Well, here we are - March 1st. Trainings done, team selected, gear ready..well mostly..It's almost time to hit the trail!!!
The meetings and all on Thursday were pretty painless. I find it really amusing to watch the 'names' in the sport all start jockeying for position in the race at the Musher's Meetings. They will question Race Marshall Mark Nordman in detail about specific rules, trying to find how flexible Mark is going to be in allowing them to push the rule. Mark isn't. He knows us all; he puts up with nothing and always keeps the spirit of the Race in mind when making judgments. Many competitors keep trying though and the dance is an amusing one to watch!
One thing I was saddened to hear is that they will no longer be allowing us to make phone calls home from checkpoints. Any internet access that we were allowed in the past is also gone. So, there will be no reports from the trail from mushers this year. Kind of sad, as I think that accessibility of mushers was always one of the coolest things about the sport.
A lot of the reason for this, in my opinion, is because of the new tracking devices they are testing on the trail this year. In order to keep the information from these devices available to only fans and not mushers, it is going to be necessary for them to keep a tight rein on us. They claim the fans want this, but I don't think the consequences of these devices, in terms of the effect on the competition and the changes in accessibility of mushers have ever been explained to the fans. I'm sure most of you don't want us turned from living, breathing human beings to icons on your computer screen. In my opinion, that is the direction the Race is going. Please, as fans you need to make your wishes heard. I recommend that you email Iditarod directly (http://www.iditarod.com/aboutus/contactus.html) and tell them what you want.
The meetings and all on Thursday were pretty painless. I find it really amusing to watch the 'names' in the sport all start jockeying for position in the race at the Musher's Meetings. They will question Race Marshall Mark Nordman in detail about specific rules, trying to find how flexible Mark is going to be in allowing them to push the rule. Mark isn't. He knows us all; he puts up with nothing and always keeps the spirit of the Race in mind when making judgments. Many competitors keep trying though and the dance is an amusing one to watch!
One thing I was saddened to hear is that they will no longer be allowing us to make phone calls home from checkpoints. Any internet access that we were allowed in the past is also gone. So, there will be no reports from the trail from mushers this year. Kind of sad, as I think that accessibility of mushers was always one of the coolest things about the sport.
A lot of the reason for this, in my opinion, is because of the new tracking devices they are testing on the trail this year. In order to keep the information from these devices available to only fans and not mushers, it is going to be necessary for them to keep a tight rein on us. They claim the fans want this, but I don't think the consequences of these devices, in terms of the effect on the competition and the changes in accessibility of mushers have ever been explained to the fans. I'm sure most of you don't want us turned from living, breathing human beings to icons on your computer screen. In my opinion, that is the direction the Race is going. Please, as fans you need to make your wishes heard. I recommend that you email Iditarod directly (http://www.iditarod.com/aboutus/contactus.html) and tell them what you want.
This is an important time in the history of this great event and I think we all, as fans and participants, need to make wishes heard.
Anyway, off my soapbox!!
I was pretty happy with my bib draw on Thursday night. Nineteen is a good number. I googled the number 19 and got a link to Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/19_(number) I really could find nothing inspirational in there, but I still think it sounds like a good number! J
It will mean we get home at a reasonable hour today so I can finish packing and tying up loose ends before my yearly 'vacation' begins tomorrow morning!
The Open House went very well yesterday. I'm sure the dogs rate Open House Day as one of their favorite things about Iditarod. They got smooshed and snuggled all day. Kara got showered in Denta Stix - to the point that we had to cut her off them. She looked splendid in her new 'Golden Collar' and even consented to pose for a few pictures with me before bolting up to the house to try to talk guests out of Doug's famous smoked salmon and/or more Denta Stixs. We figure that close to 100 people showed up yesterday. It was pretty cool. Lots of old friends and a number of new ones! We are so grateful to Jamie and Harry for not only allowing us to open their home, but for being great hosts and just putting so much of the event together for us! HUGE thanks to Heather Walls and Dan Rehak too, who not only were my 'marketing manager' and 'bankers' yesterday but who provided the beautiful maps of the kennel area, complete with pictures, so everyone could figure out who all the dogs were when I wasn't around. We also appreciated the help of Don and Mary Uhlir, visiting from Arizona and my super cool niece, Corrine, who was helping out where ever she could and giving great tours of the dog yard!
Anyway, it is 4:30 now. Mark is up and I need to jump in the shower before we start loading dogs at 5am.
We will see many of you in Anchorage this morning. If you are in town, make sure to stop by and say 'hey'. That is what today is all about!
Updates and Photos
For the most recent updates and photos from Iditarod please bookmark our Iditarod 2008 page at -
Picassa Album updates from Mark:
http://picasaweb.google.com/northwapiti/2008CorrineHorseRide
Kim Berg
(website editor)
Update from Nikolai
Update from Takotna
Kim Berg
(website editor)
March 5, 2008 |
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Update from Nikolai
Hello:
I heard from Karen this morning, she was just about to leave Nikolai. She will blow through McGrath and should get to Takotna around 7:00 PM Alaska time. When she gets to Takotna she will declare her 24 hour layover, which for her will be just over 26.5 hours.
She said that it was 40 degrees out on the trail yesterday and is taking it slow hoping that it will cool down later in the race. Karen is a little behind on her schedule, but there will be plenty of opportunities to make it up later in the race.
Here in Willow it was 42 degrees and poured rain all day. The eight dogs left behind are all doing fine but Kara has stopped eating and spends all of her time looking at the house. Hilda is getting a bit of a baby bump, here do date is in less than three weeks.
That's all for now.
Later
Mark
March 5, 2008 |
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| Update from Nikolai Hello: I heard from Karen this morning, she was just about to leave Nikolai. She will blow through McGrath and should get to Takotna around 7:00 PM Alaska time. When she gets to Takotna she will declare her 24 hour layover, which for her will be just over 26.5 hours. She said that it was 40 degrees out on the trail yesterday and is taking it slow hoping that it will cool down later in the race. Karen is a little behind on her schedule, but there will be plenty of opportunities to make it up later in the race. Here in Willow it was 42 degrees and poured rain all day. The eight dogs left behind are all doing fine but Kara has stopped eating and spends all of her time looking at the house. Hilda is getting a bit of a baby bump, here do date is in less than three weeks. That's all for now. Later Mark |
March 6, 2008 |
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Update from Takotna
Hello:
I just got off the phone with Karen from Takotna. Apparently its okay to use the phone on your 24 hour break as long as you don't tie it up for to long.
All the dogs are doing great, Batdog is a little dehydrated, but Karen still has over 12 hours to get him drinking again. Dasher, Jinx, JR, and Moe have done all the leading. Watt has been Karen's Superdog.
While crossing the burn Karen tipped the sled and was dragged for a bit, and in the process had her pants pulled down to her ankles. While she was correcting this rather embarrassing situation her hand got slammed into a rock and it swelled up. Before the race I told Karen to remove her wedding ring, but she refused. At one of the next check points, I'm not sure which one, she had to get the ring cut off.
Karen said that Jeff Shultz, and the camera crews have been taking lots of pictures and video of her and the team in Takotna, so keep your eyes open.
Last year the ITC made the decision that mushers had to supply their own shipping crates to get the teams out of Nome. I've got 12 crates lined up, but if things keep going the way that they are it looks like I'll have to find a few more to get our dogs home.
Mark
March 6, 2008 |
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Update from Takotna
Go figure, Now they are telling us there we can use the computer here!!! As Mark reported, things are going very well. It is however in the mid 40's temperature wise and that has me pretty stressed. The dogs have moved off their straw and are lying in the snow, panting. Looks like I will probably drop Batty. He's drinking cold water and picking at food, but unless things seriously pick up with him in the next few hours, he will be catching a plane home. Crunchie and Jinx are nursing ouchy shoulders, but should be good to go out of here.
My time on the trail has been lovely. Beautiful scenery and fun runs. We are having a seriously good time. Lance Mackey was telling stories to the Insider over breakfast this morning about my dog team. He was very complimentary and I was so proud I almost burst out of my skin. I hope the clip makes it too the website. Anyway, sorry this isn't longer. If I had known we were allowed, I would have emailed when I had more time.
Karen
a few minutes later.........
Okay, now they just came by and said I'm not supposed to be on the computer. I told them a race judge got off of it to let me on. Apparently the race marshall told the Takotna folks we weren't allowed on. Looks like the right hand doesn't know what the left one is doing. Oh well. ;)
Karen
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