I hope everyone is having a good weekend, and Happy St. Patrick’s Day to those who celebrate!
To those closely following the 52nd Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, you’ve probably already celebrated the arrival of our 29th and final musher into Nome. Rookie Jeff Reid of Two Rivers, Alaska, and his seven dog team pulled under the burled arch at 2:22am on Saturday, March 16th. After 12 days, 11 hours, 22 minutes and 1 second, Jeff extinguished the red lantern and officially concluded this year’s race.
Our scratch tally increased by one more musher since my last post, for a final total of 9. Rookie Sean Williams of Chugiak, Alaska, set his snow hook one final time in Elim (race mile 852) and was officially noted as scratched late Friday morning, March 15th. He had 10 dogs in harness at the time, all reported in good health. Seeing Double wishes Sean and his team safe and swift travels home.
Our total of nine scratches is pretty in line with historical averages, this year at 23.7% of the starting field being only modestly higher than the 21.7% scratch average since the race’s inception, and 20.4% scratch average since 2000. Ten of the original sixteen rookies off the start made it all the way to Nome and join a very exclusive club. Per this Mad Blogger’s tally, only 842 separate individuals have successfully completed the Iditarod. Many, like the twins, have successfully done it many times. But only 842 people can raise their hands and say, “I did the Iditarod trail.”
At least by dog sled, while competing in the Iditarod.
Speaking of the dogs, I’m happy to report that Anna’s entire dog team is now back at the kennel and in his or her own bed. The twins were able to fly the team out on Friday, where they were collected by friends helping at the kennel for a few days.
I reviewed the info on the 8 dogs finishing with Anna this year, and was happy to see 7 of the 8 are Seeing Double dogs, and the one finisher on loan, Trout, a rookie pup finisher. Trout, a five year old female, was on loan from Redingtons, and had recently run the Jr. Iditarod with Ellen Redington. That’s awesome creds for Trout and I hope she brings lots of success to Ellen in future runs. The other rookie pup to finish was 4 year old Elmer, a Seeing Double dog. Good boy, Elmer!!
Anna, with Kristy as her plus one, will attend the Finisher’s Banquet in Nome tonight before catching a very late flight home. I think it will be the wee hours Monday morning before they’re finally back at the kennel and Anna is finally home again.
I hope to speak with her, even if only briefly, later today before she heads to the banquet, and I plan to be back with some more stories fresh from the trail. In the meantime, Anna and Kristy did send more a few more pics, Anna from the trail and Kristy from in Nome.
Enjoy! And Sláinte!
Seeing Double Iditarod 2024 Playlist…
Song 13: The Iditarod Trail Song by Hobo Jim.
To those closely following the 52nd Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, you’ve probably already celebrated the arrival of our 29th and final musher into Nome. Rookie Jeff Reid of Two Rivers, Alaska, and his seven dog team pulled under the burled arch at 2:22am on Saturday, March 16th. After 12 days, 11 hours, 22 minutes and 1 second, Jeff extinguished the red lantern and officially concluded this year’s race.
Our scratch tally increased by one more musher since my last post, for a final total of 9. Rookie Sean Williams of Chugiak, Alaska, set his snow hook one final time in Elim (race mile 852) and was officially noted as scratched late Friday morning, March 15th. He had 10 dogs in harness at the time, all reported in good health. Seeing Double wishes Sean and his team safe and swift travels home.
Our total of nine scratches is pretty in line with historical averages, this year at 23.7% of the starting field being only modestly higher than the 21.7% scratch average since the race’s inception, and 20.4% scratch average since 2000. Ten of the original sixteen rookies off the start made it all the way to Nome and join a very exclusive club. Per this Mad Blogger’s tally, only 842 separate individuals have successfully completed the Iditarod. Many, like the twins, have successfully done it many times. But only 842 people can raise their hands and say, “I did the Iditarod trail.”
At least by dog sled, while competing in the Iditarod.
Speaking of the dogs, I’m happy to report that Anna’s entire dog team is now back at the kennel and in his or her own bed. The twins were able to fly the team out on Friday, where they were collected by friends helping at the kennel for a few days.
I reviewed the info on the 8 dogs finishing with Anna this year, and was happy to see 7 of the 8 are Seeing Double dogs, and the one finisher on loan, Trout, a rookie pup finisher. Trout, a five year old female, was on loan from Redingtons, and had recently run the Jr. Iditarod with Ellen Redington. That’s awesome creds for Trout and I hope she brings lots of success to Ellen in future runs. The other rookie pup to finish was 4 year old Elmer, a Seeing Double dog. Good boy, Elmer!!
Anna, with Kristy as her plus one, will attend the Finisher’s Banquet in Nome tonight before catching a very late flight home. I think it will be the wee hours Monday morning before they’re finally back at the kennel and Anna is finally home again.
I hope to speak with her, even if only briefly, later today before she heads to the banquet, and I plan to be back with some more stories fresh from the trail. In the meantime, Anna and Kristy did send more a few more pics, Anna from the trail and Kristy from in Nome.
Enjoy! And Sláinte!
Seeing Double Iditarod 2024 Playlist…
Song 13: The Iditarod Trail Song by Hobo Jim.
 Anna (frosty trail selfie).  Musher Meet and Greet in Nome. Photo by Kristy Berington. |  Anna peaks over her shoulder and through her fur ruff at the sunrise behind her, Thursday morning March 14th, as she gets closer to Nome.  And the dogs, along the same sunrise stretch on the final leg to Nome. |
2024 Finishers. Anna, far right (middle). Photo by Kristy Berington.
