MARQUETTE -- As word spread that the first musher was nearby, crowds gathered, bells rang, and everyone cheered.
At 12:58 p.m., bib seven, with all his dogs, Ryan Anderson crossed the finish line and earned the victory.
"The dogs did great and then it got warm. Then we started slowing down, so I did a lot more work then," said Ryan Anderson.
Fifteen minutes later it was a close end for second and third place as bib 15 and bib 2 crossed the line, minutes apart from each other.
It wasn't an easy 240-mile race for the mushers and their dogs.
"It's just pretty much the same strategy I always use. That's just kind of be patient and just let things unfold and hold the dog team together, hopefully have a good team to come in the finish line with," Anderson said.
The teams were set back as they rode under tough conditions. During the night, heavy lake effect snow slowed them down.
"I could see their bodies because on their harnesses we have reflective material, but the snow was coming down so hard, so thick, it was like a blizzard. I remember telling myself just trust your leaders, they know where they are going. This is what we do, day in and day out," said Zoya DeNure, bib 17.
Out of the 17 teams that originally started, 11 made it to the finish line and 6 teams were scratched.
After a long race, teams are in need of relaxing.
Mushers are expected to attend Monday's morning banquet at the Holiday Inn. if you want to hear some trail stories, it's open to the public. Entry is $15.
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