Amber and Driver
Iron and Kodiak
Spark and Violet
Woody; Aliy is interviewed by Greg Heister for the Insider
Kaz helps Aliy with her bib; Aliy with her parents Mickey and Doug
The Red Team members travel the trail in Aliy’s sled bag; In the start chute
Kodiak and Junior lead them off
Dutch and Izzy
Commando and Violet
Woody and Mismo
Amber and Spark
Schmoe and Rodney
Champ and Driver
Felix and Iron
Here are a couple of very quick videos of the teams leaving the start chute in Fairbanks yesterday.
You will see in a late change to the line-up Tinder was moved forwards to run beside Chena in swing while Chipper started beside Scooter. Chipper was getting a little bit over excited and annoying to Chena so he paired the two cheerleading gals together for the start.
Phew, it’s been a long day for everyone!
We started early and loaded two trucks with 32 dogs and headed in to Fairbanks ready for the ReStart. It was a typically cold Fairbanks morning, around -25F but clear blue skies.
Red Team hit the trail
Once at the staging area we dropped the dogs and gave them some meaty water for breakfast while the vet team came around to do some pee tests. Mismo was not impressed and held out until the plastic bag was removed from around his waist and the vet team had gone before peeing. We popped them all back up into the trucks again for an hour or so to rest and especially so the youngsters didn’t get too overexcited by all the activity, people and dogs.
With about an hour till “go-time” we dressed the dogs in their harnesses, booties, puff jackets, leggings and T-shirts. They all looked ready to get out of here. The staging area was quite a distance from the start chute but it was well organised and with lots of help from friends and family we got the teams safely to the line.
3-2-1-GO! Off they went towards the first checkpoint in Nenana while the crew went for breakfast and to ready ourselves to head to Nenana also.
Black Team on their way
The first checkpoint on this route is different to all the rest in that handlers take food, water, straw and whatever else we please to the checkpoint and are able to give our mushers a hot meal for the dogs and themselves. We can not touch the dogs or provide any kind of dog care but it was nice to be a little bit hands-on and able to help haul things and fix things.
Both Aliy and Allen stayed a while – Aliy about three hours, Allen about five – so we watched them complete their arrival chores while the vet teams checked out each athlete. Then they went up to the checkpoint building which is the local community centre. There was an amazing spread put on by the local community with chilli, spaghetti, soups, brownie, cookies and water. Aliy didn’t “dilly-dally” and headed back out to bootie up her team shortly after but Allen found a comfy spot for a quick nap. We are already seeing the difference in race schedules of the two teams.
Once the sun went down it got even colder out there on the river with the truck temperature gauge reading -30F. The stars were out in abundance and we had a wisp of auroras. Beautiful but cold.
Aliy left with a few of her dogs wearing their brand new reflective and battery-lit collars. Thanks to the team at Head-lites, they are fantastic!!
After his nap Allen left a howl and we watched until they were out of sight. We don’t see them again until Nome.
I have a heap of photos and video to edit and post and will do the over the next few days so there is something for you to look at other than the tracker. I hope you were able to follow along with our Instagram, Facebook or Twitter pages as I was able to post some pictures directly there throughout the day.
More soon.
Here they are! The race rosters for the Iditarod.
Aliy will lead out with Junior and Kodiak, Izzy and Dutch in swing, Violet and Commando, Woody and Mismo, Amber and Spark, Rodney and Schmoe, Champ and Driver with Iron and Felix in wheel. She has two Iditarod rookies in Woody and Rodney. This is a climax to a stellar season for Woody.
Rodney and Woody are Iditarod rookies
Allen will take Chemo and Waylon, Chipper and Chena in swing, Scout and Lydia, Scooter and Tinder, Olivia and Willie, Hotshot and Nomex, Five and Outlaw with Scooby and Clyde in wheel. Allen has three rookies in Scooby, Five and Hotshot and his most Iditarod experienced team members are “Big O” – Olivia and Willie having both raced in six each. Scout has raced eleven 1000 mile races and Waylon nine.
Rookies Five, Hotshot and Scooby
Click here to see more information about each athlete.
This ended up being a very difficult decision, especially for Allen who was still tossing up between two dogs until this morning. Experience vs enthusiasm… he went with enthusiasm.
There are a lot of great dogs back at the kennel and for various reasons they are not on one of the teams for the race. Either they have not recovered 100% from a previous injury, don’t have enough miles to complete 1000 miles of racing, are not quite ready or maybe just weren’t up for it this time. We appreciate a number of dog sponsors and fan club members will be disappointed but we want you to know “your dogs” have contributed to the success of the teams throughout the season and are being well cared for back at the kennel. They will enjoy spring mushing around the trails of Two Rivers and maybe even get to sleep on the bed (shhh don’t tell).
Friday was a busy day for Aliy with local media spots to promote the “Lead On!” initiative she is involved in with Matson and the Alaska Network on Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault (ANDVSA).
In the morning Aliy visited local TV station KTVA for a couple of spots to talk about the initiative. First up was a live segment with Carmen Lowry, Executive Director, ANDVSA on KTVA’s morning show Daybreak.
Mickey and I stayed in the Green Room to watch as it aired; a first for both of us.
View from the Green Room
Aliy with Carmen Lowry and Daybreak hosts James Gaddis and Sierra Starks
After that, Aliy recorded an interview with Rhonda McBride for the Frontiers show that airs Sunday afternoon and evening (click on picture below to link).
Then, later in the afternoon she and Kenny Gill, Matson Vice President – Alaska were live on the Dave Stieren Radio Show on KFQD to discuss the initiative.
Back at the hotel KTUU caught up with her (click photo below for link) and I understand the ADN have a story coming up.
It has been a great opportunity for Aliy to talk about the Lead On partnership she has developed with Matson and ANDVSA. To find out more and how to donate go to andvsa.org. All moneys donated during March, April and May will go towards helping children from the villages along the Iditarod Trail attend the Lead On! Conference in November.
Thanks to Mary-Beth Schreck and Barbara Swenson for photos of the Black Team Ceremonial Start.
Bean and Chemo
Ernie and Lydia
Chris with Cayenne and Ruth with Ernie
Allen getting ready; with Iditarider Jaci Owen
Lydia: “Chris, I’m going on the Iditarod”; “Chris, did I tell you I’m going on the Iditarod?”
Videos coming soon!
The Ceremonial Start is always so much fun. There were thousands and thousands of people lining the trail from 4th Avenue all the way to Campbell Airstrip. People were having a great time cheering, waving, BBQing, dancing… you name it.
We did have a very very close encounter with a moose along the trail and some of the smaller spectators got a little close but everyone got the finish line in one piece! Moira was pleased to stick all the corners!
Thanks to everyone who helped us today. Linda brought us breakfast burritos, Barbara took pictures, Will and Issac from Verizon helped both teams up to the start chute; Lindsey from Matson gave out fun Lead On merchandise and jumped onto the line when we needed an extra hand, Karolyn and Nicolle saw a gap and filled it, Bob scooped poop and provided the crew with yummy pizza (those two things are NOT related to each other); and Rodney provided some ballast. You all helped out the crew so much as the bib numbers were so close together it was potentially a handlers logistical nightmare.
Here is a pictorial summary of the day for the Red Team.
Champ and Dutch
Siblings Junior and Kodiak
Handsome Nacho; Spark and Aliy
With kennel sponsor Bob Huston; Under the start banner
Stopping at the Matson family picnic; selfie fun
The Iditarod Ceremonial Start is just that: ceremonial. You will see some dogs on our rosters for today that will not be leaving for the 1000 mile adventure on Monday but, perhaps for sentimental reasons or because we left some of the dogs at home that don’t travel well, we wanted them on the team for this celebration.
Mushers take just 12 dogs and, as long as they are one of the 40 dogs that have been through the pre-rate vet checks, ECGs and blood tests any dog can run in the ceremonial start.
The route starts on 4th Avenue and winds through the streets of downtown Anchorage finishing at the Campbell Airstrip some 11 miles away. The streets are lined with thousands of supporters and we always enjoy the day.
At 11.10am Allen will lead out with Quito and Lydia, Olivia and Chemo, Chena and Ernie, Bean and Hotshot, Five and Cayenne, Scooby and Ginger. Allen’s Iditarider is Jaci Owen from Washington and Ruth will be riding the tag sled.
Quito and Lydia lead the Black Team on the Ceremonial run
Following just ten minutes behind, Aliy will lead out with Nacho and Junior, Kodiak and Izzy, Dutch and Schmoe, Spark and Amber, Iron and Champ, Violet and Daisy. Aliy’s Iditarider is Dianne Cox from California. Moira will be riding the tag sled.
Nacho and Junior lead the Red Team on the Ceremonial run
Click here for more information about the Ceremonial Start athletes.
We will get pictures and video to share with you as soon as we can.
