FINAL DAY #14 IDITAROD SATURDAY MARCH 16, 2024

There were two teams left to finish: SEVERIN CATHRY and JEFF REID.

Of the two, SEVERIN CATHRY, a rookie and also a Veteran was next to last to come in. He is from AIROLO, SWITZERLAND. His time was 12 days 6 hours 35 min and 4 sec. He said the wind today was intense BUT his is from a cold windy place so he is used to it. He said it really wasn't bad at all. He said you never really know how your team will respond to the weather, terrain, schedule etc but he was so pleased with how they "showed up". His wheel dog was a powerhouse. SEVERIN has a very thick accent and at times difficult to understand him.

JEFF REID, a rookie and also a Veteran (a Navy Seal!!!) came in last place, RED LANTERN. He was talking about one of the "low spots" for him and his dogs in the race. That was out of NULATO into KALTAG. The cold set in at -45 and 25 mph winds. His dogs looked at him as if saying ok what now?They seem to be counting on him to get them out of this. He said he was looking at them thinking, I'm counting of YOU to get ME out of this. Seemed to last forever but it really wasn't very long. Working together they got out of that "low point" and then everything seemed to click into place. The dogs were hungry and very energetic. He said it was a LONG JOURNEY but he wanted to thank the people in SAFETY particularly. He said they were GOOD PEOPLE!!! JEFF showed his "commitment to the last mile".

The RED LANTERN, last place, comes with its own prestige. It celebrates the mushers perseverance and commitment to completing the IDITAROD. He receives $1, 000 and has the honor of extinguishing the widow's lamp. The widows lamp dates back to when roadhouses were used in Alaska and extinguishing the lamp was a signal that no other mushers were out on the trail. 

The IDITAROD is an amazing role model for building relationships. It's one of the few cultures where friendships form instantly, dogs melt your heart on an hourly basis and the wide open landscapes of ice, snow and mountains take your breath away. Lasting memories form with each day. 

After 12 days of excitement the 2024 IDITAROD is in the books. It was a very interesting race and helps to make me look forward to next year. 

Thank you to my blog readers. I hope you felt like you were THERE at times and understand the intensity of a race where Mother Nature sometimes isn't on your side and when she is the abundance of beauty is immense;

the landscape, the dogs, the mushers, the fans and volunteers and the excitement.

HAPPY ST. PATRICKS DAY. Till next year.