Talked to Tim via email from Grayling several times today; he and the rest of the posse (Heather, Jen, Trent, Alan) will get the wagons rolling around 11 PM Alaska time; they wanted to wait 'till 5 AM to leave, but were told to move it along... he doesn't expect to get to Nome before SUNDAY. Fifty nine below wind chill and no hope of a reprieve; I guess Sebastian Schnuelle is looking to wear a snowmobile helmet for the rest of the race to protect his already frostbitten face! Tim said he and Alan are being referred to as "Hunt and Peck". AHAHAHAHHA!

It looks like Lance - wait - everyone's 7 miles out of Grayling on the 60 mile leg to Eagle Island. Here we go. Forget the corned beef and cabbage - it's all pins and needles until they get there. Anyway, it looks like Lance has once again incinerated the trail and will be rolling into Nome Wednesday morning. We (Lance, us) were mutual house guests in Ontario this fall for a symposium and frankly, it was intimidating thinking about it on the drive over. But alas, this guy's the salt of the earth, and in plain terms he's just a goofy, sweet, honest guy, brimming with crazy stories and as modest as a monk. He is also one tenacious man and could be a native Yooper. That's how cool he is, and I don't throw that out there very often.

Side bar: I saw a big ol' bow-legged pickup peel out of the Mug Shot Saloon this afternoon, huge American flag on a stick flapping near the driver's door and a confrontational "Mama Tried" decal on the windshield. Import? Born here? Who knows, but a perfect example of the characters in this land of vanity plates and strip malls. I can't tell you how many people looking for God, gold, guts or glory have told me their migratory tale, wide-eyed, painful; some are at peace, others still searching for some sort of closure in this vast, wild haystack. Grizzled bush pilots, ennui plagued mid-lifers, retired military, hard-boiled waitresses, ski bums with chronic love on the rocks... and a surprising amount of folks from Michigan. Everyone's got a story. People are always waving others on to go first through stop signs, maintain full eye contact without perceived threat and seem to be, well, just darn friendly. If only we could be here in the summer for their rummage sales... not to be all Planet of the Apes about it, but they are a fascinating bunch up this way.