Iditarod
Food Drop is complete, Jr. mushers final preparations
For several weeks now Iditarod mushers have been
stockpiling fish, cutting meat and assembling suppllies for their
drop bags to be sent along the trail. When you hear a musher say,
"We're in the middle of food drops," they are usually
pretty stressed, especially if it is their first time. Food drop
is a major expense of the race. There are seventeen checkpoints
to which food and supplies can be shipped.
A few weeks ago, the mushers were distributed large poly bags
marked with each checkpoint name. These bags were labeled by the
mushers with their own name and some distinguishing mark so they
can be easily spotted in the "pile." Each musher has their
own special secret recipes for doggie treats, supplements and personal
items that are included
in their bags. Other items shipped would have included plastic sled
runners, repair kits, extra dog booties, medications for the dogs,
leg wraps, dog coats, change of layers for the musher, dry socks
and gloves, Capri Suns and human meals that have been vacumn sealed.
Every musher has a system of packing so that they can easily find
what they need out of each bag when they need to quickly prepare
their dogs a hot meal and be able to do this while cold, tired and
sore. Once the drop items are organized and packed, they are taken
to a large warehouse in Anchorage, lumped into stacks according
to checkpoint by dozens of volunteers and then flown out by the
Iditarod Airforce to their destinations. From some reports, ravens
seem to know when this happens and follwo the shipments to try and
break into the bags to steal the dog food. A large collective sigh
of relief can be felt and heard as food drop is over.
Fur Rondy is in full swing. This year the dates of the two week
celebration were changed to coincide with Iditarod activities. There
is a carnival in downtown Anchorage and beautiful snow sculptures
down by the railroad terminal. Dimond Mall is the site of a Native
arts and crafts show. Herbie and Elizabeth Nayokpuk were there selling
carvings and jewelery from Shishmaref along with many talented artisans.
There are special activities, performances, music, sprint races
and a fur auction happening all around town.
The Junior Iditarod Start has been moved due to lack of snow
and poor trail conditions in the Wasilla Area. The start will be
at 10Am on Saturday February 28, at Susitna Landing located at Mile
82 on the Parks Highway.
Starting
order is as follows –
1-Honorary Musher Larry Thompson
2-Alana Schlang
3-Cheyenne Schmidt
4-Nicole Osmar
5-Elizabeth Jayne
6-Justin Vanover
7-Baillee Holt
8-Joshua Cadzow
9-Micah Degerland
10-Alex Westlake
11-Kathleen Blevins
12-Crystal Compare
13-Staci Tarpey
14-Melissa Owens
15-Max Kornmuller
16-Michaela Maddalena
17-Jeremy Hoover
18-Dallas Seavey
19-Rohn Buser
20-Nikolai Buser
21-Tessa King
Elisabeth Haberman and Mallory Smith withdrew before the race.
The teams will travel over the historic Iditarod Trail, from Susitna
Landing, to Alaska’s Deshka River Lodge, Eagle Song, and on
to the Yentna Station Roadhouse on the Yentna River. The Jr. Mushers
are required to stay overnight at Yentna and then will return along
the same route on Sunday. The Jr. Banquet will be held at Settlers
Bay on Sunday night.
Updates will be posted when we are able to use a phone line. Check
back often as that may happen at irregular intervals.
February
28, 2003
Start Position — Musher —
Hometown
1 — Howard and Julie Farley — honorary
2 — John Baker — Kotzebue
3 — Ted English — Willow
4 — Cali King — Denali Park
5 — Perry Solomonson — Whittier
6 — Jason Barron — Lincoln, Mont.
7 — Tyrell Seavey — Seward
8 — Jessie Royer — Fairbanks
9 — Ed Iten — Kotzebue
10 — Dexter Kancer — Nenana
11 — Blake Matray — Two Rivers
12 — Ben Stamm — Argyle, Wis.
13 — Jim Lanier — Chugiak
14 — Paul Gebhardt — Kasilof
15 — Martin Buser — Big Lake
16 — Karen Land — Sand Coulee, Mont.
17 — Cim Smyth — Big Lake
18 — Jeff King — Denali Park
19 — Vern Halter — Willow
20 — Lance Barve — Willow
21 — Frank Sihler — Wasilla
22 — Gerald Riley — Nenana
23 — Robert Sorlie — Hurdal, Norway
24 — Cindy Gallea — Seely Lake, Mont.
25 — Aaron Burmeister — Nome
26 — Lynda Plettner — Houston
27 — Charlie Boulding — Manley
28 — Ray Redington Jr. — Two Rivers
29 — Todd Capistrant — Emerald, Wis.
30 — DeeDee Jonrowe — Willow
31 — Jack Berry — Salcha
32 — Debbie Moderow — Anchorage
33 — Ramey Smyth — Big Lake
34 — Carla Kelly — Anchorage
35 — G.B. Jones — Wasilla
36 — Ken Anderson — Fairbanks
37 — Bruce Lee — Denali Park
38 — Karen Ramstead — Perryvale, Alberta
39 — Randy Chappel — Arlington, Texas
40 — Peter Bartlett — Willow
41 — Linwood Fiedler — Willow
42 — Ramy Brooks — Healy
43 — Mitch Seavey — Seward
44 — Sonny Lindner — Fairbanks
45 — Aliy Zirkle — Two Rivers
46 — Melanie Gould — Talkeetna
47 — Rick Swenson — Two Rivers
48 — Tim Osmar — Ninilchik
49 — Gerald Sousa — Talkeetna
50 — Ellen Halverson — Wasilla
51 — Mike Williams — Akiak
52 — Bill Pinkham — Glenwood Springs, Colo.
53 — Palmer Sagoonick — Shaktoolik
54 — Adam Scott Gibler — Chugiak
55 — Dean Osmar — Clam Gulch
56 — Jon Little — Kasilof
57 — Jim Gallea — Sterling
58 — Bob Hickel — Anchorage
59 — Keith Aili — Ray, Minn.
60 — Jessica Hendricks — Copper Center
61 — Russell Bybee — Willow
62 — Kelly LaMarre — Geneva, Ill.
63 — Lachlan Clarke — Colorado Springs, Colo.
64 — Robert Bundtzen — Anchorage
65 — Clint Warnke — Bonnie Lake, Wash
in their bags. Other items shipped would have included plastic sled
runners, repair kits, extra dog booties, medications for the dogs,
leg wraps, dog coats, change of layers for the musher, dry socks
and gloves, Capri Suns and human meals that have been vacumn sealed.
Every musher has a system of packing so that they can easily find
what they need out of each bag when they need to quickly prepare
their dogs a hot meal and be able to do this while cold, tired and
sore. Once the drop items are organized and packed, they are taken
to a large warehouse in Anchorage, lumped into stacks according
to checkpoint by dozens of volunteers and then flown out by the
Iditarod Airforce to their destinations. From some reports, ravens
seem to know when this happens and follwo the shipments to try and
break into the bags to steal the dog food. A large collective sigh
of relief can be felt and heard as food drop is over. 
tarting
order is as follows –