Ceremonial Start – Yesterday/Saturday in Anchorage

March 8, 2015

The Ceremonial Start was yesterday, Saturday in Anchorage.   The ceremonial start is Anchorage’s version of Mardi Gras and Super Bowl tailgate rolled in to one. 

There has been so little snow in Southern Alaska, that the actual race start was moved to Fairbanks and will take place Monday, but the Iditarod would be hard pressed to not have the initial day of fun be in Anchorage regardless of circumstance. 

On Friday night, they were still trucking snow to downtown and building up snow along an 11 mile course from downtown Anchorage to Campbell Air Strip.  At 7 AM Saturday, it was raining cats and dogs.   The sun came out shortly before the 10 AM start and 78 mushers had their names called and stories told on 4th Avenue and headed out to a wild and wet adventure.   Trent’s Iditarider was Dr. Gerald Elkhan, a retired North Carolina State professor.  It was Gerald’s eight time as an Iditarider passenger, and I suspect it was his wettest.  Our handler Jake Swift rode behind Trent in the tag sled.  Couple of shots from the start and a video below.

We decided to leave Anchorage immediately after finishing the Ceremonial Start stage, and were off on the 400 mile trip to Fairbanks for the actual race start, at about 3:00.   On the Parks Highway, about 50 miles before Denali Highway and Denali National Park, we ran in to one of the most intense, if not the most intense, snowstorms any of us Idaho snowstorm veterans has ever seen.   There was about 3 feet of snow that fell in a 4 hour period and the plows were unable to keep up with accumulation.  An Eighteen wheeler, and several trucks and cars ran off the road and the whole thing felt like being on the set of Weather Channel’s “Highway Thru Hell”.   It took us about 2-1/2 hours to make the 50 miles to the next bastion of civilization, Cantwell Alaska (pop 202).  Thank goodness we were able to make it the one mile off the Parks Highway to the Cantwell Lodge, which was open, had rooms, and a fine bar and burger.  Car next to the Cantwell Lodge, dug out and ready to go Sunday morning below.

We made it the final 150 miles to Fairbanks at about 2:00.  Trent needed to pick up a few last minute items to prepare for the race.   We stopped at Cold Spot in Fairbanks, which can only be described as The Home Depot of Mushing.

 

Tomorrow this all starts for real.  Trent looks ready.  The dogs look ready.  Belly Button and Loafer are the two dogs that didn’t make the final cut to 16.  It's going to be great for Jake, Greg, and I to be there to send them off tomorrow.  "Will send pix" 

Tim
6 responses
Love the updates! Safe travels Trent.
Did a dog eat Trent's old hat?
Thanks for having the dogs wear the booties from Victor Haen Elementary! We're cheering you on!
Tim! I can't find your email, but if you go to the Idaho Magazine Fb page, I have the photos from Fairbanks posted. I'm not finished captioning them yet, but am working on it. It was SO good to meet you and Trent yesterday. I was sure embarrassed about losing my balance when the dogs started off. Sometimes I think I'm still 30, and I sure felt like it yesterday. If there's anything I can do to help, let me know. I'll keep posting your photos along the way. We waited for quite a while at Nenana hoping to catch you and Trent there, but we ended up with the kids freezing, and had to leave. Best to you. We need to talk when you get back. I'd like to figure out how we can help sponsor you next year. *Kitty* Kitty Delorey Fleischman publisher/editor *IDAHO magazine* 1106 W. State St., Ste. B Boise, ID 83702 tel. 336-0653 ext. 100 or (800) 655-0653 *http://www.idahomagazine.com /*
HI Amy, Trent definitely used your classes booties at the Ceremonial Start! Will send you some more pictures directly, and we put the sticker on the sled as well, have a pic of that. Great work by the kids!
Hi Kitty, don't worry on the fall, I slipped as well ;-) The puppies were so amped up we could hardly get them to slow down on way to start gate. Hopefully next year, they will be a bit more coy at the start. Will look for the the IM FB photos. Trent got in to Nenana about 630 after a good run and took a good long rest there. Will greatly look forward to having you guys help next year! The team looks like they are doing well (from GPS tracker), all 16 dogs our of Tanana and an 8 hour rest on their way to Ruby. Tim for Trent