Just in case you missed the latest update to the Iditarod leader board:
Aliy has passed through Rohn and is in the lead! She’s probably only going to go just a few miles down the trail and camp, but still! Go Aliy!
Aliy In The Lead!
Ryne Olson Iditarod 2012 Willow Start.m4v
Up, Up and Back to Anchorage
March 5, 2012
Mike Litzen and Doug Zirkle
The best laid plans often come to naught when confronted with Alaskan weather!!
Doug and I (Aliy’s dad and mom) met our good friend and experienced Alaskan pilot, Mike Litzen at 0930 today. Mike had flown his 1953 Cessna 150 from his home on the Kenai Peninsula to gather us in Anchorage and make the hour and a half flight to Rainy Pass. We had all been watching Aliy on the Iditarod GPS tracker and planned to catch her shortly after she arrived at that checkpoint. We packed food, drink and extra layers in hopes of staying until 4 this afternoon to see Ryne too.
We were flying over the Cook Inlet at about 1500 feet when Mike got the Rainy Pass/Puntilla Lake weather report. At 1000 the ceiling was 16000 feet, broken with a visibility of 25 miles. Cool! Good flight conditions ahead.
We had great visibility at first. We could see the shoreline of the Kenai to the south, the mountains to the north. We could pick out the Alaska Range to the west. We flew over total wilderness- snow, spruce, rivers, creeks and an occasional moose.
Mike had been briefed before the flight about a snow event due in during the afternoon so, as usual, he kept a sharp eye out for developing patterns. About half way into the trip Mike pointed to the southwest and said, “It’s getting a little fuzzy over there.” And we continued our flight toward the Shell Hills in the distance. Fuzzy, huh?
The checkpoint, Skwentna, was a few miles to our north. We were searching for the Iditarod Trail and any teams along the way. Gradually the radio chatter among pilots increased significantly. We were looping around Shell Lake when Mike contacted one of his commercial pilot buddies who flies Iditarod photographers along the trail. He had breaking news. Rainy Pass was completely socked in and the owner of the Rainy Pass Lodge suggested that those en route ‘don’t even bother’. By that time we were about 10 miles from Finger Lake and about 40 miles from Rainy Pass.
We made a u-turn and landed to stretch our legs and eat a muffin at the Skwentna airstrip. Five or six other planes also stopped here to reassess travel plans. Some chose to wait there. Most headed back to Anchorage.
When we took off again to head east, the western horizon had become a white bank of snow and fog. Conditions had gone from 25 mile visibility to zero visibility in about an hour. No one was heading to Rainy Pass now!
So Aliy and Ryne, we have to send you our love over the miles. Stay happy, healthy and focused. There will be no trail visit at Rainy Pass.
Red Team Ready for Iditarod 2012.m4v
AND THEY ARE OFF!
Aliy and Ryne are off on their treks to Nome. They both left Willow with strong, happy teams of 16 dogs. It was a beautiful day for the start. Pictures amid more info to come.
Ryne Iditarod Start Run.m4v
Iditarod 2012 Ceremonial Start
It’s been an exciting day here in Anchorage, where many of us participated in our first Iditarod ceremonial start. We started the day with a hot breakfast, then a walk down to the Start on 4th avenue. Our “Big Red” dog truck was parked down the side street where people quickly gathered around to see Aliy, Allen and the dogs. Ryne, with the new truck was parked a block away and also drew a crowd. The SP Kennel has earned quite a following here in Anchorage, in addition to people coming from all over the United States to see the teams start their 1000 mile race. Many of us were able to reconnect with friends we only see once a year at the Iditarod.
The dogs know the routine by now. They happily got out of their boxes to eat their breakfast with the crowds watching. Then, they received all of the petting, hugs and kisses possible from their adoring fans. They were the stars of the day, with people lining up to take photos with their “favorite SP Kennel dog”. They waited patiently for the harnessing, and bootie process to be completed. As they were clipped to the main line, they suddenly transformed into
barking bundles of energy, ready to run. With everyone ready, holding the lines, we made our way slowly down 4th street to the Start line. Both Aliy and Ryne’s teams behaved perfectly. It was a great trip down the chute, and very exciting to see all the people who come out to see the
start of the race.
The Idita-riders in both Aliy and Ryne’s sleds were enthusiastic about their 12 mile
run. Ryne’s rider was a young man from Wisconsin who recently graduated from college. His grandmother had bought the sled seat as a gift for him. It seems she grew up mushing, and wanted each of her grandchildren to have the experience. Several of us were able to watch Ryne andWes as they ran down the trail. We made it just in time to watch them as they went past our sponsors’ Horizon Lines hot dog stand. This is an annual tradition for the Horizon Lines staff to hand out free hot dogs and water to hungry mushers, handlers, Iditariders, and fans who come to see them. Ryne and Wes decided to pull over and have a chat with us as we fed them hot dogs, fresh from the grill. It’s a great
way to enjoy the race, and get lunch too! Both runs went without a hitch.
This evening, Aliy and Ryne enjoyed one of their last hot meals before the race with their families. Then, headed off to have a good solid sleep before the race really begins tomorrow. The dog teams are finalized, and the dogs are happily resting in their boxes. We leave early for Willow tomorrow, so we can get there in plenty of time to start the routine all over again. It’s been a wonderful experience so far, and will be just as fun tomorrow. –WB
Final Line-Ups!
No changes to Aliy’s Red Team, and only two changes to Ryne’s Red & Black Team: Moxie in for Mac and Skittles in for Chemo!