ID: Red Team Ceremonial Start

Having returned to the hotel around 8.30pm on Friday evening and seeing 4th Avenue sans snow we were amazed at the fantastic effort the City of Anchorage workers had made over night to truck in snow and put in a mushable trail! It truly was an impressive feat so, first of all, we want to that all those people who worked so hard to make it so!

The atmosphere at the Ceremonial Start is much more relaxed than the actual race start. There are lots of people milling around gathering pictures, autographs and news stories and it is a great celebration of the race. Dog trucks and trailers of all shapes and sizes lined 4th Avenue and the streets adjoining and spectators can get up close and personal with their favorite mushers and dogs.

Media and supporters speak to Aliy

Meghan harnesses Outlaw ready to run, long time kennel friend and sponsor Tom Eckhoff on poop duty

We hooked 12 eager dogs to the Red Team line and made our way with help from friends, family and supporters, to the start line underneath the famous Iditarod banner. For around 11 miles the trail was lined with people enjoying their day: cheering, waving and even barbecuing, with one guy playing a horn as we went by. There were lots of banners and signs, many wishing Aliy well! We stopped briefly at the Horizon Lines courtesy point for hotdogs and a quick “howdy”. Although it was well above freezing the dogs didn’t get too hot as they could splash through puddles and dip to drink whenever they pleased.

The Red team, and Waylon and Scruggs in particular, did a great job navigating the many obstacles. Scooter barked at some ornamental moose in someone’s garden, Izzy got a little too close to a spectating Jack Russell and Lydia and Wedgy took it all in readily. Willie and Clyde in wheel proudly wore the “I Did it by Two” jackets in an Iditarod program promoting vaccinating children by the time they are two years old to protect from preventable diseases. Nacho was Mr Experience, having done this run many times. Schmoe and Outlaw let the spectators further down the trail know we were coming – barking to gain their attention and Sissy was interested in the photographers on the trailside.

The trail itself was a little “mushy”, with some puddles perhaps 8-10 inches deep. The course had been rerouted the slightly from previous years so there were some “interesting” corners along with a flat bridge placed on a bend, over a flowing stream… Yikes. We stayed dry there but at the end of the run we did have wet feet, but it really was amazing there was a trail at all! Remember the Red Team was number 32 and there were 47 teams to come behind. Spencer and Allen report the trail was quite wet by the time they ran on it and it started hailing as they were almost finished their run.

Aliy’s Iditarider was Randy McCain from Alaska. Each year Horizon Lines purchases Aliy and Allen’s sleds in the Iditarider auction and the money goes directly to the Iditarod. The program raises a great deal of money for the organisation and it goes into staging the race.

Bib#32, Iditarider Randy MaCain

Thank you to everyone that turned out to support the race and SP Kennel yesterday. It was a fun day!

Video of the run and pics of the Black Team coming soon! Watch this space.