Ground Control to all Seeing Double Fans!
Ten... Nine...
We're now just 10 days and change away from the Official Restart of the 51st Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race and it's high time Seeing Double's coverage got off the ground!
Welcome back any and all returning fans of Kristy and Anna, and to any SD Iditablog rookies ~ I extend you a warm welcome and thank you for joining us. For the benefit of the latter group, my name is Kat and I am Anna and Kristy's not-a-twin sister and Seeing Double's self-declared Mad Blogger while they're out on the Iditarod Trail. I will do my best to keep you informed and entertained as the twins, their dogs, and all the other mushers make their way from Anchorage to Nome.
Iditarod 2023 brings Kristy's 14th consecutive career start and Anna's 12th. They may run their own kennel together in Knik, Alaska, caring for and training their big family of dogs together. But they are individual competitors in this adventure, each driving her own dedicated team of 14 dogs. They join 31 other mushers to bring this year's field total to 33 teams.
There were a few recent changes to the roster and it wouldn't shock me if one or two other last minute changes cropped up. Of the recent changes, Lars Monsen of Norway withdrew after sustaining an injury during Norway's Femund Race. Veteran Travis Beals also withdrew, but another veteran, Ramey Smyth, entered the race in mid-February. Both men are from Alaska.
As of this writing, the field of 33 breaks down as follows:
Male Female Total
Veteran: 19 5 24
Rookie: 6 3 9
Total: 25 8 33
These mushers collectively represent 5 countries: US, Canada, Denmark, South Africa, and Australia. From the US, we have New Hampshire, Wisconsin, Idaho, Montana, and Alaska (with over 20 mushers calling the 49th State home). The Canadian musher hails from Alberta.
If you've been following this race for a while, a field of 33 may seem on the small side to you, and you're right. It's the smallest field ever, in fact, second only to the first year the race was held - 1973 saw 34 mushers off the start. Since the year 2000, the race has averaged 70 entrants. Why the marked decline? I don't think you can point to one thing, but rather a confluence of factors... seasoned veterans maturing out; a slowdown in rookie entries; the overall cost amidst widespread inflation; access to mid-distances races either for qualifying or training purposes; and even unwarranted pressure from animal activist groups.
But don't let the small field fool you. It's overflowing with experience. We welcome back two prior Iditarod champs in Brent Sass (2022) and Pete Kaiser (2019). Roughly another dozen mushers have previously achieved a top-10 finish. Kristy and Anna can count themselves amongst some of the most experienced of the group, heading to the line with a combined 24 starts and 22 successful finishes between them and top-20 finishes for both in 2019. And that's the last time teams traversed the southern trail route, which they will again this year.
With over 20 checkpoints along the way, including the race's namesake and ghost town of Iditarod, the trail's southern route will cover approximately 998 race miles. Alaska has had a lot of snow this year, and the Iditarod's trail breaker crew headed out recently to ready the first third of the trail over the Alaska Range. They're hard at work breaking and marking the trail, clearing trees, and assessing the more challenging portions like the Happy River Steps. We'll get more trail reports as the race nears and breakers ready the rest of the trail, but the sheer amount of snow this year bodes well.
... Eight... Seven... Six...
Aside from wrapping up this season's mid-distance races, all mushers have been busy prepping for Iditarod, as have race supervisors and volunteers. On February 9th, straw for bedding down the dog teams was flown to all the checkpoints. Mushers organized all of their drop bags and handed them over to officials by the 15th for shipping to checkpoints. Mushers will resupply from these bags as they move down the trail, stocking up on everything from dog booties and food to their own food and dry socks. Anna shipped out a total of 1,575 pounds of essentials while Kristy sent out 1,522 pounds for her and her pups. Average 1,500 pounds across 33 mushers and that's many logistical tons for the Iditarod Trail Committee to manage. But they do, and with panache.
Mushers will present their dogs for pre-race veterinary checks by March 1st, meaning vets will thoroughly assess some 462+ dogs in the days ahead (assuming each musher presents a full compliment of 14 dogs each). I've seen the checklist each vet works through for each dog, and let me tell you ~ it's robust. Everything from healthy weight, overall attitude, haircoat and skin, eyes/ears/nose/teeth and mouth, heart, ECG and blood tests, respiration/lungs, musculo-skeletal health, and paw condition. Vaccines are confirmed, which include distemper, hepatitis, parvo, lepto parainfluenza, bordatella, and rabies. Deworming status is checked. And each dog is confirmed to have, or is implanted with, a unique microchip ID. I wish all pets were getting this extensive an annual exam!
... Five... Four... Three...
On Thursday, March 2nd, mushers and fans will convene at the Dena'ina Center in Anchorage for a Meet-and-Greet, the annual musher banquet, and the all important bib and starting position drawing. Saturday, March 4th, brings the Ceremonial Start from downtown Anchorage to Campbell Airstrip, and then everyone gets down to the serious business of racing at 2pm Alaska time on Sunday, March 5th, in Willow, Alaska.
This Mad Blogger had the pleasure of attending every Iditarod start from 2010 through 2019. But Life, being rollickingly alive and beset by the unexpected, kept me away in 2020, 2021, and 2022.
But, like a bad penny, I always turn up.
... Two... One...
And I am very happy to say I will finally be turning back up in Alaska for liftoff to this year's Iditarod!
In the days ahead, you can look forward to Seeing Double's Official 2023 Iditarod Flyer (hint on this year's theme in the 'bad penny' quote). After I'm boots on the ground in Alaska, I'll have breaking news reports on the twins' bib numbers and behind-the-scenes coverage of the Ceremonial Start and official Restart. I'll be back with full biographies on each twin's dog team... with adorable dog pictures! And I will strive to post daily updates as the race moves along, covering as much as I can until the first AND last musher reaches Nome.
... Check your race maps & may dogs' love be with you...!
Gear Up, armchair mushers. Adventure awaits with Iditarod 2023 about to begin!
Lost by my italics? Let me just say I heard David Bowie's 1969 song Space Oddity recently and got an ear worm.
And what's a post without some pictures. Photos from Kristy and Anna from around their kennel and during mid-distance races this season.
Ten... Nine...
We're now just 10 days and change away from the Official Restart of the 51st Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race and it's high time Seeing Double's coverage got off the ground!
Welcome back any and all returning fans of Kristy and Anna, and to any SD Iditablog rookies ~ I extend you a warm welcome and thank you for joining us. For the benefit of the latter group, my name is Kat and I am Anna and Kristy's not-a-twin sister and Seeing Double's self-declared Mad Blogger while they're out on the Iditarod Trail. I will do my best to keep you informed and entertained as the twins, their dogs, and all the other mushers make their way from Anchorage to Nome.
Iditarod 2023 brings Kristy's 14th consecutive career start and Anna's 12th. They may run their own kennel together in Knik, Alaska, caring for and training their big family of dogs together. But they are individual competitors in this adventure, each driving her own dedicated team of 14 dogs. They join 31 other mushers to bring this year's field total to 33 teams.
There were a few recent changes to the roster and it wouldn't shock me if one or two other last minute changes cropped up. Of the recent changes, Lars Monsen of Norway withdrew after sustaining an injury during Norway's Femund Race. Veteran Travis Beals also withdrew, but another veteran, Ramey Smyth, entered the race in mid-February. Both men are from Alaska.
As of this writing, the field of 33 breaks down as follows:
Male Female Total
Veteran: 19 5 24
Rookie: 6 3 9
Total: 25 8 33
These mushers collectively represent 5 countries: US, Canada, Denmark, South Africa, and Australia. From the US, we have New Hampshire, Wisconsin, Idaho, Montana, and Alaska (with over 20 mushers calling the 49th State home). The Canadian musher hails from Alberta.
If you've been following this race for a while, a field of 33 may seem on the small side to you, and you're right. It's the smallest field ever, in fact, second only to the first year the race was held - 1973 saw 34 mushers off the start. Since the year 2000, the race has averaged 70 entrants. Why the marked decline? I don't think you can point to one thing, but rather a confluence of factors... seasoned veterans maturing out; a slowdown in rookie entries; the overall cost amidst widespread inflation; access to mid-distances races either for qualifying or training purposes; and even unwarranted pressure from animal activist groups.
But don't let the small field fool you. It's overflowing with experience. We welcome back two prior Iditarod champs in Brent Sass (2022) and Pete Kaiser (2019). Roughly another dozen mushers have previously achieved a top-10 finish. Kristy and Anna can count themselves amongst some of the most experienced of the group, heading to the line with a combined 24 starts and 22 successful finishes between them and top-20 finishes for both in 2019. And that's the last time teams traversed the southern trail route, which they will again this year.
With over 20 checkpoints along the way, including the race's namesake and ghost town of Iditarod, the trail's southern route will cover approximately 998 race miles. Alaska has had a lot of snow this year, and the Iditarod's trail breaker crew headed out recently to ready the first third of the trail over the Alaska Range. They're hard at work breaking and marking the trail, clearing trees, and assessing the more challenging portions like the Happy River Steps. We'll get more trail reports as the race nears and breakers ready the rest of the trail, but the sheer amount of snow this year bodes well.
... Eight... Seven... Six...
Aside from wrapping up this season's mid-distance races, all mushers have been busy prepping for Iditarod, as have race supervisors and volunteers. On February 9th, straw for bedding down the dog teams was flown to all the checkpoints. Mushers organized all of their drop bags and handed them over to officials by the 15th for shipping to checkpoints. Mushers will resupply from these bags as they move down the trail, stocking up on everything from dog booties and food to their own food and dry socks. Anna shipped out a total of 1,575 pounds of essentials while Kristy sent out 1,522 pounds for her and her pups. Average 1,500 pounds across 33 mushers and that's many logistical tons for the Iditarod Trail Committee to manage. But they do, and with panache.
Mushers will present their dogs for pre-race veterinary checks by March 1st, meaning vets will thoroughly assess some 462+ dogs in the days ahead (assuming each musher presents a full compliment of 14 dogs each). I've seen the checklist each vet works through for each dog, and let me tell you ~ it's robust. Everything from healthy weight, overall attitude, haircoat and skin, eyes/ears/nose/teeth and mouth, heart, ECG and blood tests, respiration/lungs, musculo-skeletal health, and paw condition. Vaccines are confirmed, which include distemper, hepatitis, parvo, lepto parainfluenza, bordatella, and rabies. Deworming status is checked. And each dog is confirmed to have, or is implanted with, a unique microchip ID. I wish all pets were getting this extensive an annual exam!
... Five... Four... Three...
On Thursday, March 2nd, mushers and fans will convene at the Dena'ina Center in Anchorage for a Meet-and-Greet, the annual musher banquet, and the all important bib and starting position drawing. Saturday, March 4th, brings the Ceremonial Start from downtown Anchorage to Campbell Airstrip, and then everyone gets down to the serious business of racing at 2pm Alaska time on Sunday, March 5th, in Willow, Alaska.
This Mad Blogger had the pleasure of attending every Iditarod start from 2010 through 2019. But Life, being rollickingly alive and beset by the unexpected, kept me away in 2020, 2021, and 2022.
But, like a bad penny, I always turn up.
... Two... One...
And I am very happy to say I will finally be turning back up in Alaska for liftoff to this year's Iditarod!
In the days ahead, you can look forward to Seeing Double's Official 2023 Iditarod Flyer (hint on this year's theme in the 'bad penny' quote). After I'm boots on the ground in Alaska, I'll have breaking news reports on the twins' bib numbers and behind-the-scenes coverage of the Ceremonial Start and official Restart. I'll be back with full biographies on each twin's dog team... with adorable dog pictures! And I will strive to post daily updates as the race moves along, covering as much as I can until the first AND last musher reaches Nome.
... Check your race maps & may dogs' love be with you...!
Gear Up, armchair mushers. Adventure awaits with Iditarod 2023 about to begin!
Lost by my italics? Let me just say I heard David Bowie's 1969 song Space Oddity recently and got an ear worm.
And what's a post without some pictures. Photos from Kristy and Anna from around their kennel and during mid-distance races this season.
 Kristy |  Anna |
 Mush during the day? Ok!  This was Dec. 12. They've gotten a LOT more snow since then! |  Mushin' at night? A'ight!  No, that's not fire. It's an Alaska-sized sunset. |
