Day 8 of Iditarod

Similar to children in a school building, sharing trail and space with so many other dogs, it’s common for a bug to get picked up while on races. Ideally, teams will rest for a bit and it’ll pass through quickly. Sometimes though, mushers do make the decision to scratch from the race if their dogs need a bit more time to get rid of the stomach bug. The health of the dogs comes first for every musher out there. Ryne’s team caught the stomach bug right before entering Nikolai. They took an 8 hour rest there and that helped the team get back on their paws. They look great!

Last night, the Ryno team camped with the two Squids team, Paige Drobny and Cody Strathe. These three are great friends so it brings a smile to our faces knowing they had the comfort of each other!

The Alaska Range showed some gnarly trails on the outbound direction, particularly the Dalzell Gorge. They’ll make their way back through it soon enough. Currently, the team is at the Rohn checkpoint with less than 200 miles to go!!

Upcoming is Skwenta, 105 miles out from Rohn, where all mushers will take their last mandatory rest of 8 hours.

Tyler and Kelsey picked Bowser up and he is now getting his beauty sleep and extra love alongside Uno! Thanks guys!

Lastly, here’s a big shout out and thank you to all the kennel sponsors:

Feniks & Company, LLC

Bema Electronics

Two Rivers Outpost

AlaSkins Pet Supplies

Orion's Belt School of Self Defense

Dr. Carson's Supplements

Individual Dog Sponsors and Groupies

Chena Outdoor Collective

Thank you, thank you, thank you. We couldn't do this without your support!

Iditarod Ophir to Nikolai

On Friday, the team left Ophir (south for the return journey and 2nd time here) at 2:46pm AKDT. Four and half hours later, they were at it again. When we checked, the team was averaging a solid 8.3mph. Go, Ryne go!

A little night run brought them into McGrath at 12:26am for a slightly longer break of 5 hours and 19 minutes. The temperature was cold here last night and the same was true for the Iditarod team. Cold weather is a mushers friend since dogs tend to run and eat better when they’re not overheated. Ryne left McGrath at 5:45am with 12 dogs.

Plenty of mushers sent a second sled to McGrath. Ryne did this and planned on switching to it. The second sled is light-weight and fast. However, after running over the trail once already, she’s sticking to the DogPaddle that she began the race with. It’s a well-built, robust sled and perfect for keeping control in tough conditions. So, continue to keep your eye out for the Ryno colors of teal and purple that form her sled bag!

6 days, 2 hours, and over 50 minutes into the race. Ryne is currently resting at Nikolai checkpoint. She’s taking her first mandatory 8-hr rest out of two. The dogs and musher alike are soaking in the sun rays. 247 miles to go!

Tyler and Kelsey, good friends of the kennel, picked up Uno in Anchorage and are loving on her until the end of the race when she’ll join the rest of the team for the return trip home to Two Rivers. She was a “doggy pogo stick.” That’s Uno for you!

Day 6 of Iditarod

The team took their 24 hour rest in Ophir and we’re hearing that it was very bare-bones, even for Iditarod standards. Part of this is due to the small volunteer and crew numbers this year, an effort to avoid spreading COVID. 

Ryne came in with soaking boots and wet outerwear. She placed gear into the Arctic Oven to dry out and would spend in the night in a tent too. The Arctic Ovens are run by propane and it went out the last 10 hours of Ryne’s rest here. In other words, she was basic tent-camping in -30 temps!

After Ophir is the Iditarod checkpoint. The team arrived there around 9:00pm AKDT on Thursday and left it at 12:57am today with 12 dogs in harness. Our sweet Bowser stayed behind in the wonderful volunteer hands for extra attention and pets. Can’t wait for him to be home at the kennel so I can do that!

Ryne and the dogs camped at mile 477 for a couple hours but are on the move again! They have less than 367 miles to go.

The return journey brings two challenges: head-on passes and “knowing what’s to come.” Luckily for the mushers from Two Rivers, Alaska, they’re use to passing. It’s a mushing community and there’s plenty of kennels here that share the trails everyday. 

Having already gone over the trail, it can be worrisome about redoing the tricky sections. Check at this wonderful article about this very topic and read what some mushers are saying about it! I particularly love this comment of Ryne’s when she’s speaking about the downhill over a glacier:

“It’s just like rocks and ice and dirt,” Olson said. “I do have chains on my sled, so I can put those down. But even still, it’s gonna be a pretty wild ride.”

https://www.adn.com/outdoors-adventure/iditarod/2021/03/11/as-the-iditarod-prepares-to-shift-into-reverse-mushers-dread-whats-ahead/

Day 5 of Iditarod

Smoky and Goblin lead Ryne and the team (total of 13 dogs) out of Ophir checkpoint at 8:25am AKDT. They’ve completed the 24 rest but still must take two mandatory 8 hour rests before the finish line.

Trail breakers have rerouted the trail in order to leave out the Flat. Overflow and excess snow has made it too difficult to break trail and snow machines were getting snuck. The Flat was the 20 mile turnaround loop after the Iditarod checkpoint. Instead, all teams will leave from Iditarod and head back over what they’ve already done.

This is the first time in the race’s 49-year history that the trail won’t finish at Nome. It’s finishing at Deshka Landing. The 2021 path is called the Gold Trail Loop. Since the checkpoints are the same both directions, they often have North or South added to the end, depending if it’s the out or return journey.

The stretch between Ophir and Iditarod is a more empty one; a stretch of miles on miles. There is a mixture of terrain, at least! Black Spruce to barren upland tundra, brush hillsides to frozen lakes. It’s about 80 miles checkpoint to checkpoint.

Enjoy Bowser peeking around Ryne, waiting for some love after Dolly!

Photo credit: ZachaRiah hughs

Day 4 McGrath to Ophir

Ryne left the McGrath checkpoint at 1:57am AKDT for a night run. It’s great to travel at night for the cooler temperatures that keep dogs happy and snow from turning soft and punchy. Five hours and thirteen minutes later, team pulls into Ophir where it likely Ryne is taking her mandatory 24 rest and the time differential.

The 24 hour rest must be taken at an official checkpoint between the Skwenta to Iditarod stretch. It could be taken at Iditarod but it has to be taken before going on to Flat for the return trip. Time differential is how the race makes up for the mushers beginning at staggered times. Each bib left 2 minutes after the previous one. Since mushers can take their mandatory rests at various times, the Standings will be shaken up until all rests are completed. That’s when we’ll clearly see the race Standings!

The team pulled into the Ophir check point at 7:10am. Before starting our day here at the kennel, Kalyn watched the livestream and captured screenshots for us! Ryne was the 4th team to enter Ophir.

Iditarod Insider recently had a quick interview with Ryne while she was camping along the trail and let me tell you, she was beaming!! We’re so proud of her performance but it especially warms us to see her bright smile and upbeat attitude. If you have access to Iditarod Insider, definitely check it out!

Day 3 of Iditarod

When Ryne is here at the kennel, she always tells Kalyn and I good morning in an upbeat tone. When she’s gone, we tend to ignore each other until the caffeine kicks in. Today though, our morning lull quickly turned into talking about the race with Derek and how proud we are of the Ryno team!!

At 2:35pm, Ryne left the Nikolai checkpoint. She covered 111 miles since Rainy Pass and conquered the notorious and infamous Dalzell Gorge along the way. Several miles of the tight, twisting trail lead down to the river and drops further into the gorge. It can be a real pinball machine at times. Surviving this part gets the mushers a few miles from Rohn checkpoint.

The stretch from Rohn to Nikolai often has a painful amount of overflow and icy patches. It goes along the South Fork of the Kuskokwim River and covers the Farewell Burn. Farewell Burn is the site of Alaska’s largest forest fire in 1978, affecting a million and half acres. It’s a very tough run but the team made it through for a well-earned rest.

Now, Ryne and the dogs are headed toward McGrath! She left the Nikolai checkpoint with 13 dogs. Uno was left with volunteers due to a swollen tendon, just to be safe. Uno is an incredible sled dog and already has three Yukon Quest races under her belt so this must’ve been a tough decision. But if there is one steady fact about Uno, it’s her positive energy and I bet she‘ll try to lick the faces of anyone that helps her get back home.

It’s been warm out there, reaching near or above freezing point. Dogs don’t run as well in the warm temperatures so many mushers had to slow down during the hottest hours. Not for long though! By Thursday, many parts of the trail will reach subzero values. It’s expected to be as low as -20 and -30! Cooler temperatures will be great for the race.

Photo credit: whitney mclaren photogrApHy

mushingphotos.com

Day 2 Finger Lake to Rainy Pass

Five and a half hours out of the chute, Ryne camped on trail between Yentna Station and Skwenta. It was a 3 hour rest and the trackers show Aliy Zirkle joined her here.

Ryne took her second rest outside of Finger Lake checkpoint for 4 hours where Cody Strathe camped, as well. Around 8:30 in the morning, the team took off to tackle the stretch between Finger Lake to Rainy Pass. It’s 29 miles between these two checkpoints and is one tough run. Mushers often aim to tackle it in the day light.

Leaving Finger Lake checkpoint, the trail takes a steep climb over a ridge toward a lake. The team gets a mile or two along it before swinging up a ravine and hitting a series of climbs.

This puts the team 10 miles out from Finger Lake checkpoint and at the dreaded Happy river steps, a series of downs into the river.
They’ll follow Happy River, climb up another ravine, cross two lakes, and finally finish running along the steep sloping mountainside. These are two particularly difficult stretches of hillside trail in the last 8 miles before Rainy Pass.

Rainy Pass checkpoint is located on Puntilla Lake in the heart of the Alaska Range. Leaving here, the team will cross Rainy Pass itself—the highest point on the Iditarod.

Now, it’s 24 hours into the race! Ryne and the dogs are currently camping in the Rainy Pass itself and we’ve heard it really pretty out there!

Iditarod 2021Start

The Iditarod 1,000 Mile race starts today!

But before Ryne goes flying over the start line behind her incredible team, the microchips of all the dogs are checked and urine samples are collected. Microchips are tiny computer chips, the size of a rice grain, that go underneath the dog’s skin around the neck or shoulder area. Each chip has a unique identification number. The Iditarod uses this to keep track of dogs and especially to make sure drop-dogs get returned to the correct owner.

If you’re following along, then you met the final team yesterday and read Ryne’s thoughts on the individual team members.

Now, here’s the line up for the race start! Dolly and King Louie are the first leading pair of this adventure… and they’re as excited as the rest of the team to reach the start chute.

I’m sure time is a weird concept this morning; dragging out with the ready-to-race-already urge while simultaneously flying by with the constant to-do tasks and last minute touches here and there. But time doesn’t stop and the team enters the chute, waiting for the countdown to reach zero.

The energy stays as they officially take off; the harness-banging and loud barks turning into the serious “game face” mode.

”There goes bib number fourteen, Ryne Olson…”

Good luck, Ryne!!! And good luck to Dolly, King Louie, Goblin, Thresher, Etta, Smoky, Oryx, Wingman, Faff, Maple, Mario, Bowser, Uno and Yoshi!!!

Stay tuned for more blog posts and updates of the team’s progress throughout the race.

THE FINAL 14!

DRUMROLL…..Here are the final 14 athletes who will be competing in the 2021 Iditarod!

It was a VERY tough choice. For the most part, I had the 13 picked out, but that number 14 dog was very much up for grabs. Kalyn and Derek will be loading up the team, my sled, Jezzy, and Sasha and driving south today. I’ll meet them in Wasilla, and we’ll stay the night at a hotel. Tomorrow, we have to be at the Deshka Landing staging area by no later than 11:00. It’s nearly time!

Today, Cartel and I are relaxing in Anchorage. We’ll meet up with Kelsey and Tyler to get them gear for picking up any dropped dogs.

A bit about the decision making for the final 14.

Bowser- this guy has zero race experience. As a two year old, he trained with the yearlings rather than the adults due to his incessant dipping (biting and eating snow on the side of the trail), which would cause him to vomit. This year, he has done every training run. He seems to have outgrown the dipping, and he works hard with a smooth, effortless gait. It’s a big race to tackle as your first race, but I think he’s up to the challenge. This decision probably falls on the more emotional side on a the emotional to rational decision making spectrum.

Dolly- Dolly is 7 years old, which is getting on the older end of the racing range. She’s also kind of slow. All that being said, she’s one of the team’s safety nets. She’s completed many 1000-mile races, has a great attitude, and if things get crazy, she’ll lead us out of the chaos, which is invaluable. Plus, she’s real cute.

Etta- Other than the Goose Bay 150 last year, this will be Etta’s first big race. Even though her race resume is sparse, I’m relying heavily on Etta’s leading skills. She’s exceptional. She has enthusiastically run every training mile this year and thrives in lead. Expect to see her in lead for a good chunk of the race.

Faff- This will be Faff’s first 1000-mile race! She has started a couple 300-mile races last year, but did not finish. It’s a bit of a gamble taking her on the team, but she has run every training mile and has a fantastic attitude. She’s playful, strong, happy- just a really fun dog to be around. So she’s going. And that’s that.

Goblin- Goblin is the oldest at 8. BUT he’s a young eight. He just turned eight. And I found I just didn’t want to leave the starting line without him. He’s the only dog who raced with me in 2016. And he’s a badass. He’s looking strong, healthy, and ready to lead.

King Louie- Sweet, emotional Louie is ready for Iditarod! There are few dogs in this world who are as sweet as Louie. We’ve been managing a weird condition called Chronic Ulcerative Paradental Stomatitis, which will probably result in ultimately pulling out all his teeth. It’d be tough for a toothless dog to eat the number of calories required for a 1000-mile race, so for now, I’m just cherishing every race mile we get to travel together!

Maple- She’s dynamite. Strong, happy, good eater. She is currently in heat, so the boys think Maple is REAL cute right now, and she thinks she’s quite a catch as well. Hopefully she’ll be out of heat soon otherwise team dynamics could get interesting! Maple is an Iditarod finisher from her time with Jason Campeau.

Oryx- Oryx beast is ready to rock. With two 1000-mile races under her belt, I’m relying on her as a trail-hardened veteran to show all these newbies what a long distance trek is all about.

Smoky- Smoky hasn’t completed a 1000-mile race yet (he was dropped in Eagle last year after picking up a stomach bug), but I’m counting on him to be a main leader. He has what it takes. Expect to see him in lead for a good chunk of the trail.

Thresher- Thresher is small and mighty. He’s been 100%, finished all training miles, and is ready. He’s a back pocket leader, meaning if need be, he would run up front. He seems happier in team or farther back, but it’s reassuring to know that he’s there and has the abilities.

Uno- Energizer bunny Uno is back for another 1000-miler. Like the other veterans, I’m counting on her to show the rookies how it’s done. Uno has an exceptionally fast recovery time, so her energy is always a nice addition to the team atmosphere.

Wingman- This guy is the best. I can’t imagine racing without him. He’s the cheerleader and one of the hardest workers. Plus he’s a 1000-mile veteran.

Yoshi- This will be her first 1000-mile race, but she finished on our competitive Copper Basin schedule last year, so I know she’s up for the challenge. She’s quiet and unassuming, but she has a beautiful gait and works hard.

Mario- This guy was dog #14. I was debating between Mario, Elmer, and Otis up until yesterday. Mario is 100% healthy, chunky, and a 1000-mile veteran. Elmer is a reliable leader, pulls harder than Mario, but is coming back from a sore illiopsas and hasn’t finished 1000-mile race. Otis is a cheerleader and harder puller, but he can get thin on long races and has fewer miles this season after his incident with the stick. Ultimately I chose Mario for his reliability. And his cuteness. You can’t beat Mario cuteness.

The stats:

7 Female/ 7 Male

9 1000-mile Finishers/ 5 Rookies

This team is a quiet team. Most of the athletes are on the calmer side. Rather than crazily harness-banging, they prefer to stand at the ready, tails gently wagging. Most of the athletes hold weight exceptionally well (except for Etta, Smoky, and Dolly). And most importantly, they’re all just really nice dogs who are ready for an adventure! I can’t wait to cover 850 miles with these amazing canine athletes!

Iditarod ECGs, Blood Draws, Vet Checks, and Bib Draw!

Over the past couple days, the dogs have been getting a thorough health check!

First, we brought 23 athletes to the ECGs and blood draws. While really only 17-18 dogs are truly in contention for the Iditarod team, we brought along a few extras so they could experience a vet check, receive microchips, and get blood panels. Here is a video of yearling Watson demonstrating the process. He was a model patient! After the ECG, he just wanted to continue lying on the table getting belly rubs! Ha!

The next day, Dr. Joanne McCrea came out to the kennel to do physical health exams on all the dogs. We met Dr. McCrea on the Yukon Quest when she was volunteering her time, for which I am so, so appreciative. Not only does she make house calls to help with any canine issues, but Dr. McCrea has become our go-to person for reindeer veterinary care as well. After finishing her veterinary checks of the Iditarod athletes, Dr. McCrea looked at a couple other dogs in the kennel and drew blood from Kalyn’s reindeer Sappho so that we can see if she’s pregnant!

Now that our health checks are complete, we’re finishing off the final training runs (mostly just fun stretch out runs), packing up the truck, and getting ready for the IDITAROD!

I (Ryne) will be leaving early Thursday morning with co-pilot Cartel. I have to be in Anchorage for a pre-race Covid test that afternoon. Cartel and I will remain in Anchorage after the Covid test until the race start. Derek and Kalyn will drive the dogs down to Willow on Saturday. Mandy will remain at the kennel and hold down the homestead. There will be no Ceremonial Start or Starting Banquet this year, which I know the public will miss (as will Iditarod’s revenue stream), but as a musher, I’m pretty excited about that! Cartel and I don’t have any obligations while waiting in Anchorage other than setting up Kelsey and Tyler with gear to pick up any dropped dogs during Iditarod. A big THANK YOU to Kesley and Tyler for taking that on. Long time RK follows probably remember Tyler from his two winters as a handler at Ryno Kennel. Tyler and his girlfriend Kelsey now live in Anchorage with retiree, Belle.

The Iditarod randomly drew bib numbers, and the RK team will be leaving in position #14!

If you take Derek’s favorite number of 7 then add my collegiate soccer number of 4, then subtract my high school soccer number of 11, then add Kalyn’s favorite number of 6, then subtract the number of years I’ve lived in Alaska of 11, then add Mandy’s favorite number of 14, then add the number of brothers I have of 2, then add the number of puppies in my first litter (Supai, Rucu, Kindi) of 3.........
It equals 14!!! Coincidence? I think not. It’s going to be a good race.

Iditarod in TWO WEEKS!

TWO WEEKS. Just TWO WEEKS until the start of the 2021 Iditarod. Last Monday, Derek dropped off 1548 pounds of gear to be shipped out to the various checkpoints. Myself and sixteen dogs were on the final training series, running around the trails of Two Rivers. There are actually about 17 dogs who are in contention for the Iditarod team. I made a video of 16 of the athletes:

Dolly- At seven-years-old, Dolly is one of the oldest in contention, but you wouldn’t know it. She’s one of the most enthusiastic of the crew, barking and jumping up like a pogo stick to get moving. She’s holding her weight well and looking strong.

Elmer- Elmer is a very serious, very driven fella. His back leg was a little stiff after one run a couple months ago so he missed our longest run series, but after this last one, he’s looking great! He’s a fantastic leader!

Louie- King Louie is tied with Wingman for the most miles so far this season. He has never missed a training run, and he often runs tours because of his lovable personality! Louie is an incredible leader, albeit a little on the sensitive side. Only positive words and thoughts when around Louie, otherwise he takes any negativity to heart. Such a sweet boy.

Etta- Etta is rocking it. She runs lead more often than not. Her weakness is her eating. For whatever reason, Etta likes to keep a slim, trim figure. Luckily, she eats her food after training runs and series, so I’m hopeful she’ll maintain her weight during Iditarod. I’m counting on her to be a main leader.

Yoshi- Yoshi is looking strong. She’s been a little softer than her siblings this season (meaning she gets distracted or bored occasionally); however, I wonder if that’s due to running closer to the front of the team. If she’s on the Iditarod team, I’ll probably have her run farther back in the team to help her focus. She has a beautiful gait and eats well, we just want to make sure it’s always fun!

Smoky- This guy is a FORCE. He has grown into a main leader this season and loves to partner with Etta to lead the team. Like Etta, he can be hard to keep weight on, but I know his secret food preferences so I’ll whip up all his favorites for the race (cat food!). Smoky had a sore wrist after our trip to Eureka, but with some time off, it’s looking 100% (knock on wood). I’ll probably wrap it at each stop just to be on the safe side, much to his frustration. I’ve never met a dog who hates wrist wraps more than this dude. He’ll chew off the wrap in ten seconds flat unless I cover it in athletic tape! The little punk.

Oryx- The Oryx Beast is chunky and ready to rock. I actually have to occasionally put her on a diet, even in the middle of the season because she can get rather thick! At the beginning of the season, Oryx often ran in lead, but like her brother Louie, Oryx can be a bit sensitive. She has to be feeling the leadership role, otherwise she lets you know by diving off the trail to roll in the snow.

Mario- Mario is looking great! He has completed all the training miles this year and is a little chunky muffin. In the team he’s very unassuming, but he always works hard, eats, and happily chugs along.

Maple- This big gal joined the team this summer. Initially, Maple was exceptionally shy and hid in her house for the majority of the day. With a little extra TLC, Maple has come out of her shell and now screams to run. She has run the Iditarod in the past and is an incredibly hard worker, so odds are Maple will be on the squad.

Uno- Uno is looking good this season! I wouldn’t call her the hardest worker in the team, but her recovery time is unmatched by any other dog. Uno is never tired. She’s always in your face and ready to rock.

Otis- Otis has had a rough season, primarily due to a bizarre, early season injury. During a run, poor Otis ran into a stick on the side of the trail and punctured his side! After a late night vet visit and stitches, Otis was on bed rest for a few weeks. To make sure he didn’t get fired up by the other dogs, Otis went to stay with Saeward at their house in town. He’s now fully recovered, but he does have less miles than the rest of the team. I really want him on the Iditarod team since he finished Quest last year and is such a cheerleader, but I’m on the fence. Final decision to be made later!

Faff- Faff the cheerleader. This gal is always happy and barking. During campouts, she loves to play with her neighbor instead of sleeping. I love her energy and attitude. She’s less experienced than many of the other athletes in contention, but she’s big, strong, and so happy. The energy she would bring to the team would be invaluable.

Wingman- This guy is tied with Louie for the most miles this season. He’s a force to reckon with and is a loud cheerleader on the team. Occasionally he has run in lead throughout the season, but I’d say his favorite place is just in the middle of the team. Barring any last minute issues, this guy will be on the Iditarod team.

Thresher- Thresher has had an excellent season so far. If there are any females in heat, Thresher can get a little distracted (he fancies himself a ladies’ man), but otherwise he’s dynamite. The trick is to just have Thresher run behind the gal in heat, and he’ll give 200%! Ha!

Bert- Watch out world- here comes a dark horse! Bert was very unimpressive as a yearling. He was easily distracted. For example, one day last season I was mushing a team with Bert in wheel. Kalyn was running a team behind me. We decided to switch teams. When Bert realized it was Kalyn mushing and not me, he spent the next 10 miles looking over his shoulder with big eyes wondering what on earth had happened. Oh Bert. All that being said, he has really matured in the past couple months. In particular, Bert has thrived on campouts and trips. He loves going new places and traveling. He’s dog #16 to be on the team just because I’d rather him run a mid-distance race before jumping into a 1000-miler, but if he had a mid-distance race under his belt or was a year older, then he’d be on the team for sure.

Bowser- Bowser has also improved immensely this season. He’s always been a hard worker; however, Bowser sometimes battles with anxiety. He gets really excited to run and dips incessantly, ultimately giving him an upset stomach. Last season we dropped him out of training to give him time to mature and hopeful overcome his anxiety. It seems to have paid off! This year Bowser is doing much better and has been controlling his dipping habit (biting snow as he’s running). Occasionally he can get worked up, but overall, it’s been a HUGE improvement.

Goblin (not in the video)- This guy is pretty special. He’s run every one thousand mile race with me since 2016. On the final run in the Quest last year, he strained a tendon on his back leg. If you remember, he actually crossed the finish line in the sled bag. After laser therapy, rehab, and lots of time off, Goblin has been looking great. I built up his miles a bit slower this season as a precaution. After a 200-mile training series, Goblin was the tiniest bit stiff on his back leg, but otherwise he’s been great. We’ll make the final call closer to the start, but if it was up to Goblin he’s ready to GO GO GO!

This Friday, we’ll be taking the dogs in for EKGs, and final vet checks will be on Saturday with Dr. McCrea. Most likely we’ll vet check Scarpa as well as the above 17 athletes. Scarpa is also looking really great, she’s just young and on the thinner side, so I’d rather her not run 1000-miles for her first race.

We’ll keep posting updates of Iditarod prep. We hope everyone is getting as excited as we are!!! Who’s ready to start pressing the tracker refresh button?!

Kalyn’s new reindeer named Sappho!

When we asked Rucu if he was ready to come out of retirement and run the Iditarod