Iditarod
 

Today was the official start of the 2019 Iditarod. Took my son and our foreign exchange student out with some friends onto a lake a short distance from the official start. We were on this frozen lake with a fire, lots of chairs, a grill and a bathroom that drained into a hole drilled into the ice. Every couple minutes or so a musher and team would come by. We would give them high 5s as they went by. Drank some good local beers.

This is the best known sled dog race in the world and we were literally within touching distance of everyone involved. It was just a great time.

For more info, including updates,check out:

https://www.adn.com/section/outdoors...ture/iditarod/

I’m rooting for Lance Mackey. He’s a really down to earth guy. He was first to win Yukon Quest (a much more difficult race, albeit less well known) and the Iditarod in the same year. This is his first race in a few years because he had cancer and had to bow out. There are other well known and good ushers, such as Aliy Zirkle, Martin Buser, Ramey Smith and Mitch Seavy.

The last finisher for Iditarod wins the “Red Lantern” award. While coming in last in most events might be cause for shame, just finishing the Iditarod is a real accomplishment. So even red lantern winners are accorded respect. Nowadays, winner will take about 9-10 days to get there. Red lantern will take about 2.5 weeks or so. So as you sleep, think of mushers going through the night in the dark and the cold and sleep a little bit better.

Now there’s an event I would dig catching some of live. Those guys are bad ass. Crazy, sure, but bad ass all the same.

Very cool. No pun intended.

I did enjoy Jack London books

Oh shit Lance Mackey is back!! I remember him, he cane to my 6th grade class. Was saying how he couldn’t raise his shoulder above his head or his arm would tear out of its socket. I even have his trading card as well. I heard he’s been struggling tho with drug addiction

Haven’t heard about drug addiction. He did admit to using marijuana when he was in chemo for cancer. Said MJ gave him an appetite when chemo made him nauseous. He got DQ’d for the race a few years ago because he was using marijuana, sort of stupid when he admits it and he admits it because of a legitimate reason. I know he’s had some real health issues, which is why I’m pulling for him this year.

Yea YouTube has a great series with Graham Bensinger. He talks with Mackey.

Here’s a link to where he talked about his alcohol and drug problems.

https://youtu.be/bodYQHBHaJk

Which part of Alaska are you from?

I live in Palmer. Been here 20 years. Lived in Dillingham for several years. Haven’t been to Barrow or Dutch but been to every other hub in the state from Kotzebue to Ketchikan and many Bush villages.

Nice! I was born in Anchorage and lived in Nome when I was just a baby but grew up and spent most of my time in North Pole. Small city about 20 miles away from Fairbanks. I’ve been to Barrow for football. They have a nice field but it’s cold asf. Our school actually had Darryn Colledge who graduated from there and went to the Packers to win a super bowl. Been to Palmer, Wasilla, colony, Soldotna, Juneau, Kenai and Ketchikan. Only part I have been to is the southwest. I spent 18 years there and will forever be my home.

Are you one of Pappa Smurfs children from Alaskan Bush People?

Wow. Very cool!

The "I dit A-Rod" club:

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/64/fc...d56c0617d1.jpg