I'm happy to report that the twins pulled out of Takotna right on schedule a little after 9am Thursday morning.  I was optimistic that they would both retain their remaining 12 dogs, but I see now that they each opted to return one dog home. I gave our RDC Courtney a heads up, and she's ready to head to Anchorage to collect these precious fur-babies the moment she knows they're ready for pick up.

Meanwhile, back on the trail... after leaving Takotna, the twins and their dogs mushed the 23 miles to Ophir (race mile 352) and spent less than 15 minutes checking in and resupplying before they were back on the trail again at high noon.  They were reported in 18th and 19th out of the checkpoint.  They moved along the trail over the afternoon for another 28 miles and, as of this writing, appear to be spending the early evening hours Thursday camped out trailside and resting around mile 385 at Don's Cabin (a BLM shelter cabin).  It looks like they may be sharing the area with musher Jessie Royer, and I can only imagine they're all swapping stories about their races so far and talkin' dog.  At least, when they're not grabbing a short nap.

I expect them to camp out for about 5 hours there before mushing the remaining 50 or so miles to the checkpoint of Iditarod (race mile 432), where they will again take a rest of 5 to 6. hours.  This will also bring them to what is considered the halfway point in this year's race!

The leaders of the race at this juncture checked out of Iditarod earlier Thursday afternoon and both are notated as having completed their 24s.  Jessie Holmes was first out followed by 2022 champ Brent Sass.  Jessie is mushing a team of 12 dogs and Brent chasing him with 11 dogs.  The remaining top 10 are reported into Iditarod and, impressively, two of those ten are rookies.  The top 10 have all completed their 24s - except Wade Marrs, the lone musher to take his 24 this far along the trail.  Nic Petit, the musher I mentioned previously as one of the first to take his 24 earlier in the race in McGrath, is also resting in Iditarod.  But he can hit the trail again whenever he deems prudent.  Welcome to race strategy!  It will be interesting to see how these different decisions pan out.

Our current Red Lantern, rookie Gregg Vitello, has been resting in McGrath for a while now, ostensibly finishing up his 24.  No additional teams have scratched from the race giving us 32 teams still making their way to Nome.  Lots of race left!!

Kristy and Anna arrived in Takotna (race mile 329) a little after 8am AKST Wednesday morning and were reported in 18th and 19th places, respectively.  They have declared and are taking their mandatory 24 hour rest here, as are many other mushers.  

The reports of the trail they most recently traversed have one common theme - rough.  The run from Rohn to Nikolai was plagued by mud and moguls.  Mushers faced mud on the uphill slope of hill and ice on the downhill side for 4 to 5 miles just leaving Rohn.  The Farewell Burn was mogul-city, but then it sounds like the final 10 miles or so into Nikolai was nice by comparison.  

My last post had the twins in Nikolai Tuesday afternoon.  They rested in checkpoint for nearly 6 hours and pulled their snow hooks around 10pm.  They mushed for about 48 miles to McGrath, stayed quite literally for 2 minutes around 5:45am, and then hit the trail for another roughly 18 miles to Takotna.

Iditarod Insider posted a great video of the twins in Takotna from Wednesday afternoon.  The initial seconds of the interview completely cracked me up.  Bruce commented that neither of them looked very tired coming into their 24s.  When Anna started to answer, she took a quick pause.  The twins are known for completing each other's thoughts and sentences, and that's what happened here - only when Kristy chimed in, Anna resumed at the same moment.  With no prompting and no practice, they replied in unison that they probably "got a little more rest" than teams further up the trail.  I thought I was magically getting them in surround sound for a second!  

It was only a 2 minute interview, but they went on to talk about how far it felt traveling from Tin Creek (about 22 miles after Rohn) to Nikolai.  When they left their Tin Creek camp, the sun was coming up, and it just got "hotter and hotter".  Granted, it was probably about only 35-40F, but you know how the sun can warm things up, and those temps by themselves are quite balmy by Iditarod standards.  Warmth can be hard on the dogs, as they thrive in the cold.  But the twins had trained in some warmer temps around their kennel in Knik this year, so the dogs were tolerating it quite well.  Kristy felt the warm temps benefited them to a certain degree, allowing the dogs to stretch out and rest better, and be more warmed up when they hit the trail again.  

They also said the moguls through the Farewell Burn were as advertised, if not worse.  Kristy likened it to a "pump track".  This made for far more technical sled driving than is normal through this stretch, with the applications of the brake and how you rode the runners key to making it easier on the dogs.  This type of involved sled driving also limits what a musher can do on the back of his or her sled, like sit down for a little bit or dig out a meal.  If you can't eat out on the trail from the back of your sled, you'll be doing it in the next checkpoint when you might otherwise be having a nap!

All in all, they looked and sounded good for race mile 329!

Given when they arrived in Takotna, plus the additional minutes added to their 24s to equalize teams for the starting time differentials, we should see Anna and Kristy hit the trail again by 9:30am AKST Thursday morning.

I mentioned in my last post that each twin had returned a dog home from Rainy Pass, and I now have details from our RDC Courtney.  Tesla, from Kristy's team, had some diarrhea and Forrest, from Anna's team, just seemed tired.  Never ones to push their dogs, Kristy and Anna opted to send 'em on home.  They are now back at the kennel.  Courtney said they're both doing just fine, although Tesla seemed upset - not from whatever had upset her tummy, but rather from being separated from her team and sent home!  Pictures of both, below, from just after they were picked up in Anchorage.

I also see that each twin returned a dog after my last post and before they departed Nikolai, so we should have another report from the kennel on the whos and whys in the next day or so.  I'll keep you posted.  

Thus each twin arrived in Takotna with 12 dogs in front of her sled.  After a good 24+ hour rest, massages, hearty meals, and some walks around checkpoint to keep muscles loose, I'm pretty confident they'll hit the trail again with all 12 dogs each Thursday morning.

As for the rest of the field, we still have 32 teams making their way to Nome.  Remember, you'll see a fair bit of changes in the ranks and leapfrogging along the trail until each musher completes his or her 24.  When I checked earlier, Wade Marrs was in the lead and reported out of the checkpoint of Ophir, but he hasn't stopped for his 24 yet.  Meanwhile, Nic Petit declared and took his 24 on the early side in McGrath.  He's back on the trail already and will be making up ground while Wade and others finish their rest.  It will be another day or two before all of that shakes out and we have a clearer picture of where each team really is in the ranks.

I'll be back with another update Thursday afternoon once the twins are on the trail again!
​

Today, Wednesday, March 8th, is International Women's Day and this post is dedicated to women everywhere.

The world of competitive sled dog racing has historically been, and largely continues to be, a male-dominated sport.  But over the years many brave and strong women have made themselves known, and often in spectacular style.

When it comes to the Iditarod, we have to recognize a lady largely considered the mother of Iditarod ~ Dorothy G. Page.  She worked tirelessly with Joe Redington in the late '60s and early '70s to make the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race a reality.  Mary Shields was the first woman to enter and successfully complete the last great race in 1974.  In 1985, Libby Riddles became the first woman to win the Iditarod.  And we mustn't forget Susan Butcher, the second woman to win the Iditarod and one of the most accomplished female mushers in history.  She completed the race 16 times with her first race in 1978.  She finished in the top 10 the following fifteen times and, of those, she was the champion in 1986, '87, '88, and 1990.  She inspired countless women to follow in her footsteps.

In more recent times, we have to celebrate DeeDee Jonrowe,  She completed the Iditarod a whopping 32 times with half of those appearances earning a top 10 finish.  She also became known as a staunch advocate for breast cancer awareness and research.  And this missive wouldn't be complete without mentioning Aliy Zirkle.  She finished the Iditarod 20 times, claiming 2nd place in 2012, '13, and '14.  She is well known for her big smile, positive attitude, and exceptional dog care.

We may only have 8 women in the 2023 Iditarod field, but they are all remarkable for carrying on the tradition started by all the aforementioned.  There's Jessie Royer with 19 completed Iditarods under her runners, including eight top 10s,  She has finished in 3rd place twice, took rookie of the year in 2001, and has won multiple awards including Most Inspirational Musher and the Humanitarian Award for exceptional dog care.  In addition to Kristy and Anna, other female veterans this year include Mille Porsild (2020 rookie of the year and 2021 recipient of the Humanitarian Award) and Joanna Jagow.  And we must applaud the three female rookies this year ~ KattiJo Deeter, Bridgett Watkins, and Jennifer LaBar.

Also involved in the race are many female veterinarians and volunteers.  You ladies help make all of this happen!

I know Kristy and Anna have lots of young female fans, and they're honored to be considered an inspiration.  And I know they would want me to acknowledge all the women that have helped them get to where they are today.  This includes all the female mushers and role models discussed above.  And those immediately in their lives... our Mom, our Aunt Judy, our grandmothers.  Kristy would include her mother-in-law Vicki and all three of us include our step mom Missy.  There's Heather, this Mad Blogger's childhood best friend and supporter of Seeing Double, helping with their merch via her graphic design studio.  And I have to give a shout out to Courtney, this year's Returned Dog Correspondent, and her wife Katie.  Having them holding down the fort at the home kennel is a huge relief.

As you go through your day today, give thanks to all the women in it.  They deserve it.
​

Wait... what? They've already gone how far?! That's right, after just over 2 days and 2 hours, both Kristy and Anna arrived in the checkpoint of Nikolai (race mile 263) a little after 4pm Tuesday afternoon. Kristy was reported in 20th and Anna in 21st place. By the time they arrived, the top 12 mushers had already pulled out of Nikolai and, as of around 5:30pm AKST, the top 3 mushers were around mile 300 and closing in on the next checkpoint of McGrath. The back of the pack is reported out of Rohn with the current "red lantern" or last place musher around mile 207. This gives our field a lead-lag spread of nearly 100 miles.

Our field has also decreased by one team, as rookie Jennifer LaBar of Alaska had to scratch in Finger Lake after sustaining a fairly serious hand injury. Her dogs were all in good health, but after consulting medical professionals Jennifer determined it wasn't prudent to continue. On behalf of Seeing Double, I wish Jennifer and her dog team safe and swift travels back to their home kennel. This means we now have 32 teams making their way down the trail.

And the trail to this point is always a challenging one! Most mushers breath a sigh of relief when they get to Nikolai, where the twins are resting now. This means they will have successfully put some of the most technical sled-driving terrain behind them. After the relaunch in Willow, teams face fairly straightforward trail to Yentna and then on to Skwentna, although this year I imagine it may have been a little bit of a slog given all the snow in the area. As teams begin their approach to Finger Lake, things start to get more interesting. Things get really interesting between Finger Lake and Rainy Pass, as teams must tackle the Happy River Steps. I think the only happiness mushers derive from this section is surviving it in one piece. A series of sharp, zig-zag, downhill switchbacks takes teams onto the Happy River, and it is allegedly a harrowing experience known for some pretty spectacular crashes.

But the fun's not over! Teams will then climb up and over the Alaska Range and go through the checkpoint of Rainy Pass, shortly thereafter crossing the highest point on the Iditarod trail at 3,160 feet above sea level. And what goes up, must come down (remember your Newton and his 3 laws of gravity). Mushers only get a few miles of reprieve before they face the Dalzell Gorge - and the 200-foot downhill plunge that takes them into it.

Kristy and Anna once again tackled the Gorge in the dark, having left Rainy Pass a little before 8pm Monday evening and arriving in Rohn a little after midnight Tuesday morning. They only stayed in Rohn about 40 minutes, long enough to check in with officials, vets, and to resupply, before heading about 22 miles beyond the checkpoint to camp trailside near Tin Creek. They camped for about 5 hours and then mushed through the Farewell Burn, an area still recovering from Alaska's largest forest fire in 1978. The Burn (as I like to say in my best Montgomery Burns voice) is notorious for being troublesome with respect to ice and/or open water and rough trail, but early reports indicated ice would be the primary challenge with little or no open water or overflow.

And The Burn, ladies and gentleman, largely concludes the Technical Sled Driving Skill Test component of the first third of the Iditarod trail. I'm not saying the remaining 735 miles after Nikolai is easy - far from it. But after all you've read, I suspect you understand why mushers are usually relieved to have made it this far.

Given when the twins reached Nikolai and what I know of their race plan, we can expect to see them hit the trail after a 5-ish hour rest sometime between 9-10pm Tuesday night. From there, they will run to and through McGrath (after a brief stop to resupply) and then on to Takotna. That will be about a 65 mile run and leave them 329 race miles into this event. Like many mushers, Anna and Kristy plan to "24" in Takotna, which means this is where they will declare and take their mandatory 24 hour rest.

I am also pleased to report that Kristy and Anna both pulled into (and hopefully will be pulling out of) Nikolai with 13 dogs each. They have only returned one dog home each thus far, and this was from Rainy Pass. For new fans, and as a reminder for returning ones, Kristy and Anna each have a dedicated team of 14 dogs each (which hopefully you met in my prior two posts with biographies on the dog teams). The dogs cannot be swapped between them, replaced, or left behind on the trail (not that the twins would EVER consider doing that). If a dog gets injured with something like a wrist sprain, catches a doggy virus, or simply decides it doesn't want to run any farther, it is taken off the gangline and transported in the sled bag to the next checkpoint. The dog in question is then left with race officials and safely transported home while the twins continue down the trail with their remaining furry friends. Each musher must have a minimum of 5 dogs in harness and on the gangline when they reach Nome.

Anna and Kristy apply an abundance of caution when it comes to the well being of their dogs, and I'm confident the two dogs currently on their way back to the kennel will have relatively minor complaints. Thanks to our new Returned Dog Correspondent, Courtney, we'll find out exactly which dogs head home early and why. As a friend of Seeing Double, Courtney is staying at the kennel and looking after the dogs that didn't quite make this year's Iditarod teams. She will also collect any returned dogs as they come in and report back to me (and then me to you) on how they're doing. At least, for any returns up to the checkpoint of Unalakleet. After that, any returned dogs are transported on to Nome where they are looked after by race officials until mushers join them in Nome and complete the race.

Thanks, Courtney! We look forward to any updates and appreciate you looking after things at the kennel!

I'll be back Wednesday afternoon or evening with more updates and the latest look at Kristy, Anna, and all the teams still out on the trail.

Each year when I ask Kristy about her dog team, she always raves that they're one of her best teams ever!  Part of that likely stems from the fact that she almost always has returning dogs from prior years, working over time to polish their skills, grow their experience, and increase the incredible bond she has with each and every one.

In 2023, Kristy has six dogs that were also on her team last year.  They range in age from just over 2 years to 7 years old, with an average age of about 4 years.  There are 11 boys and 3 girls, and a whopping 12 dogs have run the Iditarod trail before and return as veterans, while only 2 are rookies seeing the trail for the first time.  8 are Seeing Double dogs while 6 are on loan from fellow mushers.  Incredibly enough, the average weight of the dogs on her team is the same as Anna's at 63 pounds, with Cassie as one of the smallest at 55 pounds and Wilbur a powerhouse topping out just shy of 80 pounds.  There are lots of siblings on her team and definitely 14 adorable faces!

Andy:  This 2 year old boy is on loan from Issac Redington and even though he's a rookie in the full Iditarod, he did see part of the trail during Issac's rookie of the year run in the 2023 Junior Iditarod.  Wilbur is his dad, and he's clearly following in the family paw prints thriving as a team dog and also working on his lead dog skills.  He has a little kink in his tail from a slight mishap at birth, but that doesn't slow him down in the least.  The fact that he shares the same name as Kristy's husband is also a fun coincidence.

Bogus:  This 7 year old dog is a very familiar face, having run with Kristy in several past Iditarods, including last year.  He loves to run in the team or wheel positions, but has absolutely no bid for the lead dog role.  His brother Bulleit is also on Kristy's team.

Cassie:  This sweet little girl is 3 years old and on loan from Travis Beals.  She's seen the Iditarod once before and will run with Kristy this year in either team or lead positions.  She is the smallest dog on Kristy's team by way of size, but she's very big on enthusiasm and work ethic.

Papa Doc:  Also known as PD, Papa Doc is on loan from musher Lev Shvarts.  He is 2, going on 3, years old and has seen the Iditarod trail once before.  He runs in a team dog position, just like his brother Portau Prince.

Tesla:  This 2 year old girl is a Seeing Double dog making her first appearance in the Iditarod.  She will run in a team position but is showing a lot of promise as a future go-to leader.

Wilbur:  This big strong boy is also on loan from Issac Redington and helped lead the way for Issac in the Junior Iditarod.  He is a "super veteran" according to Kristy, bringing tons of experience on the Iditarod trail.  He will run in team dog or lead positions, often in lead with his son Andy.

Rampage:  This 5 year old boy is a Seeing Double dog and part of the Trouble litter, running on Kristy's team with litter mates Havoc, Ruckus, and Mayhem (not to forget Chaos on Anna's team).  Contrary to their litter's theme in name, Rampage isn't troublesome at all - in fact, he's one of Kristy's go-to lead dogs and has been on her team several times before.

Havoc:  Sharing many of the same traits as his brother Rampage, Havoc is also a 5 year old Seeing Double dog and member of the Trouble litter.  But he's far from wreaking havoc... in fact, he's one of Kristy's main "bread and butter" leaders, someone she turns to and trusts in the trickiest of situations out on the trail.  He has also been on her team several times before.

Joker:  This 5 year old boy is a Seeing Double dog more recently acquired, but he has been on the Iditarod trail before with his prior owner and fellow musher.  He runs in team and wheel positions and is very eye-catching with his one blue and one brown eye.

Ruckus:  Another member of the Trouble litter, Ruckus is also 5 and also an Iditarod veteran.  He runs almost exclusively in a team dog role and is very focused on his job and helping move the team down the trail.  

Bulleit:  This 5 year old guy is part of the Seeing Double B-Squad litter and joins brother Bogus out on the trail this year as an Iditarod veteran.  He's a great team dog but will also step up into a swing dog position and really does a great job powering teams up mountains and around corners as they make their way down the trail.

Mayhem:  Putting up with so many brothers in Seeing Double's Trouble litter may have given this girl an edge, as she is Kristy's other go-to "bread and butter" leader out on the trail.  She's 5 years old and has helped Kristy make it to Nome in the past.  She's a gorgeous dog with a unique coat that sometimes seems black but can reflect a reddish gold sheen under certain light.  

2Chains:  This 6 year old boy is on loan from Ray Redington and has run the Iditarod trail before.  He has beautiful markings and a very distinct voice, so with ears alone you'll always know when he's around.

Portau Prince:  Also known as Prince or Princeton, this 2 going on 3 year old boy is on loan from Lev Shvarts.  His brother Papa Doc is also on Kristy's team, and he has been on the Iditarod trail before.  He also has beautiful markings and a face mask similar to PD's.

Anna is always very proud of, and excited by, her Iditarod dog team, and this year is no exception.  Much of that excitement is a carryover from last year, as over half of her team (or eight dogs) are all quite familiar with the Iditarod trail having been on her 2022 team.  Of the six dogs that didn't run to Nome with her last year, four of those have seen the Iditarod trail before with other mushers.  That brings a ton of experience to the dog power in front of her sled!

Looking more closely at her team statistics... 10 dogs are male, 4 are female.  10 are Iditarod veterans and 4 are making their rookie run, although every single dog has hundreds - if not upwards of a couple thousand - miles under their paws from both training runs and mid-distance races this season.  Her 14-dog team consists of 8 Seeing Double dogs and 6 that are on loan from fellow mushers.  A couple of the youngest rookies are just over 2 years old while her most mature veterans are 8 or 9 years old, giving her team an average age of about 4.5 years.  They vary in size with the smallest two coming in around 50 pounds while the largest are just over 70 pounds, giving the dogs on her team an average weight of 63 pounds.  As you'll see in their pictures, their colors, markings, and overall appearance varies quite a bit.  But they have several crucial things in common... a dual layer coat to keep them warm, large hearty paws, good appetites, they passed their veterinary checks with flying colors, and they each have an indisputable desire to pull and run with his or her pack down the trail.

With that, let's meet the individual dogs!

Yondu:  A 5 year old male and Seeing Double dog that ran on Anna's team last year.  He is part of the Guardians of the Galaxy litter and his brother Drax is also on the team.  He is one of Anna's "bread and butter" leaders, meaning we will frequently see him leading the way down the trail.

Zwicklebeir:  A 4 year old male and Seeing Double dog making his rookie run on the Iditarod trail.  He is part of the Oktoberfest litter born to the kennel in late 2018 and is named after a type of beer - thanks to a suggestion from this Mad Blogger!  He is a large, strong, playful guy that runs in wheel (the first position in front of the sled) and has a beautiful facial mask fur pattern.

Chaos:  A 5 year old male and Seeing Double dog that also ran on Anna's team in 2022.  He is part of the Trouble litter, and four of his siblings are running with Kristy this year.  He is far more reliable than his name might suggest, happily running anywhere on the team, including lead.

Drax:  Just like his brother, Yondu, Drax is a 5 year old male and Seeing Double dog back on Anna's team again this year.  Anna considers Drax her other "bread and butter" leader, making him a go-to for leading the team in the most challenging situations.

Fog:  This lovely lady is just over 2 years old and making her rookie run to Nome.  She is a Seeing Double dog acquired from another musher and now a welcome part of the SD family.  She brings a lot of energy to the squad and will put that to work in any position on the line - except lead.  She leaves that job to the older and more experienced dogs for now.

Forrest:  This handsome fellow is now 8 years old and has run the Iditarod trail with Anna several times.  He is a Seeing Double dog who brings his large size and strength to the team dog position (in front of wheel but behind swing and lead).  Forrest definitely loves to run, run, run!

Diego:  This 5 year old Seeing Double dog is back for his third Iditarod with Anna.  He runs happily in most positions, including a lead dog role when needed, which is a skill he has polished more since his earlier years.  He has a great appetite, as long as he likes what is on offer.  Oddly enough, that doesn't include salmon, so Anna has to keep him and his preferences in mind when sending out the team's dog food.

Hannah:  This little lady is on loan to Anna from fellow musher Travis Beals, and as a 2 year old she's making her rookie run to Nome.  She's a little quiet, bordering on shy, except when it comes to embracing her role in a team dog position.  She is very sweet once she gets to know you a bit, and gives the sweetest little kisses.

Randy:  This big boy is 4 going on 5 years old, and he is making his 3rd appearance on Anna's Iditarod team.  He is another Seeing Double dog and applies his size and strength in a team dog position.  He is sweet, playful, and with those adorable eyebrows has such a fun expression on his face.  He can be a handful to walk from the dog truck to his position on the gangline, but that's only because he is so stoked to go for a run!

Kevin:  Home Alone fans will inevitably shriek and yell, "Where's Kevin?!" You'll find him in either a team dog position on Anna's team and sometimes in lead.  He's a 5 year old on loan from Ray Redington and is an Iditarod veteran, having run with Anna last year.  You don't have to worry about him sneaking off to New York, though, as he is very happy doing his job on the gangline.  Joining him this year is his younger sister Margot.  

Margot:  Kevin's little sister Margot is making her rookie run to Nome as a 2 year old and is also on loan from Ray Redington.  She is one of the smaller dogs on the team but bursting with sweetness.  She runs in a team dog role but is also working on her lead dog skills.  Go, Margot, Go!

Susie:  This Iditarod veteran is 8 or 9 years old and on loan from fellow musher Nick Petit.  She brings plenty of experience to the squad, applying her skills in a team dog or lead dog position.  She's a very talkative dog, and I can't help but wonder if she isn't trying to sing Credence Clearwater Revival's song Susie Q... "I like the way you walk, I like the way you talk, Suzie Q..."!!  Well, Miss Susie, I love you too!

Rocky:  This Iditarod veteran is on loan from Ray Redington and you'll usually find him running in team or occasionally in lead.  He's a good boy and loves his job, but Anna needs to keep an eye on him... if he were in your class at school, he's the one that would end up in detention!  When he gets excited and left to his own devices, mischief comes out - like when he chewed through his neck line at the Ceremonial Start.

Astro:  This 4 year old boy is back on Anna's team again this year, on loan from Nic Petit.  Anna was thrilled to be able to borrow him again, as he is a solid and hard working addition to the dogs running in the team position.

I may be "only" five years older than the twins, but man... I'm feeling every minute of it today.  Then again, maybe it's not the years, it's the mileage...!  Whatever the case, I'm exhausted.  And all I did was partake in the excitement of the Iditarod start and catch a couple flights back to Wisconsin.  Anna and Kristy did so much more than that, and on less sleep, as a prelude to a nearly 1,ooo mile journey by dog sled.  Needless to say, my sisters amaze me.  With them as motivation, I mustered up the energy for one blog post before I go face plant into bed.  

Both the Ceremonial Start and official Restart of Iditarod 2023 went really well.  It was cold - a little below zero when we were leaving the kennel and single digits in the shade where we were parked to get ready for the C-Start run.  Anna and Kristy had a chance to chat with and congratulate Junior Iditarod champ Emily Robinson of Nenana, Alaska.  Plenty of fans stopped by to wish the twins well and see their dogs.  They got a veritable parade of well wishers when over 30 members of the Ski Club of the New York Athletic Club came by.  The group photo is priceless!  A visiting group from Seeing Double sponsor NTI also came to hang out, as did fans and sponsors from South Dakota.  Honestly, too many people stopped by to wish the twins well for me to recount them all, but they were welcome additions to an already effervescent crowd.

With the twins being so close together in the line up and the start several blocks away, it wasn't possible for this Mad Blogger to escort them both to the starting line.  But I did help Kristy get on her way from the dog truck before hopping on one side of Anna's runners for a ride to the actual starting line.  After seeing Anna off, I scurried back to the dog truck to hitch another ride - this time to Campbell Airstrip, the conclusion point for this non-competitive Ceremonial Start run. 

Thanks to the calm efficiency and driving skills of Dr. Tom, whose family is close friends with Seeing Double, we got the dog truck and trailer to the airstrip, set up, and ready to receive the teams before they came in.  Kristy arrived first and said it was a really good run.  Lots of fans along the 11ish mile trail, many handing out everything from hotdogs to beer and happily receiving high-fives in return.  Her tag sled driver was Issac Redington, great grandson of the Iditarod founder who also took Rookie of the Year in the 2023 Junior Iditarod.  Anna came in not long after with Aaron, another close friend of Seeing Double, driving her tag sled.  After they set their ice hooks, we got the dogs sorted, everything packed up, and beat tracks back to the kennel.

The remainder of Saturday was long but productive.  The twins readied their race sleds, got their gear sorted, and did dozens of other little things in preparation not only for the long journey ahead but also for leaving their kennel for an extended time.  It was a late night, particularly for Kristy and Anna, but us sisters did find time to sit down for dinner.  Of course I left the "last meal" decision to the twins, and they opted for garlic bread, salad, and soup.  They won't see much by way of veggies for the next couple weeks!

Sunday morning came cold and early.  We were all up by 7am or so and headed to Willow Lake by 10am.  We saw some moose bedded down in the snow along the way, but beyond that the drive was uneventful.  The twins scored a sweet VIP parking spot in the dog lot for the restart, and we were able to get everything staged under a blazing sun and bright blue sky.  Vets came around for final checks on the dogs, sleds were given their final touches, and this Mad Blogger made sure the twins called Mom for a final goodbye and words of encouragement.  

Thanks to the proximity of our parking spot to the starting chute, I was able to ride with Kristy to the line, see her off, and then scurry back a little ways to rinse and repeat with Anna.  After Anna went charging down the trail after her twin, I took a huge sigh of relief as I always do.  The pomp and circumstance was over, and now all I had to do was get to the airport and fly home.  The real adventure for Kristy and Anna was just beginning.

With that, I hear my pillow calling.  But I do have the twins' dog team biographies queued up for Tuesday and I'll dig into our first Race Update and report on their movements up the trail so far.  Don't go away!
 

Ever feel like you’ve crammed a week into just a couple days? That’s exactly how I feel right now! It’s been a whirlwind, but a good one so far.

After a long day of travel on Thursday, I finally arrived in Alaska. The twins had already wrapped up the banquet by then, but they were kind enough to hang around Anchorage for a bit so we could all caravan out to the kennel together. We saw a moose on the way, just strolling alongside the road on a bike path, not a care in the world for us. That’s when I knew - I really was back in Alaska!

Back to the banquet. It went really well, with Anna and Kristy getting to interact with several sponsors, friends, and fans. They also drew this year’s bib numbers… Kristy will be #6 and Anna #8. Two interesting tidbits there… first, neither twin has ever had either of these numbers before. Second, they’ve only been this close before once - Anna’s first year on the trail in 2012. Kristy was in bib 31, Anna 33. Anna actually joked that they weren’t even this close at birth. Five minutes separated them then.

Friday had us all up early and busy with projects before my coffee had even finished brewing. And I say “my coffee” because the twins have been abstaining from caffeine for the last couple weeks in the hopes it’s more potent when they reintroduce it out on the trail.

As for projects, I was given a few things to do that were helpful but nothing I could screw up. Assembling some gangline. Wrapping foam insulation squares in heavy duty duct tape for seats (really embraced my inner MacGyver on that one). Working on dog tags. I also helped scoop poop. Cuz that’s the sort of sister I am!

The twins were moving nonstop. The usual dog care plus some tweaks to the braking system on their new race sleds (speaking of which - thanks Chuck Z for sponsoring the sleds and Mike from Mike’s Welding for helping with the adjustments!!). Organizing gear and getting ready for the Ceremonial Start.

There was a large mature bald eagle just hanging out in the trees, watching the action. And several huge ravens swooped in and around the yard, one chasing another when it made off with a little dog meat. Temps were in the mid-teens and the sun was out quite a bit.

When I wasn’t being helpful, I was lovin’ on all the sled dogs. Many of which I was meeting for the first time. They’re all so sweet, giving kisses or just leaning into my side. And they’re all so unique in appearance. I look forward to finalizing my notes and pictures on each twins’ dog team and sharing them all with you!

In the afternoon, Kristy and Anna each took a 14-dog team out for a short run in front of the snow machines. I road with Anna, very much enjoying the simple act of the dogs trotting along happily for a bit over an hour and enjoying the beautiful scenery. Anna pointed out the Sleeping Lady, or Mount Susitna. At 4,396 feet, it was a prevalent part of the landscape.

We took a break for dinner… salad and ground moose burgers! It was my first time having moose and I have to say - it was a darn tasty burger.

I was just starting this blog post after dinner while the twins went out to feed the dogs. They came back in before long to tell me the aurora were out! Blogus Interuptus as I dropped this, grabbed my camera, and raced out to take a look. I have seen the aurora before, but it’s been a while, and it was exciting to see them again. I’ll be sure to post the pics after I rescue them off my “big” camera.

On that note, I’ll close this post with a few pics. From my flight to Alaska; the dog yard with an eagle high in a tree observing; one of the kitties supervising Anna’s work on her veterinary dog book; the twins working on their sleds; the Sleeping Lady; and Anna’s dog team during our afternoon run.

​Up next ~ Ceremonial Start!! 10am Alaska time, downtown Anchorage.

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.  

Kristy and Anna have had a full week back in the kennel with the dogs and I would imagine nearly all mushers are back at their home kennels by now.  It's high time this Mad Blogger stops dragging her heels and wraps things up for 2022.

When the twins called home after the finish, they had a lot to share but largely in soundbites.  Here is what they had to share when everything was still fresh and they hadn't yet caught up on sleep.

Arriving in Nome was such a wonderful feeling.  Both of the twins were so grateful to have comfy beds, showers, and warm meals with the Alaska Mission.  Although Kristy and Anna have had some wonderful host families in the recent past, being back at the mission is welcome.  It's right outside the finish line on Front St. so they can easily pop out and cheer on other finishers, and it's close to the dog lot where their finishing pups hung out until they were flown home.

Kristy launched into a story about her sled being launched by the wind while facing the winds along the coast.  Her sled was literally lifted up and blown over three times.  At other times, her sled was sliding sideways, perpendicular to her dog team.  Eventually, she cut something off the caboose section of her sled and stuffed it in the sled bag.  It was just catching more wind and likely to snap off at any time anyway.

I asked about the "whoops" - an actual motocross term for a long series of evenly spaced bumps often 1-2 feet tall - that mushers reported encountering earlier in the race.  Anna said at times her sled was groaning like an old ship, but it held together.  In all, the twins didn't think the whoops were all that bad.  Better than the ice and dirt out on the Burn.

See any critters out there?  An owl, some eagles.  Snow buntings.  Some big wolf tracks near Galena.  But otherwise not very much by way of animal sightings.

Which is a blessing.  Most sections of North America that have moose were reporting problems with them this winter.  Snow and food conditions made the moose ornery, and scary encounters or downright attacks were reported from Minnesota to Alaska over the season.  It can be particularly daunting with a dog team.  Dogs and sleds move very silently down the trail, and if you round a tree-lined corner and come upon a moose, you startle them.  Fight or flight kicks in, and when deep snow or trees prevent flight, prepare for a very scary fight.  Moose have been known to attack and trample dog teams.

The twins were among many mushers with moose on their minds.  In addition to flare guns, the twins also carried a .357 with them the first 352 miles to Ophir, where it was left with a friend after the most moose prone territory was left behind.  

Rule 34 in Iditarod addresses encounters with game animals.  A musher is allowed to carry a firearm and kill an animal in defense of life or property.  If an edible animal is killed, the musher must gut the animal and report the incident at the next checkpoint, where officials will retrieve the animal for local use.  Any team coming upon this situation must at the least stop and cannot pass and is encouraged to assist dressing the game animal if wiling and able.  Apparently musher Matt Failor had to do just that this year, and pulled into Nulato up to his elbows in blood from dressing a moose and with quite a story to tell.

Anna and Kristy had some cute stories to tell about their attempts to be good sportswomen out on the trail.  They loaned one musher a knife and a few spare dog jackets.  Another musher scored when they gave him some extra runner plastic.  They got the ok from Iditarod officials to loan one of their race GPS trackers to Reily Dyche for a while when his quit working.  And at one checkpoint, volunteers found a headlamp battery in some straw recently vacated by Matt Hall.  They gave it to the twins and they were happy to tuck it away and run it up to him in the next checkpoint.  He was grateful.

It sounds like Ophir wasn't an ideal place to 24 this year.  There was only a small tent with 8 bunks, and 12 mushers looking to dry out gear and get some sleep when the twins arrived.  They ultimately went outside under some spruce trees to get a little shelter from the snow, unrolled their packs near the resupply area, and crashed out.  There is a pic, below, of where the twins were sleeping.  They started a few people that came along digging through drop bags and weren't expecting people to pop out of snowy sleeping bags!

They talked about snow and trail conditions.  In addition to the things I mentioned so far by way of ice and dirt, and the snow whoops, they talked a lot about the snow and drifts they encountered.  20 miles out of Cripple, race mile 425, the drifts "were like meringue" and when they hit the trail, there was absolutely no sign of a musher that had pulled out just an hour and a half before.

Overall, the twins seemed happy with their race plan and how they executed it.  They really enjoyed their stay at the Tripod Shelter cabin, which had been in prior year's race plans but didn't come to fruition.  They had the cabin to themselves for the majority of their rest, and found enough dry wood in the nearby woods to get a fire going in the small stove.  

They reported some frustrating problems with the dog meat in the drop bags through the second half of the race.  There was evidence the bags were exposed to a freeze/thaw/freeze cycle, so they had to avoid anything they packed that was too fatty (like chicken) and might have gone bad.  Fortunately they both had packed plenty of fish and high protein endurance kibble, which hold up far better in those circumstances.  

They really enjoyed the prime rib and Brussels sprouts in Ophir, and pancakes with bacon in Unalakleet.  In Shaktoolik, their accommodations were actually in the armory where someone had built bunks with real mattresses.  They both laughed - we were so spoiled and actually had real mattresses 3 times this year!!  The musher cabin in Rainy Pass was memorable (outside of all the time they spent working on Anna's busted sled), and White Mountain for their final 8-hour was far more comfortable than they had been led to expect.  

They talked about a dicey bit of trail outside of Elim, on the coast and some 852 miles into the race.  A musher had reported a dangerous break in the ice with open water, and search and rescue went out to assess.  They built a makeshift bridge to help get across, but by the time the twins and many later mushers got there, it was more of a floating dock bridging the gap.  Some mushers had a rough go of it, but the twins got lucky going through at night when the moon and tides kept the worst of the water at bay.  Those tides mean a difference between navigating a span of 2 feet of water versus 20 feet.  

Otherwise, it sounded like a reasonably dry race compared to some years.  The only bad overflow they encountered was out of Rohn.  And temperatures weren't too bad either.  For girls that have seen -65 ambient air temps, -20F (or -30F with windchill) is more tolerable and about the worst they saw this year.    
They were so happy to travel the traditional trail all the way to Nome again, and said all the villagers they saw from a distance but still along the trail were super supportive.  The Iditarod is a bright spot in a very long winter for these communities.

So after a week of unpacking after a 975 mile race, tending to all the dogs in the kennel, what else do you think these two are doing?  Analyzing aspect of Iditarod 2022 and making plans for Iditarod 2023.

With that, it's time for this Mad Blogger to sign off.  On behalf of Seeing Double, I want to sincerely thank the twins' sponsors, fans, and friends for everything you do.  Thank you race organizers, veterinarians, and volunteers.  Thanks to the villagers and the trail breaking crew.  Thanks to Andy, Aaron, and Courtney for taking such great care of things at the kennel while Anna and Kristy were out on the trail.  

Thank you to the dogs, without which this race would be neither possible nor worthwhile.

Life's a journey, enjoy the ride.  Thanks for coming on this journey with me.

See you next year!
Kat
a.k.a Seeing Double's Mad Blogger and Not-A-Twin Sister

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