Sorry, the blooger took his 24 hour rest stop yesterday.   When we left Trent last, he as checking out of Iditarod after being the first in the race to the halfway point and then completing his mandatory 24 hour rest.   He left Iditarod at 7:30 AM on the 11th after his rest.   The leaders who had taken their 24 hour rest at Takotna had long passed through and Trent hit the trail in 24th place. 

 

In the past 48 hours Trent has made 1) the 65 mile run from Iditarod to Shageluk in 6 hr 28m at 10.05 mph where he rested for 6 hours; 2) the 43 mile run from Shageluk to Graying (checking through Anvik at the start of the Yukon) in 5 hr 41 min averaging 7.6 mph where he rested for 5-1/2 hours; 3) the 60 mile run from Grayling to Eagle Island in 7 hr 5 min at 8.47 mph.   

 

Trent was back on the Yukon at 10:30 last night to head up the final leg of the Yukon to Kaltag.  Looking on the GPS tracker just now, he is 14 miles from Kaltag and running 23rd in the field.   Trent will surely rest after the grueling leg and prepare for the 75 mile journey to Unalakleet and the Norton Sound.  At that point is is 236 miles to Nome starting with the crossing of the Sound over water.   Trent's times are good and the experience of the past 4 Iditarods will take him home from here.   A top 25 finish is very possible and a top 20 finish is possible if enough things work in Trent's favor.

 

Trail map below.   Also find a nice shot of Trent pulling in to Iditarod the other night with a well frosted beard (screen scrape from Iditarod Insider video)