CONT'D DAY #2 JEFF DEETER going down the Tanana River(foreground) to the right the
Tripod on the river
Monday, March 3, 2025
Cont'd #2 day MARCH 3, 2025 NENANA ---PICTURES
Cont'd DAY#2 MARCH 3, 2025 START OF RACE FAIRBANKS TO NENANA
CONT'D MARCH 3, 2025 DAY #2
No feed from FAIRBANKS.Had to wait till they got to the first Checkpoint of NENANA. From FAIRBANKS they travel on the Tanana River up to NENANA. Population is 400. Comments were how warm it was. The dogs like the cooler weather to run in. It's 34 degrees!! Very unusual.
In years past, people used to travel up the Tanana River to NENANA to trade with the Russians --fur for western goods.
On the Tanana River, close to the NENANA checkpoint ,there is a tripod set up. One can purchase tickets with guesses on the exact time the ice will break up. There is a rope attached to the tripod and when the tripod begins to move the rope trips a clock that registers the exact time the break up began. The person or persons who guess the EXACT date and time win the jackpot. In 2024 the jackpot was $210,155!!! Its worth a try!! I have taken chances but NEVER won!! This game was started in 1817 by railroad engineers.
Some say the trip on the river is just boring but ANNA BERINGTON, a musher, said "some mushers think the river is going to be boring and boring suggests waste of time. There's nothing about the Iditarod thats a waste of time, it's a challenge. So if you're of the mindset of accepting it then it can be a new fun way to experience the Iditarod". Positive thinking Anna!!
EMILY ROBINSON, a young musher lives in NENANA. She is 17 years old and has won the Junior Iditarod 4 times. Next year she will be of age to run this Iditarod. Because she won the Jr. race, she lead the mushing teams out at the ceremonial start. After that, she and her Dad, will go from ANCHORAGE to NOME with their dog teams. She will get the experience before she gets on the trail next year. That's commitment and love of the sport and a good Dad!!!!
Sorry no feed from the start but I'll try to make it up as we go along. Here are a few pictures.
DAY #2 OFFICIAL START OF IDITAROD 2025 from FAIRBANKS
Day #2 FAIRBANKS --START
Well, bad news. The feed from Fairbanks went down. No broadcast!! Maybe aliens that don't like dogs or something!!😝I hope they rerun the start of the race. If so, I will provide some feed at that time. Half of the mushers have left Fairbanks on their way to the first checkpoint NENANA which is 52 miles. JASON MACKEY (LANCE'S BROTHER) was first out of the gate as he pulled the #2. Skies are blue, not very cold and lot of excited people. I'll be back. I do have Jason Mackey live from my Facebook page.
Sunday, March 2, 2025
CONTINUATION OF PICTURES FROM DAY #1
iThis is some of what they haul now from Anchorage to Fairbanks.
Bit of a moving circus😝
cont'd from #1 day CEREMONIAL START ANCHORAGE---PICTURES
Anna Berington--usually runs with her twin Christy-not this year
Saturday, March 1, 2025
CON'T MARCH 1, 2025 CEREMONIAL START OF IDITAROD 2025
Today 33 mushers participated in the ceremonial start in Anchorage with only 33 sleds leaving. That is an unusually small number. Don't know the reason for that.
They began with native dancers and something they called singing. Not sure what it was. Interesting!!They had a tribute to Dr. Stu Nelson, the Head Vet for the race who died last year. He worked the Iditarod for 38 years. I had the privilege of meeting him. Such a devoted Vet and race Vet organizer with a great love for the dogs.
GREG HEISTER AND BRUCE LEE will be commentators throughout the race. They have been there for many years and put humor, interest, info and lots of charisma in the race.
They have volunteer trail breakers, with their snowmobiles, to clear the trail for the race.They are usually from the nearby villages.
I have a few pictures of mushers with their Iditariders (paid in a lottery to ride thru Anchorage with a musher chosen for them)
trail map. Something I never knew, behind the musher and Iditarider there is a tag driver--just for this part of the ride. The tag driver is chosen by the musher and is there for any emergencies. They are only on the ceremonial start of the race.
list of mushersFriday, February 28, 2025
MARCH 1, 2025. DAY #1. CEREMONIAL START OF THE 2025 IDITAROD DOG SLED RACE
DAY #1 ANCHORAGE - WELCOME TO THE 2025 IDITAROD!!
There has been a change in theTRADITIONAL START of the race from WILLOW, ALASKA to FAIRBANKS, ALASKA ending in NOME. This is due to the lack of snow in some of the areas of the Alaska Range. This problem with lack of snow has only happened 4 times in race history. The last time was in 2017.
The mushers now have to adjust to a new mindset, due to the change.They will alter their strategies and recalculate distances between check points. Now they will not be going through the famed and technically challenging Alaska Range--well known for areas like the "burn". They feel they will come out, with this new route, a little physically healthier as mushers and the sleds will have a little less beating. They will spend a longer time traveling thru Interior Alaska on the frozen Yukon River. They do find that a bit boring so they have uploaded some good tunes.
The CEREMONIAL START will begin, as usual, in ANCHORAGE-- TODAY and the OFFICIAL START in FAIRBANKS will start on MARCH 3rd MONDAY at 11 am (Alaska time). The BANQUET will be in NOME on March 16th. I will provide a map of the route as soon as they provide one.
The photo above shows the love the musher has for his/her dogs and the love received from the dogs.It really is heartwarming.
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