IDITAROD REPORT
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March 19, 2005 Afterthoughts
Nome was very interesting with Richard being one of the highlights. When he took me to the airport, he made a detour to a pulloff just to show me the beautiful sunset. But I think Nome is just too cold for me and this wasn't even a cold year.
I felt pressured just about everywhere--Nome, Shishmaref and the Iditarod to buy stuff. I know the ITC and locals depend on visitors and tourists for income, but I'm not rich, wish I were.
The volunteers are dedicated, some of them year after year and treat their role as a job, at which they excel. I don't think the race could exist without this great team.
I've loved hearing people's stories and was surprised at how eagerly they shared. A lot of places I've visited, people have been reluctant to share. But, on this trip, everyone was very open and friendly.
The race is amazing, and after being at Safety in a white out and freezing, I'm doubly amazed at how the mushers can do this, sometimes year after year, along with all the training and planning. I admit I'm star-struck with the mushers, or, as Fred says, I'm a groupie. The access to the mushers is just awesome and doubt there's any other sport where a fan can just walk up to an athlete and talk to them, get their autograph or take their pix. The big-time athletes would have a bouncer show you the sidewalk in a heartbeat. Shows you these mushers' hearts.
Most people say it's all about the dogs, but I have to differ. If this were so, we could just go up to a pound and ooh and ahh at them and pet them and think what a hard life they've had. To me, it's the whole event--the dogs, mushers, ITC, fans, volunteers, family and friends and the memory or history of the original serum run. It truly is The Last Great Race and I'm privileged that I was able to experience it. Like Cabela's says, it was the trip of a lifetime and I'm glad I was able to share it with you.
I'm tired now and glad to be home. (Is there a song titled "I Survived the Iditarod?") But in a few days, I'm sure I'll be thinking about "next time."
March 17 Day 15 II
Well, I lied. Didn't know I'd have more fun Thurs evening. Saw DeeDee at Headquarters and got her pix, think that was her mom with her, but didn't think about it till later. Martin Buser was signing teeshirts at the table next to us and I asked him if I could take his pix while he signed and he said sure. Told him we'd had dinner with his sons the night before and he asked if they'd behaved. Told him yes, they were very nice and a joy to be around. He said "good."
Also, saw Swingley, a Seavey (not sure which one), Jeff King (passed him on the street and said hi and he said hi back) and Jesse Royer. Asked Jesse if she knew where Greg was and she said he'd left for home today. Fred and I had our pix taken with her. Talked to the woman, Cheryl, who was in charge of Sales at the Headquarters and it seems she had a tour out of Mich several years ago and I contacted her re going with her, but she was getting married that year. She had told me she told Cabela's how her tour was run and they based their's on hers. She had sent me a pix she had taken at the Iditarod. I told her re the history and she remembered my name! Awesome. She and her husband moved to Wasilla and she's now Director of the Chamber of Commerce there. Small world.
Richard's reading of Robt Service was fantastic as usual. Bought more souvenirs and had supper at the Polar Cafe where a grilled cheese was almost $8. It was neat sitting at the window overlooking the Bering Sea and watching the small planes parked there and snowmachines racing by.
Met two freelance photographers in the airport, one from Anchorage and the other from Japan.
They had been up the trail taking pix. The one from Anchorage gave me his card with his web site on it--www.nbphotos.com. Told him I was going to look at my pix before I looked at his!
My seatmate on the plane was a woman from Norway who is connected with the Norwegian Embassy in Anchorage and she teaches Norwegian at a school there, the only one in the country who teaches Norwegian. Sorlie's wife stayed with her for two days and she showed his wife Anchorage. So, she came to Nome to be part of Team Norway and she's good friends with Sorlie. He's staying at Leo Rasmussen's house in Nome and the night of his win, he had a party for Team Norway and they all stayed up till 5 AM. She was carrying her Norway flag.
Buser's boys were on the plane and as they walked by me, I asked them if they were going home and they said yes, with the dogs.
I guess Charlie Boulding was in Nome, but I never did see him. His dogs were in Unk, along with his wife, who was helping at the checkpoint and he was afraid that because he'd scratched, he wouldn't get as much for his team.
Posting my after-thoughts next and I promise I'm through.
March 17 Day 15 II
Whoops, sorry about that.
circlecr@bellsouth.net
March 17 Day 15
This is the last day, kinda sad. Had to check out of my room at 11 am and my flight isn't until 9:57 pm, so I'm homeless now. And it snowed in NC today! Can you believe it?
Watched the St Patrick's Day parade, with Hello Central walking. It took about 2 min to go by.
Been doing some more souvenir shopping and pix taking. Fred and I have walked a lot, had lunch. Saw Gerry Sousa's wife and kids again, she so nice. She used to mush.
Still haven't gotten to meet Dana Stabenow. She wasn't on Richard's show last night. Been looking for her today. Mushers cont to come in and they finally got the siren fixed, so have heard that. Fred still hasn't gotten to see the Fire Dept here and exchange patches with the fire captain. Know he's disappointed.
So, this will be my last posting from Alaska. In a few days, will try to collect my thoughts re the experience and post from home once. Also, saw the question on the Cabela's forum re who my tour was with. It was booked with Cabela's and they contracted with Sky Trekking here in Nome. Am also going to give you my email address if you have further questions. I know I've left out a lot, but it was so hard to get it all in in a half hour and people talking and radio on and all the commotion. But please give me a few days to get home and get my mailbox cleaned out, I'm sure it's full. I wouldn't have enough time to check my mail and clear it out. Thought posting was more important!!! Also, I have lots of pix and it you would like to be able to view them, I'll need your email address to send you an invitation. I upload on Kodak site and that's how it works. But it won't cost you anything.
Next time I'll bring a laptop. I've enjoyed sharing my adventure with you, thanks.
The end for now.
March 16 Day 14
Well, this is what we've all been waiting for. A winner. We saw Sorlie come into the chute and receive his check and the truck. The dogs looked good and he seemed ok, too. Lots of media there. My overall feeling those was anticlimatic. Thought there would be lots of cheering and pandemonium, but there was clapping and some cheering when he actually got into the chute. I've talked to a lot of people on this trip and the only person who said they were pulling for him was the owner of Sky Trekking.
It's still stormy and cloudy, so we couldn't fly into White Mtn, so we took snowmobiles into Safety. I wanted to drive one by myself so badly, but we'd just gotten out of town and I realized I couldn't do it, cause I couldn't see with my glasses or a shield. I could have cried. They should have told us to bring some of that de-fogging stuff for glasses. So I rode the rest of the way with the guy who provided the snowmobiles, or snowmachines as they say up here. We were only going about 20 mph, but it sure seemed fast, lots of moguls. We followed the Iditarod Trail and met Brooks and Gebhardt on the way. We would stop and turn the machines off when a musher came by. My camera died--had it in a coat pocket, but it was still dead. Then I put it in my pants pocket and it came to life.
Went thru a little village, Nook, that is a summer fishing village, some nice houses there. Also, went by Cape Nome, a small mtn/hill.
Got to Safety and got to warm up! Was so cold. Anyway, it's a roadhouse with dollar bills stapled all over the walls that people have written on. Of course I put one up by the women's restroom, the one place I always hit! And the restroom consisted of a square box, commode seat and plactic bag. There was a box of wash-n-wipes.
It was a bar and the guy who runs it, Tom, was a native and so nice and friendly. He had trailmix on the bar and would meeting each musher and help them hold the dogs. Also, met the checker, Jessie, and he has a website,
www.iditarodupdate.com, that he journals on. Can't wait to read it when I get home. The pool table was the operating desk for bibs (this checkpoint is where the mushers put them back on) and the vet. Jessie communicated with everyone via ham radio (no phones there).
Dan had brought food for us and set it out. I had been talking to a native and he asked Dan for some food and Dan told him after his clients were fed. I felt bad about that, but he did feed everyone in the bar.
Now for the important stuff. I missed DeeDee checking in!!! She was in and out so fast. Jesse Royer was hot on her tail and trying to catch her. And she did and also passed Gebhardt, to come in 8th, as you know. So Greg's talk helped psych her up. Hope I told you about that. I asked Buser how his sit-down sled worked and he said "good." Told him I had been pulling for him and he said "thank you." Timmie was there with his blue hair and Martin told him that if Rohn, his son, has a mohawk, Timmie would have one, too. Jeff King came in with Buser and they left together.
Swingley came in and I asked him how his eyes were and he said ok. Jessica Hendrix came in, too.
Dan wanted to take everyone up to the Railroad to Nowhere, an hour and a half trip. I didn't want to go, wanted to stay at Safety, so they picked me up on the way back. I told Jessie and the vet that I had volunteered in Anchorage and got to get warm water for the vet (and picked his brain, too) and bibs for some of the mushers. So I felt productive. Really hated to leave Safety, it was so neat (not literally) and friendly. My sort of place.
Rode back with Dan. Safety is 21 miles from Nome and took us about an hr each way. We returned a different way, went by a quarry and more mtns/hills.
Then Roger, the leader with the machines took us out on the ice crabbing. I shouldn't have gone on that trip. I was really cold and my tailbone was so sore from the ride in the wooden sled the day before. I was miserable when we got back, which I thought we'd never get back. Roger's spots were a hole about 4x4 in the ice with a styrofoam center between 2 boards. They'd pull that off after shoveling the snow off, then use spear to break off the ice on the sides of the hole, then used a smalling net to get loose ice out of the hole. The traps were hooked to a pole set in the snow/ice with a rope and they pulled that up. We got about 35 out of about 4 holes. He said they sell them on the street for $5/lb and they avg 2.5 lbs each. He has 2 partners. He carried his supplies on a sled behind his snowmobile. Then he wanted to clean them before taking them to our chef. I didn't watch that, some of us climbed around an old dredge.
Went to dinner and they had a theme of Mardi Gras. I tried the Alaskan King crab (red, supposedly the best kind) and it was ok. Didn't think it had any taste except for the drawn butter. So didn't waste it, didn't actually take one. Fred gave me a leg of his. You get the meat out by cutting the shell lengthwise up the leg.
The staff gave out silly awards. I got the Safety Roadhouse Queen award cause they think I'm quiet (really!) and Dan was amazed to see how excited I got at Safety. Fred said they should have given me the "groupie" award.
Gary said she had talked to Buser and he said he should have scratched early in the race because of his fingers, but he remembered something Jeff King had said earlier, so he kept on. He said the dogs carried him this race. His two sons, Rohn and Nickolai, were there with Timmie. They were both in the Jr. Iditarod, along with Ramey Smith's brother, who was there. They were all neat kids. Then Gerry Sousa's wife, daughter and baby came in and sat beside me. She was really nice and said Gerry wouldn't be in until Thurs night.
We all kinda were worried about tipping Sky Trekking, but we got through it. Was so tired when I hit the bed at midnight.
Oh, my God, folks, you won't believe this. Today I rode a snow machine, a sled behind a snow machine and a dog sled!!! And the musher was Jeff, the son of Herbie ?????, the Shirmaref Cannonball. Is that fantastic or what??? I'm still high from it.
OK, I'll try to give you a play by play. We flew to Shirmaref about 8:30 this am on a little 9 seater, prop. It really was a smooth ride, but they flew entirely on instruments cause we couldn't see a thing. Two snowmobiles with sleds took us to tour a tannery, the only full service one in the state. It was old and crowded and small. The man who runs it, Dennis, said he couldn't get help that was willing to learn. It was all interesting, tho.
Then we went to the 2 stores in town and bought some souvenirs. I had to go potty really bad and went to the first store before the others. It was thru a dark storage room and was a camper commode. Oh, and Gary showed us a female urinary diversion. Didn't know there was such a thing. The village didn't have a place for us to eat the food our chef had sent, so we went on the ice below some big chunks and they cooked for us. I was starting to really get cold. A guy came down and had 4 seal skin hats that his mom made and wanted $200 ea. They offered him $175/ea and he went back and asked his mom and she said no, they were worth $200. So they paid him the $200 ea for 3.
Then Dennis came riding up on his snowmobile and asked if anyone wanted a sled ride. I jumped up and jumped on the back of his snow mobile and away we went. When we stopped, the sled was attached and Fred was in it. Jeff was there and we loaded up and were off. He took us about 4-5 miles and the dogs were going 7-8 mph. My tailbone will be so sore tomorrow, we bounced hard on it. Then when the dogs went out on the ice it was even rougher. But it was so awesome, I almost cried. Jeff wanted us to go meet his dad and mom and see all his trophies (he ran in 11 Iditarods). But his mom came down to the dog lot and I went to the house, but Herbie couldn't hear me knock, so I didn't get to actually meet him, waved to him thru the window. Those dogs were so beautiful, they all had some obvious siberian in them and one of his lead dogs used to belong to Ramy Brooks. There were people going out on the edge of the ice hunting in their snowmobiles.
Flew back in a Beechcraft plane, bigger than what we went up there on. What a day! And 4 mushers are in While Mtn now and the town is getting crowded. Know I'm forgetting stuff, but the library is getting full and they're going to call my time anytime. Will try to remember and tell you tomorrow. We're supposed to ride out to Dexter with Richard at 6.
March 14 Day 12 II
Watched a teenager show us Eskimo games and they were something else. Saw a guy do ivory carving and that was really neat. It's still snowing sideways. Gas and diesel is $2.95/gal. Dinner was good again and Richard read Robert Service again. Some pix were shown as a slide show, but I didn't see it. Timmy, Lori and Dan's son who died his hair blue with Rohn Buser, said with the storm, there are no checkers in White Mtn and she's the only one there, so guess who'll be checking??? Isn't that funny? I bet ITC guys are having a fit. Sorlei is due in there next. Someone told the story tonight of DeeDee and another musher racing neck to neck down the chute in Nome and some drunk vomited on the side and the other musher's dogs veered off to eat it, so DeeDee beat him. That musher was mad and just went in a bar, said it didn't matter cause the closest one behind him was hours away.
March 14 Day 12
Had good breakfast, then Richard gave us tour and lectures re Nome. We walked out on the ice of the Bering Sea. Temp 32, wind chill of 18, wind 35 mph, spitting moisture of some kind. It was hard work to walk back to the van. This approaching storm is going to affect the mushers someway, but we're not sure how. I would like the storm to lock them all down for a few hours, then all those front runners take off together. Wouldn't THAT be a race?
The rest of the crew came in at lunch time, good meal as usual. I have a roomy, which I wasn't expecting. It's ok, just wasn't planning on it. We went to a craft show they're having at an old church. Beautiful stuff, especially things made out of fur, but really expensive.
Fred and I messed around town and he went back to hotel and I'm here at library. We're to go to a native dancing and ivory carving at 4:15. Will be back when I can.
March 13 Day 11 II
Don't know if I told you the Aurora Inn is like a Motel 6, very clean, and newish. They have more tv channels than the Millenium.
After getting thrown out of the library, I made my way SLOWLY up to the convention center where they are just setting up. Was still dying for a Coke and what they say is true--Front St is bar after bar. Didn't want to do that scene, so went in the Nugget Inn to what I thought was the dining room, but, in fact, was a bar. But guess who was belly up to the bar? Yep, Richard. He introduced me to everyone in the room, of course, as his client. When he picked me up at the airport, he also introduced me to Mike Owens, the dad of Melissa who won the Jr. Iditarod this year. Man, it was like an alcoholic going in that bar, but my drug of choice was cigarettes. The smallish, dark room was cozy and everyone was drinking and smoking. I wanted a cigarette SO badly (I quit 12/2). But I just kept talking, drank my coke and got out. They have a live webcam, in real time, at nomenuggetinn.com.
After checking out the convention center, I wandered back down the street, took pix of the burled arch, which they just put up today. I used to wonder how vehicles used the road when the chute was in, but they just built up the middle of the road and there's room for cars on each side. There aren't many people in town now. I've watched the cams and live finishes so much I feel like I've been here before.
I stopped in a store that one side was all liquor and the other side was groceries. Looks like their food is about 3 times what we pay. Gal of milk $7.59, 6 pack "pop" $5.59, one bottle pop $1.89 (small bottle), bread $3.89.
Stopped in the visitors center and got great stuff for school classes including beautiful posters. Thought I would get frost bite walking back, but I didn't fall!
I guess the other Sky Trekkies aren't coming back tonight due to freezing rain and ice in Unakaleet. The other "client" who was due here earlier is still stuck in Anchorage. So it may just be Richard and me. We're supposed to have rack of lamb, which I'm never had, but will try. Maybe.
Well, the Trekkies, Lori and Gary (female born in Ft. Gary, Tx) did come back commercially and left their 2 planes in Unakaleet. Tomorrow we'll fly back with them commercially and return to Nome via their planes or if the weather is bad, tour town and fly there Tues.
Gary is a retired Air Force helicopter pilot. Supper was hor deurves (?sp), they had lamb and I had a plate of veggies. It was delicious, didn't try the lamb. Richard did a very dramatic reading of several poems of Robert Service. He was so good. He does a talk show on TV on Wednesday's and this week he's supposed to have Dana Stabenow, who is doing an article for Alaska magazine. Told him I have to meet her, she's my idol. He said he'd fix it. We'll see.
When I got back to the room, Sky Trekking had laid out a bunch of souvenir stuff, rain parka, warm stuff, etc. It was a pleasant surprise.
March 13 Day 11
Was worried about the wt of my suitcases, but they were fine--32 and 31 lbs. So I didn't have to put all my clothes on!
We flew to Kotsebue first and as we were landing there, I started feeling a little weezy from the rocking of the plane and it seemed to be going in circles, so I got dizzy. Weird, know what turbulance is, but don't remember ever being "rocked." But Kotsebue has snow! Finally, everything is white! Woohoo. It's flat, but there are a few rolling low hills, can't see the Bering Sea yet. And Kotsebue is above Nome, I was thinking it was below. Saw some familiar faces on the plane from the Millineum. Now I'm one of those people that knows other people in strange places. Hmmmmm. Met Vern from NY who had a lot of stories to tell of his own. He just spent a week with a friend near Anchorage snowmachining (they don't call it snowmobiling up here) and was on his way to White Mtn to stay with the ex-mayor there for a week or so. He was just atalking to everyone.
There was a State Trooper on the plane in full uniform, including vest and gun. My seatmates said they are required to dress that way at all times, even when they're off duty. I didn't know that even with my reading of Sue Henry and Dana Stabenow.
I'm in NOME!!! There's still snow and it's snowing a little. I'm so sleepy (got up at 3 AM), but am afraid if I go to sleep, all the snow will be gone when I wake up. It seems to do that where ever I go.
"Hello, Central" Richard met my plane with my name on a card, holding it up. Aren't I special??? And he did treat me like a queen. Took me to the hotel, and there it ended. The clerk was overwhelmed with me standing there and couldn't find my reservation or Sky Trekking. Richard stayed with me to make sure I got a room, then took my bags to the room and left me his phone # if I should need him. Don't know what the joke is about "Hello, Central" yet, but will find out. He's supposed to come back and eat supper with us tonight.
I feel kinda lost, thought Sky Trekking would have left me instructions or something, but they didn't, so feel like I'm wasting a day. Richard said the Sky Trekking crew is coming in from the trail about 5 and then we eat, so guess I'll have to go on that. He said the chefs are here. Wow. So, I took a nap and shore 'nuff, it wasn't snowing when I woke, but at least the snow is still here. Richard is a character. He dressed up last pm for the miners ball as a girl of the night. He acted on stage in NYC for 20 yrs and he's been in Nome 20 years and loves it.
The closest internet is the library, 2.5 blocks from the hotel. So I put on my lightest winter duds and set off. Good golly miss molly! It is cold here. Thought my face would freeze. Stopped in Subway and put my headband on. Was crossing the street and fell right in the middle of it!! But I'm ok. Guess I'll have to put my heavy duty gear on. They only let me on here for 30 min, so I better go before the madam comes after me with a ruler to my hands. Will be back when I can.
March 12 Day 10 II
We ended up working later than we expected at Sales. People kept trickling in and spending lots of money, so we kept staying. Just worked with Delores and Earl, the people who run Sales. They're from Iowa and come up for 7 wks every year. ITC pays for their room and Earl makes a daily trip to Wasilla for re-stocking. They're both retired from the Post Office.
Just about all packed. Tomorrow, Nome!
March 12 Day 10
Boy, time is flying. I've lived with these dates for so long and now they're actually here. No dogs coming in that we know of, so I've had some free time to get some stuff done. It's 48 here.
Ate lunch with another Dog Drop person, Jane, from Anchorage. She's the one I loaned 90 cents to the other night when she didn't have enough on her. She paid me back today.
Finally got into the laundry room, was excited to find it. I'm going to have some clean clothes, woohoo. Got a box from Sales and packed up my souvenirs and the shuttle guy took me to the post office. This P.O. stays open 24 hrs!
I'm about tired of working now, ready to go to Nome and be pampered awhile. lol These people in charge of a particular activity can be a little snippy. I've heard several comments and just let it roll off my back. They should realize that people are actually working and not just sitting around. Oh, well, it was an experience.
Supposed to work Sales this evening, but it was really slow and Delores said we'd prob. close early if it didn't pick up. So, going to finish laundry, keeping checking on the dogs and work Sales if possibly. Pack tonight and head to Nome at 6 AM. If anything interesting happens, will post again this evening.
March 11 Day 9 II
Guess yawl saw on ABC that Rachel was named Person of the Week? Her dad was watching it in the lobby. He is everywhere--lobby, sales, picking up dogs, even saw him in the phone room getting lunch.
Forgot to tell you yesterday Bridgette has always worked at the check points since 1990, this is the first year she's worked in town.
Worked the Computer Room and Diane was a little calmer, so I could ask her questions. She was a science teacher in NJ for many years, she and a female buddy decided to travel around the country seeing places they've never been. Went to Key West and on to Alaska. I guess it's a mess getting your teacher certification in Ak, so she hasn't done that yet. Worked at a residential treatment facility for teens out of detention or whatever you call it wherever you are. They closed and now she's working at a gym. She's 52 and has a Cajun boyfriend. She walked 5 mi yesterday and was feeling it in her hips and knees. She has 9 siblings. Wonder if that's a requisite for residency in Ak? ha
Worked with John, who came to Ak in 1983 when his company sent him. He was nice, but quiet and I was too tired to pull him out.
Did yawl like how fast we got it posted when DeeDee beat Sorlie into Grayling, even tho she hadn't pulled her 8 hrs? That woke us up. We take info from the checkpoints via phone or email and have to upload to the website at a maximum of 30 min from the oldest news. We had JUST run a log and uploaded when the info came in. But we booked it and got it out to everyone. We were psyched.
