Well, the handler crew has made it to Circle which is only a 33-mile drive but road wise takes at least an hour to drive. The hospitality house that is normally greeting crews and mushers is closed due to COVID so we are left to the comfort of the trucks and Lisa’s fantastic cooking. Crock Pots and generators have kept us well fed! I am sure we are the envy of other teams when it comes to food!
Bridgett pulled into Circle at 11:17 pm on Monday with her team barking and looking like they could take on the 1000 mile trail if we let them! While we drove 33 mi she had a 70ish mile run to get here that included a small camp on the river. They are eating great and gobbling down snacks and food every time it’s offered. The vets check the dogs at every checkpoint and monitor for any signs of dehydration or injury. The Vet Team and Bridgett are all happy with how the team is looking. Bridgett also reports she and her knee are doing good! All the long hours of PT at ATI Physical Therapy have paid off, not to mention Dr. Careys of McKinley Orthopedics skilled hands in piecing it all back together again. Truly a miracle worker
Bridgett is wrapping up the last few hours of her 22 mandatory rest hours here. Her team has outperformed her expectations for their rookie race and for there to be so many young team members. She couldn’t be more proud. But we still have 70 miles back to Central before we can put this rookie run in the books. So its rest and food for both musher and dogs before taking on the final leg. It is very likely that she will spend another campout on the way to the finish. So don’t get too excited if her tracker stops for a bit for one more rest before pushing through.
We will see you at the finish and as always stay tuned to the Yukon Quest Facebook page and website for the most up to date video and pics. Time to sprint to the finish with your refresh finger on the tracker!