TIME FOR THE ALASKA IDITAROD --2018

MARCH 3, 2018

Today WAS the ceremonial start for the Iditarod 2018  BUT due to a Nor'Easter in the East,I was without power so I was unable to begin my posting.

I will begin with some stats and a bit of history:
There was a deadly diptheria epidemic in Nome, AK in 1925. Dog teams transported the antitoxin  from Nenana to Nome to help save this community. BALTO, was a lead dog on the final portion of the relay. BALTO'S statue sits on the main street in Anchorage where the ceremonial race begins each year. He was valued as a hero!!
Later on Joe Redington Sr. and Dorothy Page decided to start a sled dog race over this historic trail.
The Iditarod was born. A 1,000 mile race from Willow to Nome.

There are 67 mushers signed up to run this year, five fewer than last year.
This race field includes 3 previous champions: MITCH SEAVEY, MARTIN BUSER and JEFF KING.
JOHN BAKER, the 2011 Iditarod Champ, recently withdrew from the race. He wants to focus on his growing business. Four time champ DALLAS SEAVEY dropped out in October in protest of how Iditarodofficials handled his dogs failed drug tests.

There are 16 women and 51 men competing; 16 are rookies and the rest veterns.

This will be DEEDEE JONROWE'S last Iditarod. She says "its time". She will persue other interests, always including dogs.

Keep an eye on SHAYNEE TRASKA of Two Rivers. This is her long awaited debute since she was 9 years old dreaming about the Iditarod. 19 years later she is racing as a rookie.

My friend MARTIN BUSER is again running so I will keep an eye on him.

At the ceremonial start in Anchorage the mushers go from the main st. in Anchorage 11 miles out of town. Each musher has an "Iditarider" in his sled. In order to be an Iditarider, fans bid on (and win) a seat in the sled of their favorite musher. The auction is held in the winter. Opening bid starts at $750 and to buy the spot outright costs $7,500. The money earned goes towards race costs.

The official start is the following day--Sunday--in Willow, 70 miles from Anchorage.

This year they will be racing the southern route for the first time since 2013. It all depends on the weather and snow conditions on the trail. In 2015 and '17 the official start was in Fairbanks.

The race of 1,000 miles is what it would be to drive from Philadelphia to Orlando or Portland to LA.

The mushers start with at least 12 dogs and no more than 16. At the finish they must have at least 5 pulling the sled. They can't add dogs along the way but they can "drop" dogs with the vet and volunteers at checkpoints--for injuries or poor performance. The musher has to pay to have the dropped dogs flown--usually to the hotel in Anchorage-- where the vets watch over them.

The entry fee for the mushers is $4,000, expenses into the thousands for transport sled dog team to the ceremonial start, purchase gear, supples and food, for "drop bags" that are sent 2 weeks before to the checkpoints . They contain dog food, musher dried food, supplies the musher thinks they may need. They usually consider at least $25,000 in total expenses. What do they win, you ask! Amounts vary. This year $500,000 will be distributed amoung finishing racers. It HAS been up to $250,000 more than this. Just how much $ the winner leaves Nome with depends on how many teams finish the race. Last year MITCH SEAVEY won $71,250 and a new Dodge vehicle. Second place, his son DALLAS, earned $59,637. Each finisher receives at least $1,049. The mushers also have sponsors who help defray the costs.

The ceremonial start has happened. I will try to get some pictures now that I have my computer. The official start was TODAY the 4th so I'm somewhat behind. No worry, we'll catch up!!