Should have posted this before, but at least now you'll have an idea where the teams are each night. They're taking the southern route since it's an odd year so they'll be following the blue line south. As of 7:22 PM, EDT, most of the top teams settled in for a day's rest (each team is required to take one 24 hour rest, and two 8 hour rests) at checkpoint Takotna. Some mushers had been expected to push at least to the ghost town of Iditarod, but deep snow changed their plans. Martin Buser, who now leads the race is the only musher who has left Takotna. He left there at 5:27 PM, EDT with 14 dogs. The top ten as of this moment:
1. Martin Buser: four time champ, holds record of 8 days, 22 hours, 46 minutes (northern route)
2. Aaron Burmeister: best finish was 13th in 2005 and 2007
3. Hugh Neff: best finish was 19th in 2007
4. Sebastian Schnuelle: best finish was in 2008
5. Lance Mackey: champion in 2007 and 2008
6. Jeff King: 4 time champion; top 10 in 16 of 19 Iditarods
7. Mitch Seavey: 2004 champion (son Dallas and daughter-in-law Jen are also in race)
8. Paul Gebhardt (who stopped drinking 19 months ago) finished 2nd in 2000 and 2007
9. Bjornar Andersen: best finish was 4th in 2002
10. John Baker: best finish was 3rd in 2002
By the way, you can click on the map to make it larger.
