Here are the ticket wagers---few to sort thru

This is the Nenana Tripod

You can see the lines from the Tripod--they are hooked up to a clock when they are tripped clock stops

APRIL 30, 2017

NENANA ICE CLASSIC 2017

NENANA is located in the Alaskan Interior, 55 road miles southwest of Fairbanks on the Parks
Highway and 304 road miles northeast of Anchorage. It is situated on the bank of the Tanana
River, just east of the mouth of the Nenana River.
In January the townspeople mount a tripod out in the frozen Tanana River. People then
buy a $2 ticket to wager when the ice will go out enough to move the tripod. The Jackpot
this year will be $267,444 ---not too shabby!!! I usually wager on my son Henry's Birthday in
April. Last year I was 4 hours off!! You have to choose not only the hour but the minute etc so
4 hours was a big gap (I didn't think so but.....) It is now almost May and the ice is breaking up
but no movement of the tripod. I will try to get some pictures to show you some of the action.
Also, when you travel on the train from Anchorage to Fairbanks you pass by the tripod on the river.

MITCH SEAVEY'S lead dog PILOT was selected as the outstanding dog of the 2017 IDITAROD
pictured with MITCH SEAVEY and MAYOR BENEVILLE

                           THANKS FOR COMING----SEE YOU ALL AGAIN NEXT YEAR!!👋💗

MARCH 19, 2017 cont'd

A final note about the TEACHER ON THE TRAIL, ANNIE KELLEY a 4th grade teacher from
Chicago, Ill.
This is a program for one educator in the country selected early in the year to enter into a one year
agreement to teach beyond the traditional classroom walls via internet and be involved in a project
that reaches students around the world.
They fly the teacher to each checkpoint to learn, first hand, what goes on behind the scenes of the  Iditarod. They create standards driven lessons, using research based techniques and integrating
technology as a tool for teaching and learning.  They are in constant contact, via the internet and a daily blog, with classrooms around the world. It has been a well accepted program for many years.

MARCH 19, 2017 cont'd

A NOME resident handing CINDY ABBOTT the RED LANTERN on the trail to NOME

 CINDY ABBOTT with her RED LANTERN under the burl arch in NOME--SHE MADE IT!!!

Many of the mushers under the burl arch in NOME

TEACHER ON THE TRAIL ANNIE KELLEY --4th grade teacher in CHICAGO, IL

MARCH 19, 2017

15th and FINAL DAY OF THE IDITAROD

The final 3 mushers into NOME came in minutes apart:

In 62nd place ALAN EISCHENS into NOME at 5:30 pm yesterday
In 63rd place  PETER REUTER (r) into NOME at 5:45pm yesterday
In 64rd place  CINDY ABBOTT into NOME   at   5:57 pm yesterday

CINDY ABBOTT was the last in winning the RED LANTERN.  For persistence and finishig
the race no matter what position one is in.

Today was the MUSHERS BANQUET. Its wonderful everyone was here for it. If a musher is not
in before the banquet another banquet would be held for them when they did arrive. EVERYONE is a winner.

Few notes before any award winners from the banquet.

The MAYOR of NOME--MAYOR BENEVILLE will certainly be at the banquet. He is usually at
the finish line as well, greeting mushers as they come in. He is such a character!! To understand his character a bit better is to realize his background. He is from NEW JERSEY (can you believe that)
His Dad was a Dentist in the Air Force so he travelled the world. His passion is theater. He was an actor in NEW YORK CITY then moved to BARROW, ALASKA in 1982. THAT's a transition!!!
He then moved to NOME in 1988. He is very active in the community with quite an animated voice.

A few of the awards from the MUSHERS BANQUET today:

Most INSPIRATIONAL award went to JESSIE ROYER coming into NOME with all her 16 dogs--quite an accomplishment.

Outstanding CHECK POINT to MANLEY HOT SPRINGS

HUMANITARIAN award for outstanding dog care to JESSIE ROYER--quite a race for her and for her dogs.

ALLEN MOORE voted the most helpful to all the mushers.  A person always willing to stop and help a fellow mushers out- no matter how long it took.

MARCH 18, 2017 cont'd

MICHAEL BAKER (r) coming into NOME 58th place--check out the beautiful mountains at the end of the street  its 9:15AM but still dark

MICHAEL BAKER and MATTHEW FALLON (came in 59th) at the burl arch in NOME they came in just a few minutes apart.

Just a note on DEEDEE JONROWE. She is 63 years old and from a military family. She was born
in Frankfort, Germany and her Dad came to Ft. Richardson in ANCHORAGE and she got the bug
for mushing. She has a degree in Biosciences and Renewable Resources.

Its -9 in NOME with a little wind tonight it will be -11.