TRACKER LINK (WATCH #13) - HERE

Is it the tracker?  No, GPS widgit frozen on Red Team's and some others' sleds.  Fixed at... Point Lodge on Lake Louise (think summer...)

          
GPS FIX HAPPENED AT OUR SPONSORED MILE!!!  Minus 40 degrees at the start!!!  Aliy's frozen tracker fixed by crows.

1. Awesome photos and video of start
   
2. The cold weather has interfered with the tracker - for some.  Including Red Team. 
   
3. Crows called in to deal with  shiny objects if this is what is the problem, 3:20pm EST.
4. By 4:05pm SP KENNEL WEBMASTER provided the answer and the team sent photos of pre-race and a video of the start!
   
5. BUT WAIT!!!  Until we find out by the checkpoint, how do we know anything?  The crows step up and silently follow the Red Team...
6. ARRIVED AT POINT LODGE ON LAKE LOUISE (above a summer view - keep thinking "WARM").  Next stop, Sourdough.
   

Definition:
"Birds of a feather flock together" means people of similar interests, background, ideas or characteristics will often congregate or hang out with each other...

          

SP KENNEL 2020 guru says Red Team in 4th place...

7.  As we write this, there are now five (5) teams in Sourdough - Red Team arrived 3rd - not necessarily in 3rd place  NOTE:  Above list of scratches and one more - PLUS thesell!
8.  Was there a reason given for those who scratched?  We note that we are counting only that who did so at Lake Louise - official number;  
9.  Red Team has not taken 6 hr plus differential yet - nor has leader???  A strategy saving it for big climb?

MEANWHILE BACK ON THE TRAIL...WE NOTE NIC HAS 10 DOGS, ALIY & RYNE 11 & LEADER BRENT ALL 12 TEAMMATES.  WE NOTE 18 TOTAL LAYOVER HOURS MANDATORY.

10.  Brent Sass leaves Sourdough in lead!  We think.  Is the weather freezing up the mental capacities of websites?  No, just slowing down the little grey cells...
11.  Second team to leave Sourdough is...RED TEAM musher's.  Now Nic the Quick is on the road again...make that 4 teams...
12.  Yes, it is now minus 54 degrees at Meier's Lake Road House...think jumping up and down to get warm.  Champ has to finish the race in the truck because Aliy didn't want to endanger his body parts.

13.  NUMBER THIRTEEN EXIT MEIER'S LAKE:  Commando & Junior looked both ways...
But before they get to re-enter the race course, you will note in video, confusion about crossing the road - "But Aliy, there were no cars or trucks coming..."

  
14.  Can Red Team hold on to take 4th place?  Dropped two teammates, now 9 four-legged athletes as SP KENNEL RED TEAM is back on the trail...
15.  Quick Nic is our pick to win - and it will be fine if Red Team finished 5th considering (not shown) a fast team breathing down their necks...



16.  RED TEAM FINISHES IN 4th!!!  AWESOME!!!
 

• Red Team entered for January 11, 2020 300-miler!!!  If memory serves the tracking is spectacular GIS.
• We will be "sponsoring" mile 76 (Lake Louise).  2020 running will be in reverse!!!
• 2020 COUNTER CLOCKWISE:  With 41 entries (make that 27 - the cold weather effect) the start should be very complicated as teams are close together coming into the first turn...a 90 degree left. 
  
• Of course, at this point in previous years, with the direction reversed, although there might not have been as many teams facing the 90 degree turn, the mushers were fighting for the lead at times...