Here are Jeanie B (VA), Karen F (WA), Kim B. (WA), and Mary C. (NJ) enjoying my first day at the Millenium, Iditarod Headquarters. The 'dropped dog yard' is outside the window, in the background.Sometimes we have a dream, and the dream is enough. Sometimes you have to live it. I am sure some of the mushers may say that about competing in and completing the Iditarod, but for me it is just to be here and suck up the enthusiasm. I left Virginia this morning at 6:30 am EST and it is now 8 pm Alaska time (4 hour time difference), so my brain is partially fried, but Oh, it has been an amazing day.
The skies were clear over Montana, so I got my 'fix' of those magnificent Rockies. Landing in Seattle, Mt. Ranier and Mt. St. Helens loomed snow covered in the distant. Flying up to Anchorage from there was mostly cloudy, but the skies opened for a view of the Kenai Penninsula, and the mountains, fjords, and glaciers from the air, a terrific invite. All connections worked like clockwork, and my bags arrived in one piece. And, yes, the little suitcase COULD contain all the gear I will need to keep warm on my adventures. I had to toss my polypropaline long underwear, but I have a lot of layers besides that.
My friends at home seem to think my extreme interest a bit odd, but by the time I got on the plane at Cincinnati, I met a number of other East coast travelers with their Iditarod logo prominent, and had conversations from that point on about who was moving up in the mushing world, and 'are you going to Nome' and 'How many years have you volunteered?' and 'Thirteen years! That's terrific!' I met two of my roommates at the airport in Anchorage, and we have had about 5 hours now to bond, but it only took about 10 minutes. I ran into Rudy in Cincinnati, and have seen him already four or five times, and Kime, who e-mailed me last week about how to get to Rainy Pass, she ended up eating dinner with us. This mushing family is a tight knit group, and I am in my Heaven! Every conversation is about huskies, or Alaska, or the next event, or the chances of various mushers.
Did I say this place is beautiful?! The snow covered Chugach Mountains rim around the city. I've only been from the airport to the Millenium so far, and the views were great. Right now I am so tired I can't hold my eyes open. Karen, Mary, Kim, and I had a great meal and a few beers in the Fancy Moose Bar downstairs at the hotel. The lobby is full of stuffed animals of Alaska, and everyone is talking race. Pam will be here in the middle of the night, so I need to catch a few winks. I did get a chance to pick my top ten picks for the race, so I'll post them tomorrow. If some of this doesn't make sense, or spelling is awry, but my eyes are partially closed. I'll be up bright and early in the morning, but it's crash time now!
Mush on!
JeanieB
The skies were clear over Montana, so I got my 'fix' of those magnificent Rockies. Landing in Seattle, Mt. Ranier and Mt. St. Helens loomed snow covered in the distant. Flying up to Anchorage from there was mostly cloudy, but the skies opened for a view of the Kenai Penninsula, and the mountains, fjords, and glaciers from the air, a terrific invite. All connections worked like clockwork, and my bags arrived in one piece. And, yes, the little suitcase COULD contain all the gear I will need to keep warm on my adventures. I had to toss my polypropaline long underwear, but I have a lot of layers besides that.
My friends at home seem to think my extreme interest a bit odd, but by the time I got on the plane at Cincinnati, I met a number of other East coast travelers with their Iditarod logo prominent, and had conversations from that point on about who was moving up in the mushing world, and 'are you going to Nome' and 'How many years have you volunteered?' and 'Thirteen years! That's terrific!' I met two of my roommates at the airport in Anchorage, and we have had about 5 hours now to bond, but it only took about 10 minutes. I ran into Rudy in Cincinnati, and have seen him already four or five times, and Kime, who e-mailed me last week about how to get to Rainy Pass, she ended up eating dinner with us. This mushing family is a tight knit group, and I am in my Heaven! Every conversation is about huskies, or Alaska, or the next event, or the chances of various mushers.
Did I say this place is beautiful?! The snow covered Chugach Mountains rim around the city. I've only been from the airport to the Millenium so far, and the views were great. Right now I am so tired I can't hold my eyes open. Karen, Mary, Kim, and I had a great meal and a few beers in the Fancy Moose Bar downstairs at the hotel. The lobby is full of stuffed animals of Alaska, and everyone is talking race. Pam will be here in the middle of the night, so I need to catch a few winks. I did get a chance to pick my top ten picks for the race, so I'll post them tomorrow. If some of this doesn't make sense, or spelling is awry, but my eyes are partially closed. I'll be up bright and early in the morning, but it's crash time now!
Mush on!
JeanieB
4 comments:
Glad to hear you made it safe and sound Jeannie(Gatekeeper too)! Can't believe it is really happening for so many on our board. Maybe you will see Mith today but probably won't be there till late? Hard to figure with all the time changes. Anyway, soak up every Alaskan minute you have and thanks for throwing us a bone at the same time!
~Di from the Cabelas Forum
Hey JeanieB, welcome to Ak!
Frozen from the interior
So glad to hear you made it okay. Enjoy the ride! :-)
Wow, you just make me move "going" up my "bucket list", and the race hasn't even started yet!!! Keep reporting... Thanks SC-race-fan
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