IDITAROD 2007.....THE LAST GREAT RACE

The morning started early, for a Saturday. I woke up at 7 to prepare for my first Iditarod-watching from the sidelines, of course.
I started with the first layer-you know, undies like normal people wear. Then, because I am in Alaska, another layer followed-the silk long johns...including breeches, top and silk sock liners. Next, clothes...turtle neck shirt and cords. A little something extra, a fleece vest.
And now the wool socks, however, before the wool socks I have to attach the feet warmers to the silk sock liners. Pulling on the "fur" lined boots without disrupting the foot warmers can be a little dicey. Now, outer wear......my huge fake fur coat (I have been mistaken for a polar bear more than once), glove liners, gloves, and a pair of ear muffs. I had already put hand warmers in all my pockets-the ones in my vest and the ones in my coat. I wish I had pockets in my pants....with the blood circulating close to the surface in the groin area they would be a nice addition! I guess I am ready.
I had prepared my camera by placing a foot warmer in one of the side pockets and putting the camera in a plastic bag in the camera bag-you don't want the camera to warm up to fast because condensation will develop (very bad). However, if I don't keep it warm the batteries stop working. So, all ready!!!
My friends pick me up and off we go to the 2007 Ceremonial Start of the Iditarod!!!! Forgot the camera..........again! Fortunately, Gary (one of the traveling Nurse Practitioner's husband) remembered his! He took plenty of pictures and promises to send some my way....I'll post them.
Anyway, I really wasn't expecting the numbers of people that were in downtown Anchorage for the event. I guess I was surprised because Fur Rondy was so small and poorly attended. This was huge...thousands of people! A real party atmosphere with people everywhere, vendors selling all sorts of furs and trickets on the sidewalks and dogs barking, whining and howling to go! I heard a man standing next to me comment that this was like Mardi Gras. I've never been to Mardi Gras but I can't imagine anything any less like Mardi Gras than the Iditarod!!
We ate at the Downtown Diner and watched the dogs then went to find a place to watch the race. Except that was easier said then done. We finally walked far enough that it was a little less crowded and stood behind some shorter people. But one was a BIG man and he insisted we stand in front of him so we could see better! Thank you very much!!! I gave him a pair of my hand warmers in exchange for the good view.
We watched for maybe an hour and started to get cold from standing still. Also we felt a little bad because all this time Lea Anne was lost and her husband had gone to look for her....then she showed up without him...then she went to look for him then he showed up without her. Jane and I just stood in the very front watching the race! When we got cold we decided to go find them (notice we waited until we got cold)....but, by some miracle (added by my big white coat which stands out like a sore thumb among all the dead animals) we all got together in one place!
Enough cold! We needed a little break so we went into the boat tour place and acted very, very interested in the tours (which start in May so it was a little hard to be real interested)...asked all sorts of questions until we were warm again....and then off we went in search of the snow sculptures.
A very long walk actually....which made me feel much better about the blueberry sourdough pancakes with extra crispy bacon I had for breakfast. Across the street, through the carnival and down a long sloping hill. I discovered something I didn't know....I can't walk down hill on an incline because I have "pre-patellar syndrome" (when you are with a bunch of midlevels you always have some on the minute help with diagnosis). That sounds very official but what it means is that it hurts like hell to walk with your foot pointed downhill so you have to do this funny side ways walk and everyone has to wait and wait and wait for you to catch up (getting old ain't for sissies, sweetheart!). But, we made it and got a chance to look at the snow sculptures....beautiful but sort of pitted from the horrific winds of the last two days.
Oh, did I mention there was just a little breeze and it was 7 above-very nice!
Out of sympathy for me, I think, Lea Anne suggested we go to the Ulu Factory. I was glad to sit awhile-and besides I needed a case for my ulu. I got my case, a cup of hot chocolate and went back outside where I sat in the sun in a great chair and dozed until Lea Anne finished buying her $70 bowl. I think Gary was sorry we stopped at the ulu factory.
Back to the main part of town (this time via these two huge staircases that go up from one street to the other). I watched more dogs leave from the starting line while Lea Anne and Jane went to the Furrier to unbuy the fur coats I pressured them into buying last weekend-I was not allowed to go in with them. But, even still it was scarey how long it took them to unbuy those coats....Gary was outside with me and he began to pace and eventually went in "see what was going on."
Then it was off the opposite direction in town to see the ice sculptures (I've posted pictures of them before). I had seen them but no one else had-I'm glad I saw the sculptures earlier because they are pretty damaged and melted (I like them better than the snow sculptures). With that we headed back to the car with just a stop for Latte (or, in my case, a Diet Pepsi and oatmeal cookie, which I felt justified in eating since we had walked a long, long, long time and it was-after all-oatmeal!)
So, it sounds like my Iditarod adventure was about over for the day, doesn't it....but, the best was yet to come! When I got home I realized they were racing just at the end of the block so I decided to take the forgotten camera and try to get some pictures! WOW, it was the best place to watch the dogs!!!! No barriers, no fences, no crowds. You just walk right up to the snow they are running on and watch as they pass by you. People are holding their hands out and as the dogs run by the mushers reach out and hi-five them....everyone is shouting out "we love you (insert musher's name)"...."good luck"....the mushers are thanking everyone for coming....the dogs are looking around...looking at you! Once I saw the I-did-a-rider look up at the musher and say "it is so cool that they all know your name."
At one time I shouted out "good luck" and the musher looked at me and said "thank you...thank you so much"...and I snapped his picture at that moment. I think it was one of my three best photos of the day! He was so filled with excitment you can almost see it in the photo and you could really see and feel it in that moment!!!!
That was my Iditarod experience-standing on the corner of Cordova and 11th wishing the teams a good run, listening to the harnesses rattle, and the people shouting and clapping. Talking to each other between teams and sharing the excitment of the "last great race"...that is the moment I got Iditarod fever!!!! If there was any way possible I would be in Nome in 10 days shouting as they pull in!!!!
A comment on the mushers-this is not necessarily a just a young man's sport. I think I heard that the "average" racer is about 50....there has been a contender that was 71....I saw a young athletic looking girl (29) and a woman who looked a lot like me (overweight and over 50). Of course, it's about the dogs. The musher has to bred the dog he or she wants, maintain a healthy kennel of dogs and take good care of them on the trail....that alone is very demanding. I have a tremendous amount of respect for anyone that sets out into the Alaskan Wilderness with 12 dogs and a sled with supplies!!! Be they brave or just plain crazy, they have a special set of skills and an adventurous, independent spirit that has always fascinated me!
Well, I am off for another Fur Rondy event-the Native Crafts sale in the Diamond Mall. I'm gonna leave my camera AND my wallet at home!
Hopefully tomorrow I will get out to Willow to the official start of the Iditarod....if I do I'll try to remember by camera so I can take you all along!!! Stay up to date with what's happening and who's in the lead at www.iditarod.com.