Matson are SP Kennel’s biggest sponsor and have been on board for more than 15 years. As you heard in last night’s speech, Aliy is proud to stand beside them and they, her.
Today we visited the office at the Port of Anchorage to meet the team informally and chat about the race and the dogs. A photobooth was set up for employees and their families to get photos with Aliy, Allen and a variety of dogs – it was so fun!
We started off bringing the “tried and true” social dogs: Junior, Kodiak and Dutch into the offices. Matson has an association with Kodiak and Dutch’s names – Aliy and Allen rode on Matson’s ship The Kodiak and visited Dutch Harbor. Soon after that visit, Olivia had puppies so Kodiak and Dutch were named!
We then brought media darling, Violet into the frame and she won a lot of hearts with her sweet nature. Then, just to mix it up completely we brought Jefe, Cloud and Decaf in. Well, let’s just say it was very good for them to socialise with people, they had fun but did cause a little chaos.
Here are a few pics from the visit.
We were very lucky to then have a visit from Jeff Schultz, Official Iditarod Photographer at the hotel to photograph and interview Aliy, Spark and Five for his “Faces of Iditarod” project. You can check out this amazing project at this link. If you click on the picture you can read and hear about each picture. This is the project that Karolyn featured in last year with her Nome hotdog while we were waiting for Aliy and team to finish. Keep checking back to the project during the race as Jeff travels down the trail photographing dogs, mushers, volunteers and officials. You can also see a Facebook Live stream from the visit on Jeff’s page.
This is beautiful.
Fantastic pictures.
I love Matson!
I hope you enjoyed your “down day” thoroughly.
I started reading/listening to the interviews for the Faces of the Iditarod when Terri Hanke posted about them last month. If I need a shot of positivity and a reminder of how really good people can be, I go back and review a few of my favorites.
People and dogs who mush/volunteer/work/pull on the Iditarod are very special.
What a fun day with Matson…made extra special with Jeff there to take pictures! We have been enjoying his Faces of Iditarod project all week….such vivid pictures and fun interviews!
It’s been bittersweet to read the past few days posts. Having been there a few years ago, it’s like a trip down memory lane with changes. Aliy saying to me “Can you believe Commando made the team?” to a race without his steely gaze in the cams. The running around Anchorage on Friday to meet the team and Aliy’s parents, and then this morning…standing on the start line, ready for my volunteer assignment, unfortunately under the speaker, that all of a sudden blared out “Who let the dogs out??” I could feel the energy, the buzz as I stood at that line for all 67 some mushers. This year, I sit at my computer, wishing I was there, to cheer on all those happy dogs, with all the other happy people.
Mush on Aliy and Allen. Enjoy the day.
Just watched the Jeff Schultz interview (the link above) – a riot!!!
WOOF WOOF WOOF