The GPS trackers are back, Ryan Redington is in command of the race at this point (with Blake Freking in the number two position), and veteran musher and race reporter John Stetson says it's a "dog race" between Frank Moe, Jason Rice and Jennifer Freking.
That's the good news.
The bad news is that Mary Manning, Martin Massicotte and Sally Manikian scratched. Martin and Sally are new names to the race this year, and even though Sally's raced the UP200 and the Can-Am three times each, and Martin is a five-time Can-Am winner, there's something about this race that chews mushers up and spits them out.
Then there's that other thing: the cold. It's hard on everything and everyone, but so far, it hasn't broken any mushers or dogs. Equipment, though; that's another story.
Beargrease veteran, musher and KUMD race reporter John Stetson has the story.
2:00 PM UPDATE:
All the active teams have arrived at the Mineral Center Checkpoint. Just before 2 p.m., Ryan Redington and his team, the current leaders, departed on the final leg of the race. Race reporter John Stetson believes that Redington's team could cross the finish line in Grand Portage as early as 6:30 p.m.
Following the mandatory rest periord, Blake Freking's team is the next that could depart on the home stretch sometime mid-afternoon. Around 5:00 p.m., several teams will be poised to leave as well - within mere minutes of each other. Therefore, the hunt for the third place finish could very will be a tight race.
