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Anchorage Start
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It is called 'The Last Great Race' and it spans 1150 miles over some of the most inhospitable and beautiful landscape this earth has to offer. For the daring at heart, 25 checkpoints and the whims of mother nature are all that separate you from the first prize of $69,000 and a new Dodge pickup truck. And that can be a big gap! Of the 67 teams that entered in 2009, 52 finished the race in Nome with 15 scratches along the way.
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I was on a business trip that just happened to coincide with the start of the 37th running of this remarkable race. I met up with a gang of friends organized by a co-worker early on Saturday morning to experience the ceremonial start thru the streets and park trails of Anchorage. There was fanfare, people bundled up, snow trucked in to pave the roads with that white stuff and a lot of people and a whole lot of dogs.
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Day Starts
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Road Set Up
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Start point
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First Team Out
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Iditarod Trail
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The Iditarod Trail is a National Historic Trail which started as a mail and supply route from the coastal towns of Seward and Knik to
the interior mining camps at Flat, Ophir, Ruby and beyond to the west
coast communities of Unalakleet, Elim, Golovin, White Mountain and Nome. Mail and supplies were swapped for gold and dog sled teams were the backbone of travel in this wide open frozen country. In 1925, part of the Iditarod Trail became a life saving highway for epidemic-stricken Nome. Diphtheria threatened and serum had to be
brought in again by intrepid dog mushers and their faithful
hard-driving dogs.
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On the first day the Iditarod competitors travel thru an elaborate inter-city trail network and we set up at about the halfway point to watch the teams and mushers as they passed by. There were several large parties going on with the requisite barbeque, lots of food, beer and friends.
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| My Spot |
Happy Dogs |
Rookie Hendrickson |
Oldest Musher Lanier |
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The Mushers & Teams
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Sixty seven teams started out with just as many stories. From the best in the world, to 15 rookies out to prove themselves, to a nuclear physicist with a team of pure Siberians, they represent that rugged individualism that it takes to survive the journey and a love for their dogs who make that possible.
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The Motley Crew
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An event of this magnitude is best spent with friends and needs to have a feast attached to it, with age appropriate drinks. We were in luck. The host and toast of Anchorage was our ring leader and he opened his house and adult beverage cabinet to friend and stranger alike. Red crab legs, baked salmon and it just went on and on. Thanks Jim for a memorable time.
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| Ben + Suzy Flying In |
Nikole Strolling |
Jim Waiting for Lance |
The Gang |
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Iditarod Links
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Trail Map + Checkpoints *** Winners List *** Iditarod National Historical Trail Alliance
BLM Iditarod National Trail Home Page *** 1925 Serum Run To Nome
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Hope you have enjoyed this photo trip and as always, May our paths and errands meet...
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