Native Alaskans performing at the ceremonial start in ANCHORAGE
My buddy, JOANNE POTTS, Ass. to the Iditarod Race Director. Talk about a Volunteer!!! She is QUEEN!!
Tuesday, March 6, 2018
PICTURES
Native Alaskans performing at the ceremonial start in ANCHORAGE
My buddy, JOANNE POTTS, Ass. to the Iditarod Race Director. Talk about a Volunteer!!! She is QUEEN!!
MARCH 6th IDITAROD
MARCH 6, 2018
Now we've got a race: as of midnight EST only 2 mushers are out of MCGRATH on to TAKOTNA
--I heard from my friend MISTY in TAKOTNA and she expects some mushers tonight. She runs the kitchen there and is a great cook. I helped when I volunteered there. We have been friends since.
MUSHERS out of MCGRATH:
l. MITCH SEAVEY
2. JOAR ULSOM
MITCH had to "drop" his golden harness leaddog PILOT in SKWENTA. He was just not up to the job. Now MITCH is running with only 13 dogs when most of the other mushers have 15 or 16 dogs.
MUSHERS now in NIKOLAI:
20 in all:
MARTIN BUSER is in 20th position and our SHAYNEE TRASKA in 44th position.
MUSHERS IN ROHN:
25 in all.
No one seems to be lagging behind.
The trail appears to be in good shape. MATT HALL, a rookie said the run from RAINY PASS was wonderful. He was taking a video it was so picturesque and almost took a header!!
MATT HALL is a 26 year old rookie and has a real competitive nature. He was raised in Alaska and has been mushing dogs since he was 2 years old. His interest came from running dogs on the trap line. He now guides tours and expeditions. He dedided to take the big step and this is his first
Iditarod.
MATT HALL
ART CHURCH, a man involved with the Iditarod for years and was an Iditarod Judge.
He was also a neighbor of MARTIN BUSER. ART died this year and MARTIN is bringing ashes with him to destribute at ART'S favorite checkpoints---NIKOLAI, WHITE MOUNTAIN and in NOME. MARTIN says of ART he was a "real dog man".
The sadest news is that DEEDEE JONROWE dropped out of the race at RAINY PASS. She felt she couldn't do a good job for her team and that was a priority for her. I respect her for that difficult decision. We'll miss the "pink princess".
The word is that snow is coming in the TAKOTNA area so that may change a few of the mushers plans. We'll see.
If you don't hear from me its only because I have no power. We expect another Nor'Easter tomorrow.
Now we've got a race: as of midnight EST only 2 mushers are out of MCGRATH on to TAKOTNA
--I heard from my friend MISTY in TAKOTNA and she expects some mushers tonight. She runs the kitchen there and is a great cook. I helped when I volunteered there. We have been friends since.
MUSHERS out of MCGRATH:
l. MITCH SEAVEY
2. JOAR ULSOM
MITCH had to "drop" his golden harness leaddog PILOT in SKWENTA. He was just not up to the job. Now MITCH is running with only 13 dogs when most of the other mushers have 15 or 16 dogs.
MUSHERS now in NIKOLAI:
20 in all:
MARTIN BUSER is in 20th position and our SHAYNEE TRASKA in 44th position.
MUSHERS IN ROHN:
25 in all.
No one seems to be lagging behind.
The trail appears to be in good shape. MATT HALL, a rookie said the run from RAINY PASS was wonderful. He was taking a video it was so picturesque and almost took a header!!
MATT HALL is a 26 year old rookie and has a real competitive nature. He was raised in Alaska and has been mushing dogs since he was 2 years old. His interest came from running dogs on the trap line. He now guides tours and expeditions. He dedided to take the big step and this is his first
Iditarod.
MATT HALLART CHURCH, a man involved with the Iditarod for years and was an Iditarod Judge.
He was also a neighbor of MARTIN BUSER. ART died this year and MARTIN is bringing ashes with him to destribute at ART'S favorite checkpoints---NIKOLAI, WHITE MOUNTAIN and in NOME. MARTIN says of ART he was a "real dog man".
The sadest news is that DEEDEE JONROWE dropped out of the race at RAINY PASS. She felt she couldn't do a good job for her team and that was a priority for her. I respect her for that difficult decision. We'll miss the "pink princess".
The word is that snow is coming in the TAKOTNA area so that may change a few of the mushers plans. We'll see.
If you don't hear from me its only because I have no power. We expect another Nor'Easter tomorrow.
Monday, March 5, 2018
pictures of the race
MUSHERS BEGIN THERE 1,000 MILE JOURNEY TO NOME
MARCH 4 AND 5 IDITAROD 2018
MARCH 4, 2018 and MARCH 5 (we're catching up)
Today, the 4th, is the official start of the IDITAROD 2018. Everyone woke up to hoar frost clinging to thetrees sparkling like diamonds in bright sun but COLD temperatures.
67 teams left WILLOW today with no big storms expected but colder than normal temperatures.
I was sorry to see JASON MACKEY withdraw before the race began. He is the brother of LANCE
MACKEY a 4 time IDITAROD winner.
The checkpoints are:
WILLOW
YENTNA
SKWENTIA
FINGER LAKE
RAINY PASS
ROHN
NIKOLAI
MCGRATH
TAKOTNA
OPHIR
IDITAROD
SHAGELUK
ANVIK
GRAYLING
EAGLE ISLAND
KATLAG
UNALAKLEET
SHAKTOOLIK
KOYUK
ELIM
GOLOVIN
WHITEMOUNTAIN
SAFETY
NOME⌛ SHAYNEE TRASKA's dogs leaving ANCHORAGE
MARCH 5, 2018
BY 10PM EST all mushers were out of SKWENTIA and some took a rest at FINGER LAKE.
I will list the some out of RAINY PASS (up to 10th place)
l. JESSIE HOLMES
2. RICHIE DIEHL
7. MITCH SEAVEY
10. ALIY ZIRKLE
Sadly ZOYA DeNURE scratched in SKWENTIA for personal reasons. And then there were 66......
Today, the 4th, is the official start of the IDITAROD 2018. Everyone woke up to hoar frost clinging to thetrees sparkling like diamonds in bright sun but COLD temperatures.
67 teams left WILLOW today with no big storms expected but colder than normal temperatures.
I was sorry to see JASON MACKEY withdraw before the race began. He is the brother of LANCE
MACKEY a 4 time IDITAROD winner.
The checkpoints are:
WILLOW
YENTNA
SKWENTIA
FINGER LAKE
RAINY PASS
ROHN
NIKOLAI
MCGRATH
TAKOTNA
OPHIR
IDITAROD
SHAGELUK
ANVIK
GRAYLING
EAGLE ISLAND
KATLAG
UNALAKLEET
SHAKTOOLIK
KOYUK
ELIM
GOLOVIN
WHITEMOUNTAIN
SAFETY
NOME⌛ SHAYNEE TRASKA's dogs leaving ANCHORAGE
BY 10PM EST all mushers were out of SKWENTIA and some took a rest at FINGER LAKE.
I will list the some out of RAINY PASS (up to 10th place)
l. JESSIE HOLMES
2. RICHIE DIEHL
7. MITCH SEAVEY
10. ALIY ZIRKLE
Sadly ZOYA DeNURE scratched in SKWENTIA for personal reasons. And then there were 66......
Sunday, March 4, 2018
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!!
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!!
Wednesday, May 3, 2017
May 2, 2017
THE WAIT IS OVER
TRIPOD DOWN::: The river was moving and the ice gently brushed by the tripod and finally
the nudges were just too much and down she went amid cheers and laughter.
MAY 1 at NOON---how unique is that! It will be awhile before we know who and how many winners we have. I do know its not me😪
THIS is the start of the spring break up. It gets intense with sound and action on many parts of the
river. A yearly happening so the river neighbors are used to it and welcome in spring.
Till next year.......
THE WAIT IS OVER
TRIPOD DOWN::: The river was moving and the ice gently brushed by the tripod and finally
the nudges were just too much and down she went amid cheers and laughter.
MAY 1 at NOON---how unique is that! It will be awhile before we know who and how many winners we have. I do know its not me😪
THIS is the start of the spring break up. It gets intense with sound and action on many parts of the
river. A yearly happening so the river neighbors are used to it and welcome in spring.
Till next year.......
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