June 21, 2001 Takotna to Ophir

The hospitality in Takotna is legendary. It was a shame to still be so full from all the terrific food in McGrath. I still managed to inhale a hamburger and a piece of pie! I popped into the health center for another checkup (a promise to the N.P. in McGrath) and scrambled to get out to town.

There are no food drops in Ophir, the next one from Takotna was Iditarod, so I had to pack the sled for a long haul. I went to grab some more bottle of HEET (what we use for fuel in our cookers) but there was only one box left. Thinking of the other teams still behind me, I only took 2 bottles. Race judge Mark May told me to take whatever I wanted. I expressed my concern about the teams behind me, 'There are no teams behind you" WHAT??? There were 4 other teams that should have still been in McGrath, but Mark said they had all scratched, so Jason Halseth, who was parked here in Takotna and I were the last two teams on the trail.

A few miles out of Takotna, I switched a few leaders around and tossed Butchie up front with Sissy. Any time Butchie is in lead it is a gamble - he loves to lead, but HATES to listen to anything I have to say. Luckily the trail, although drifted in and covered with a layer of new snow didn't offer many options and we had one of the nicest runs of the entire Race on this leg.