Idita-Meal.

0Josh • 11th Mar 2005 • blog entries, Iditarod, nome.

Today I’ve got an AP Article for you off of ABC New’s website. There will be audio down at the bottom later.

ANCHORAGE, Alaska Mar 11, 2005 – Paul Gebhardt enjoyed a seven-course gourmet meal Friday for being the first musher to reach the Yukon River in the 1,100-mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.

Gebhardt, 48, whose best finish was second in 2000, reached the Anvik checkpoint at 7:14 a.m. For being first to the Yukon, Gebhardt enjoyed some distinctly non-trail fare that included braised musk ox and shitake mushroom stew and buffalo tenderloin with peppercorn sauce. He also received 3,500 crisp $1 bills.

Gebhardt is the only one of several mushers in the top tier who has not taken a mandatory 24-hour rest of his team. He said he would satisfy the requirement at Anvik, 481 miles from Nome.

In second place was Robert Sorlie of Norway, the 2003 Iditarod winner. Four-time winner Martin Buser was in third, followed by Yukon Quest winner Aliy Zirkle and Ramy Brooks of Healy.

Rick Swenson, the only five-time winner of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, dropped out of the running Thursday the first time he’s scratched from the race to Nome in 29 years on the trail.

The 54-year-old musher officially withdrew after returning to the checkpoint at McGrath, 722 miles from the finish line. Swenson told race managers he was concerned about the well-being of his dog team.

“He said they weren’t running as well as he wanted them to,” said race marshal Mark Nordman.

Swenson took his mandatory 24-hour rest at McGrath, then traveled 18 miles to the Takotna checkpoint, arriving shortly before 7 a.m. Thursday, race officials said. He dropped off one of his dogs, then headed for Ophir 25 miles away with 12 dogs. Mushers start the race with 16 dogs and must end it with at least five.

On the trail, Swenson decided to turn back to McGrath, a busy hub where he could transport his dogs home quicker, said Iditarod spokesman Chas St. George.

“He’s the kind of guy who hates to quit, so his decision was based on what’s in the best interest of his team,” he said.

Another top musher withdrew from competition late Wednesday, also surprising race officials. Zack Steer was in eighth place when he scratched at the Ophir checkpoint, about 475 miles into the race to Nome.