 |
| Alan in the dog sled we didn't get to ride |
As Alan drove into Anchorage,
snow was falling lightly along the Seward Hwy.
Even though we had had a full day, we didn’t want to miss out on the
evening’s activities. First up on the
agenda was a presentation by Aliy Zirkle and Allen Moore at the Clarion Suites
where we were staying. The hotel chain
is one of Aily Zirkle’s sponsors.
 |
| Aily Zirkle with her husband, Allen Moore, to the far left |
The husband and wife team are
among the world's top mushers. Allen secured
first place in the Yukon Quest in February, a 1000 mile International Sled Dog
Race from Whitehouse, Yukon to Fairbanks, AK.
He won by 1 hour and 16 minutes. Last year, he had placed second, losing by 26
seconds. Aily placed second in the
Iditarod for 2012, 1 hour behind the leader, Dallas Seavey. At 25, he was the youngest musher to ever win
the Iditarod.
 |
| Aily's sled (the stuffed husky comes w/ her) | | | | | |
Aily and Allen discussed past
races and their strategy for the race starting the following day. Allen described Aily as the “alpha dog” and
predicted a win for her this year. Since
they have both competed at a top-level in the races, there is little room for
improvement. Aily has committed to
reducing her caffeine intake. They will
both be consuming a special recipe oat and peanut butter, sugar-free energy
bar, they concocted after Allen lost 25 pounds in last year’s Yukon Quest and
Aily’s sugar high, and subsequent drop in blood sugar, had affected her energy
level in her last race. The love and
care the couple displayed for the dogs and the sport was very evident in their
presentation. Alan purchased 4 raffle
tickets, and, yippee, we won “Aily Zirkle’s Journal of the 2012 Race”. This day-by-day account of the grueling trip
is a wonderful insight into what the mushers experience. We will be rooting for Aily. You can follow her at: http://spkenneldoglog.blogspot.com/
 |
| Crystal Gallery in downtown Anchorage |
Planning to head into
downtown, we were sidetracked by a dead battery. Neither of us had noticed the headlights had
been left on. After calling AAA for a
charge, the rest of our evening was consumed by this incident and some dinner. The elusive Northern Lights did not figure
into the schedule. The forecast for the
night was a lowly 1 (out of 10).
 |
| The heavy fog did not dampen the spirit of the crowd |
The Ceremonial Start for the Iditarod
scheduled for the following morning draws a huge crowd to the downtown Anchorage
venue. Arriving an hour before race
start time, the crowd was already several people deep back from the fencing
strung along the roadside. The
excitement was palpable. Vendors hustling
their wares, sled dogs barking and yelping in eagerness and hundreds of volunteers
trying to help mushers control their dogs as they prepared for the start and
providing assistance to the city’s police in regulating the crowds.
The singing of the National
Anthem and the Alaskan State Song was the prequel to the countdown for the 41st
annual Iditarod. The untimed 11-mile
Ceremonial Start for the race ends in a wooded area east of town. The ReStart for the race begins the
following day at Willow Lake.
 |
| Alan racing on to Nome! |
Making our way back to the
car, we drove to Chester Creek Greenbelt Park and arrived just in time to see
the last few mushers move past this vantage point. Only a handful of people were at this site,
so we were able to get right next to the trail.
Alan was invited to hop onto the sled of Musher #64, Matt Giblin, to
apply the brakes as Matt sped off the sled to untangle two of his dogs.
Driving back into the city
there were still a number of activities planned for the afternoon, with Alan’s
run in the Reindeer Race at the top of the list. We had still not visited the Carnival, so
headed over that way. While Ferris
wheels and super slides are not favorite ideas of my fun even in warm weather,
the 30-degree temperature made it less inviting from our perspective, but the
carnival grounds and the rides were full.
Missing out on the Blanket Toss, we did watch the Fur Auction, which was
part of the historical beginning of Fur Rondy.
 |
| And they're off |
 |
| Close in pursuit |
Between the Antique Snowmobile Parade and the Reindeer Race, we squeezed in lunch at Sack’s,
another one of the city’s top-rated restaurants. In spite of the crowd, the fixed menu and
efficient staff put out a great lunch and provided Alan the needed calories for
the upcoming race. The Rondy Running of
the Reindeer was an idea dreamed up by a couple of local radio celebrities. It is a fundraiser for Toys for Tots, with a
$25 signup fee required from each participant.
This 6th annual year, there were 4000 runners, so it’s a
great cause and a lot of fun for runners and watchers. Contestants are encouraged to dress in
costumes and all types of dress, and even undress, are seen. With such a large turnout, they actually run
the race 5 times, under different categories.
Alan ran in the “From Outside Alaska” class. Keeping well ahead of the antlers, he made it
to the finish line with no injuries (as did all the participants.)
 |
| Drive to Wasilla |
Working our way through the
crowd, we left Anchorage and drove up to Wasilla for the next 2 days. Having heard about the bumper-to-bumper
traffic before and after the race, we decided to get a little closer for the
Official or Restart of the Iditarod. The
accommodations we had secured provided a second-story view of the mountains
looking north, so despite the, once again, poor Northern Light forecast, we
both monitored the view throughout the night. No luck.
 |
| Looking back to the start-up at Willow Lake |
Learning of a shuttle
departing from a nearby high school, we decided this would be our mode of
transportation to Willow Lake. And we
were glad we did; the 25-30 mile trip took almost 2 hours. For a $2 per person fee (round-trip) this was
the best deal in Alaska. Arriving
2-hours before race time, we were able to secure a front-row seat. Seating is not provided, but a suggestion by
a hostess at the Visitors Center had prompted us to purchase inexpensive beach
(or in this case, ice) chairs and a cheap mat to prevent the cold of the ice
from working its way through our boots as we waited for the race. Race morning temperatures had started at minus
7, but it was sunny and delightful 30 by the time the race began at 2 P.M. Talking with locals, we were told multiple
times that this weather was not typical.
Howling winds, gray skies, and temperatures under zero are more the
norm.
Separated by two-minute
intervals, the musher’s positions are decided at a ceremony 2 days before the
opening of the race. The enthusiasm at
the frozen lake was tangible. The flags
for the countries represented in the race waved slightly in the light
wind. The crowd counted down with the
announcer, the race had begun. Every 2
minutes a surge of excitement swept through the throng. It was everything we had hoped for and more.
The evening failed to provide
the Northern Lights yet again. Having checked the forecast, I knew that even a
drive to Fairbanks (another 300 miles north) would not produce the lights. Mother Nature had provided incredible weather
for our visit but now a reason to return for another Alaskan winter visit.
To follow the Iditarod, go to: http://iditarod.com/race/checkpoints/
for the race standings. As of this
posting Aily is in second place, behind Martin Buser, but they still have a
long way to go. Go Aily!!
FYI- Any of the photos can be enlarged by clicking on them.
No comments:
Post a Comment