At that time, Martin Buser was not too far behind them but still approaching Cripple according to the GPS map.
Meanwhile, behind them on the trail, several mushers were about to finish 24 hours at the Takotna checkpoint and were expected to take up the chase shortly. This morning should tell which of those actually declared and completed their mandatory 24-hour layovers.
Baker, Seavey and Buser had yet to take theirs, perhaps strategizing they can get far enough ahead of the others to be able to take off with them with rested dogs when those teams catch up.
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