Everyone is home and sleeping in their own beds tonight! Here’s a pictorial of our journey.
Lee from Matson helping transport youngsters from the dog lot to the Nome airport; preparing individual crates for the dogs
Iron modeling the secureness of the crates (note plenty of airflow); Expert forklift drivers take great care loading precious cargo
Deb and Hunter Davis, long time dog lot volunteers and dog sponsors with their sponsoree Spark (photobomb Tinder); We flew over the trail – this is over Aliy’s pack-ice campspot before Koyuk
Allen and Chris flew ahead to be there to pick everyone up; safely landed in Anchorage
Stretching their legs after their short flight; Hanging out at Barbara’s townhouse in Anchorage
Parks Highway view
I'm glad everyone is home safe and sound. In my opinion, this year's Iditarod was an epic journey (both good and bad), to say the least.
I am in awe of the abilities of the Alaskan Husky, both as an elite athlete and for their ability to adapt to changing circumstances. How many dogs are happy to run 1000 miles, interact with strangers, then packed into a crate, shrink wrapped (with lots of ventilation), loaded into a plane, and flown back home?
Welcome home SPK!!! So glad you are home…relax, decompress…and enjoy the company of ALL the SPK Dogs! Bet the puppies grew as you were gone!
What great pictures! Thank you!
Welcome home, teams. Job well done!
An unusual Iditarod journey but all's well that ends well. Probably some details left, but peace at last. Love you all and thanks for sharing the journey with wonderful posts and pictures. You're the best. See you in Fairbanks next year! – From Ruth
Welcome home Aliy, Allen and doggies! Enjoy your post season and Happy Spring! Thanks for the pictures.
Welcome home to all (people and 4-legged types). Unpack, clean-up and take a deep breath – what an undertaking and adventure. Congrats to all!!
Gorgeous snaps (and doesn't Spark seem soooo proud of himself).
The last photo along the highway home with the moutains in the background, Matson-blue sky above, says (first exhale)…what a peaceful gorgeous place to be!!!
WOOF, WOOF, WOOF!!!
Be proud of yourselves, all 2 and 4 legged members of the Red and Black Teams, and as others have already said, "thanks for the ride!!!"
P.S.
Woof, woof, good dogs!!!
Happy the crew is back home, all together, safe and sound. There has to be loads of work getting everything put back in order and greeting all the pups that did not get to go. I am sure they are all glad to see you too!! Woo woo woo's all around !! SP Kennel – the greatest!!
A great journey all around!!! Much love!!!
Thank you for allowing us all to be a part of this journey. Have I already said that? It means so much to us that we see all the excitement from this race, I guess I'll say it again. Enjoy being home, we LOVE you SPK!
There is no place like home, especially with well earned rest and peace after a job well done!! SPK folks, 2 and 4 footed, enjoy this respite and recover!
Thank you for the joy and excitement your stories of the race have provided.
Thank you for the wonderful pictures.
🙂
It's so nice to see you all getting home, after what must have seemed like the longest Iditarod ever, despite being the fastest for Allen and Aliy's second fastest.
Enjoy the love, peace, and normalness that is home.
We love you all!
🙂
So glad all dogs and humans are back at home base. I was waiting for this post on the dog log and now I need to figure out how to deal with post-season withdrawal :0) :0( I'm sure I won't be very far away from this blog, though. Thanks for keeping your fans involved.
You are so right, there is no place like home!!!!
Woof woof welcome home Allen ,Aliy ,doggies and all the wonderful Sp kennel crew enjoy the post race season and Thankyou Moria for all your wonderful posts. See you all in 2016/2017 race season Happy Trails to everyone from Denali 🐾🐾 and Joanne Melbourne , Australia 🇦🇺. .❤️🔴⚫️🐾🐾👏🏻
Glad everyone is back home safe and sound. Thanks to everyone of you for your hard work and sharing SPK with us armchair people. You are an inspiration and a class act!
Echo what everyone said above – THANK YOU FOR TAKING US ALONG. What a journey. Thank you. It must feel great to be home. Congratulations to the SP Kennel family – all the 2-leggeds and 4-leggeds – on another incredible racing season.
Welcome home, what a treat to sleep in your on beds again. Great races, full of adventure.
Any chance y'all have video of Aliy and Allen speaking at the banquet? Some fans with Idita-withdrawal would love to see it!
Great job this year to both the two and four legged spk athletes! (and of course the blog-updaters)
The banquet only seems to have been recorded for use on the Iditarod Insider – which is online now for subscribers to that service. Only awards plus Aliy and Jeff item plus award to the winner available.
Don't know if SP Kennel recorded (or was allowed to record) their mushers' words.
Great pictures. Just one question, who is the "photo bomb" behind Spark, Deb and Hunter? Love looking at all the pictures of your travels home. Thanks for the sneak peek where Aliy camped on the pack-ice.
Happy Spring SP Kennel!
Maryalice Adams
A great beginning after a more than adventuresome Iditarod 2016.
Awesome, awesome, awesome!
Welcome Home Everyone! Job Well Done–Relax & Enjoy A Great Season!
Thanks to all the pictures & comments you send us fans!!
Just Beautiful all the way around!
Tinder looks like the "photo bomb" to me.
–Margaret
It is Tinder.
It is Tinder.
Congrats on a great race Ali!
I'm really sorry about what happened, thank god everyone is safe and home.
I hope you're resting up and eating well.
Can't wait to watch you again next year, you are destined for a win.
-HMK