhile) so I won't be back till this evening.

I found this very nice 5 minute YouTube video interview of the "Mushin Mortitian" that Newton rescued, with his account of the race & Newton's heroic rescue. It confirms what I have been sitting here wondering all along..the race officials KNEW there was no snow and what the trail conditions were like, and this guy also says he is pretty upset the race officials didn't at least warn people to wait till daylight to try it, or let them know what they were in for ahead of time so they could decide whether to proceed. I'm sure there will be more about this as several mushers are very upset, injured, thousands of $$ worth of damage to sleds and equipment and injuries to dogs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOMUsRoseOQ&feature=youtu.be

I must say our Beargrease officials, the toughest race in the lower 48, would never have been allowed to even take place, or the course would have been altered to eliminate a section of trail such as this. I'm so glad to see Newton made it through it in one piece.

Last night I also read that the last portion of the race which might be several hundred miles, is also void of snow. If you look at the map for reference, once they leave Unakleet and are along the bearing sea coast, there might be more trouble. The head of the pack are now near Cripple, so we have yet to get any reports from the snowless end section of the race.

Have a great day.

[goldilocks]

Go Newton! memba the race is not for the swift! I can tell he loves his dogs, and running 16 dogs is no easy task. Beginning mushers start with one dog. My great uncle Richard Moulton kept about 100 sled dogs, all siberian huskies, and we used to be at the Laconia, NH races every year. He always ran 16 or 17 dogs, and there was a team of Irish Setters and a couple of teams of hounds that ran too. Gonna go check out the Facebook page, thanks!

[Nanook]

Goldilocks that is very interesting! Was you Uncle a dry land racer or snow musher? One of our local spring mushers Ken Davis, is a trainer for the Jamaica Dogsled Team, he worked with Damian Robb on spring racing all over northern US and Canada. Ken is originally from the east coast and was a dry land musher, well, still he. He takes trips out east after the snow season and competes. One year he was not far from Kia's place.

Since I just got home I don't have an update, but I will be back later tonight, but I do have this video of a news segment on an Alaska TV station where Newton was interviewed about his rescue feat, pretty nice segment. I think a lot more will be said in the coming days as Newton really is a hero. We already knew that years ago, as he has helped people on the trail all along his mushing career, but this time it was huge what he did.

http://www.ktva.com/newton-recounts-rescue-on-the-iditarod-trail/

[Nanook]

Scott's whole rescue interview. Normally I wouldn't watch just any online video that lasts for 30 minutes, but I thought I'd check it out for the heck of it and see what he had to say about Newton. Very interesting, it seems they have a history.. In 2012 Scott saved Newton. They have trained together and have run races together and when Scott saw it was Newton who was coming to his rescue he told Netwon of all the people who might be the one to find him, he was so glad it was him. He talked about how he told Newton to leave once he knew help was on the way but Newton wouldn't listen, he insisted on staying. He talked about them both sitting there in tears, and I sat here in tears hearing about their tears. Watching and listening to this amazing man speak about this experience was really something. Oh and Scott's lead dog is named Marshall.

http://iditarod.com/watch-scotts-incredible-story/

Quick update on Newton before I go do dog care, the I will surf around and see what our guy is up to and be back later if I find out anything newsworthy. I hope anyone who watches the video enjoys it, it is long but worth every second. Scott is a very interesting character and I'm going to be finding his FB page later he sounds like a fun follow. He is listed under Mushing Mortician!

Newton is on his way from Ophir to Cripple a 73 mile stretch, last seen flying at over 9 MPH!!!!

He also talked about a video by Jeff King who had a camera stapped to himself as he came down the gorge, I'll dig around and see if I can find it.

[Nanook]

I'm speechless! This is 5 minutes that'll get your hear to pounding.

[Nanook]

Newton is in Galena at this moment. At this point Newton has taken both of his 8 hour and his 24 hour mandatory rests so whatever he does from now on will be as he sees fit. One thing we do know is he is not even trying to be in the money or where he places, he stated at the very beginning he just wants to finish after the disappointment of the last two years, and I firmly believe he will.

From Galena it is a 37 mile trip to Nulato so I will probably have one more update tonight since Newton's average speed is 7.8 MPH on GPS. I don't know if that is MPH for whole race or just between checkpoints but I am going to guess between checkpoints.

It is much colder in the area he is now. -2F degrees in Galena right now with a low tonight in the -27 below range at Ruby which is his next stop but Newton has done this & worse before.

I hope you re all having a wonderful Sunday!

[Nanook]

Newton has left Kaltag and on his way to Unakleet. At Unakleet he will reach the Bearing seacoast for the rest of his race. This is a very rugged section of trail. The former leader and the one who had a comfortable lead leaving White Mountain with only 22 miles to go, was stopped dead in his tracks and is out of the race by the 45 MPH winds. There is nothing good abut being stuck in winds like that so now we pray Newton can pass through.

Newton is currently traveling at 7.0 NPH with an average speed of 7.8 MPH and he has a very respectable 44th place and 14 dogs. At this point I'm thinking Newton will make it to Nome sometime Thursday. I know if I was him and my goal was just to finish, I would wait out the winds if I could. Newton has gone 640 miles of 962.

Here is a fun little video of Newton leaving Galena:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10203558665116468&set=o.447160425333174&type=2&theater

And here is an excerpt from Joe Runyan's blog about the win, although Dallas Seavey #1 and Ally Zirkle #2 did continue on and finish the race in record time, shattering the old record by some 8 or so hours. The last thing I expected was to wake up this morning to anyone already in Nome!

Another call give us more insight to developments on the trail.

King, we are told, was apparently moving in strong winds, when a gust blew sled and team off the trail into driftwood. King was there to untangle the team, and did in fact got them back in line but failed to get the team rolling again. According to our information, Jeff has been wadded up in the drift for an hour and a half.
Aliy passed and didn’t know she passed. She continued to Safety and proceeded to drop several dogs. The wind, having increased, she decided to stay in Safety cabin and regroup. Whether someone told her that she had passed Jeff is not relevant, as she most certainly would know that Jeff had not signed into Safety.
Meanwhile, if all these developments weren’t enough, we are told that wind on the trail ahead around Cape Nome to the finish is absolutely brutal.
Now, to the question astute fans want to ask—What about Dallas Seavey? According to the tracker he is 12 miless from contacting King .
Of course, the development is bizarre when considering the race weather for the last eight days. The weather has been mild for the last 8 days, but the last six hours have developed unimaginable weather.
We’re informed with the best information we can get that winds are horrific at Safety and describe conditions and visibility as strictly marker to marker. Also, according to our sources, the trail going around Cape Nome (further on the trail to Nome) is head-on and will be very strong.
With this new information we learn that Aliy is still in the Safety checkpoint and not continuing in the wind.
What do I think about the wind? Rarely do I insert my own direct personal anecdotes into the dialogue, but I think this race is shut down. The winds into Nome are legendary and life threatening. They have killed people, and it’s not joking around. If you have ever been caught in the wind, you will understand that wind is the ultimate weapon of an arctic winter. In my racing days, I actually sat down and decided what I would do in a big blow. My decision was to not test it. Sometimes you can make it, but often you can’t. To go into the wind and expect others to risk their life, or risk frostbite, to save your decision is foolhardy.

Joe Runyan : http://iditarod.com/musher/60199/

[seemiyah]

Nanook just letting you know I am reading the updates, thanks for keeping us informed.