DAY#12 IDITAROD MARCH 17, 2023 NOME

 DAY#12 MARCH 17, 2023

HAPPY ST. PATRICKS DAY. HOPE YOU WERE ABLE TO CELEBRATE.

BAILEY VITELLO (r) came under the burled arch in 11 days 16 hours 49 min 57 sec. BAILEY and his DAD GREGG(r) (who scratched) are from New Hampshire. His was near the end of the pack and was slowed down for moose he encountered. He did say this was a wonderful experience. One of his favorite checkpoints was spending his 24 hr. layover in SHATOOLIK. He said they were wonderful people, so welcoming.  

JOANNA JAGOW came in 27th. She is an ER Nurse in FAIRBANKS. She grew up working with the family on the trapline. She also said SHAKTOOLIK was one of her favorite checkpoints. She spent her 24 hour layover there and also had to wait out the bad wind storm. The people there advised her to stay and she figured they knew this area better than she did so she waited it out.

GERHARDT THIART: is from SOUTH AFRICA. Early in his life he moved to MICHIGAN and became interested in dog sled racing. His eyes were set on the BIG RACE, the IDITAROD!! In MICHIGAN he studied and received 2 more degrees, met his wife who is a VETERINARIAN ASS. She was in NOME to greet him. In 2022 he worked with MITCH SEAVEY and raced this year with his dogs. He said from SAFETY to NOME there was no wind (unusual) and it was a delightful trip in. He and BRIDGETTWATKINS were two of those stranded last year in the horrendous storm by WHITE MOUNTAIN. They both sustained injuries. Their dogs did not. They really bonded at this time and travelled, some of the time, together. They again were in WHITE MOUNTAIN  together. They must have discussed this before hand and they both came under the arch "almost" together. GERHARDT came in and pulled his sled to one side, and waited for BRIDGETT to come in. It was a memorable reunion!!

 BRIDGETT WATKINS is an ER NURSE and is working for her Masters Degree. She is from ARKANSAS. She came in 12 days 0hours 8 min 48 sec. (it was around noon). She was carrying CURTIS' ashes. CURTIS was a trooper who was killed last year by a muskox. BRIDGETT told CURTIS' wife TAMMY she was bringing CURTIS home. CURTIS had encouraged her in so many ways and they were such good friends. Many of the troopers were in NOME to show how much they respected him. BRIDGETT said this trip was a long time in coming BUT "dreams can come true if you work hard enough at it". The most exiting part of the trip for her was in the Alaska Range. The full moon gave enough light to mark the trail and illuminated the mountains. She said it was breathtaking. The only trouble she had was her dogs did not want to leave any of the checkpoints. It took a lot of patience and time to get them back on the trail. *** Did any of them remember what happened last year??? We'll never know!! ALIY ZIRKLE (her step mother) and ALAN MOORE (her Father) were in NOME as well to welcome BRIDGETT.  Just a FYI: BRIDGETT is one who wears a helmet. It would be good if that was a requirement for all mushers. 

The last musher under the burled arch in NOME: JASON MACKEY, Brother of LANCE and son of DICK MACKEY -, DICK one of the organizers of the first IDITAROD and musher and LANCE a 5 time winner of the IDITAROD and a crowd favorite, died last year of Cancer. JASON brought Lances' and his Mom's ashes to WHITE MOUNTAIN. JASON came in 12 days 2hours3min 37sec. #20 came in NOME in the sunshine with crowds of people lining the streets to greet him. There were also a lot of prior mushers there as well. He met JED STEPHENSEN in WHITE MOUNTAIN and JED was asked how it was mushing near JASON, he said --"there's nothing tougher than a MACKEY"!!JASON had only 5 dogs when he arrived in NOME. You have to have at least 5 to finish the race. He said back in FINGER LAKE some of the dogs had diarrhea and had to send some home. Finally came down to just 5 dogs.He had a tough time when he was on his way to SHAKTOOLIK. He couldn't see ANYTHING and it was scary. He was so happy to get to the checkpoint.His dogs brought him in!! WADE MARRS and HUNTER KEEFE went out to SAFETY to cheer him on. 550 people greeted him in NOME!!JASON was the winner of the RED LANTERN. It really is a prestegious award. Even though you may know you're last you stay and courageously move on and FINISH!!TILL THE BITTER END!! The last person in blows out the RED LANTERN that was lite when the race began.

FYI: NOME is 102 miles south of the ARTIC CIRCLE.

FYI: It was snowing in ANCHORAGE when the race in NOME ended today. 

The only "thing" left is the Banquet on Sunday. They will broadcast this and hope we get reception. I'll check it out and see if I can pass anything on to you. Till Sunday.

Photo's on the next page.