Jacinda's Adventure in Alaska
by Jacinda Yonker
Starting list for Iditarod Race
Vet pre-race exam Iditarod application Iditarod Rules
Be sure to check each day for new pictures and a brief review of Jacinda's daily schedule.
After the trot to Campbell Airstrip during the Ceremonial Start, mushers planned to spend Saturday night catching up with family, visitors, making last minute changes with their dog team, and sleeping as much as possible.
Yesterday morning, I boarded a school bus for Willow, Alaska for the Restart of
the race. All volunteers were on the 8 am bus. The race started at 2 pm which is really 6pm your time. I spent the entire day outside in the team area. I wasn't cold because I had dressed in layers and had the proper clothing and cold weather gear. I boarded the bus to return at 6 pm. The racers were taken to the start chute in numerical order and sent out every two minutes. Seventy-two mushers....good math question for the class. How long did the start take from first musher to seventy-second?
This sporting event in Alaska would be equal to attending the Super Bowl.
I'm headed downstairs in an hour to volunteer with any dropped dogs. A dropped dog would be delivered here to the hotel if they were taken out of the race early due to injury, illness or musher decision.
I will send a second email with more photos of yesterday's start. I jump on a plane at 9:20 pm tonight. I will fly all night and get home tomorrow around 11:30 am.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Today is the Ceremonial Start of the 2010 Iditarod Race!
The first mile and a half of this leg is on city streets lined with thousands of spectators. The next six miles run east and south through the city greenbelts and parks on the extensive system of bike/ski paths. After crossing Tudor Road on an overpass, the trail winds east for several miles in a large wooded park area on the Tozier Track sprint dog trails; the end of the trail for all the teams and their Iditariders is at the Campbell Airstrip right next to the Bureau of Land Management Visitors Center. It's a beautiful setting to end a spectacular day winding through a very special part of Anchorage.
Spectators can bid online to become an Iditarider. After the Iditariders reach their destination at Campbell Airstrip, mushers load their dogs in their dog trucks and take them to Willow the next day for the restart. Due to the growth of the area between Campbell Airstrip and Willow and the traditionally open water of the Matanuska River, it is impossible to travel this stretch by dog team.
Friday, March 5, 2010
Today I will have the opportunity to listen to the following speakers:
9:00 Rod Perry
Never-told Tales of the Greatest Iditarod Adventure of All Time, the Trailbreaking First Run….Spun by Pioneer Racer and Author Rod Perry.
10:15 Iditarod Champion, Jeff King
“The Winningest Musher in the World” and Author of Cold Hands, Warm Heart. We will be able to hear his perspective on Iditarod and dog mushing.
1:00 Iditarod Musher Trent Herbst and Students
Trent is a teacher in Idaho. His students play an instrumental role helping him prepare for the race by sewing, cooking , and calculating details to help Trent race from Anchorage to Nome. Meet Trent and his students. Discover this unique teaching and learning adventure.
2:15 Dr. Nelson, Iditarod Chief Veterinarian
Dr. Nelson’s presentation will provide images from the Iditarod Trail and information about the canine athletes of this race.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Last night, I attended the Mushers Drawing Banquet. The event was held at Dena’lina Civic and Convention Center in Anchorage, Alaska. Mushers were asked to step to the stage and draw a number from a boot. The number would designate their starting position. Individuals drew their numbers in the order that they entered the race. When you look at the list, you notice that they begin with the number 2. Why? They gave the #1 bib to the 2010 Honorary Musher, Orin Seybert.
Happy Friday! At 9:35 am, I’ll be joining Fred & Pam live from Alaska. The stations is WHBC -1480 based in Canton, Ohio.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Yesterday I visited the Iditarod Headquarters in Wasilla, Alaska. Mushers brought their teams for the final vet check. The dogs were given a complete physical. A team of vets were assigned to the mushers as they checked in to headquarters. The athletes (dogs) also had to submit to blood tests for even further examination of their health.
I met Emil Churchin, rookie musher. Emil now lives in Alaska but is from Ohio. He has been a valuable resource by providing insight into the preparation for the race, training, and care of the team.
I traveled to Martin Buser’s kennel in Big Lake, Alaska. Martin is a 23 year Iditarod veteran. He won the Iditarod race in 1992, 1994, 1997, and 2002. He demonstrated how he packs his sled and discussed how the race has changed over the years with the implementation of GPS devices and his growth as musher. I was lucky enough to watch him take a practice run with his dogs. I also met the athletes and was able to get a few interviews.
Today, March 4, I will attend a race volunteer meeting. During the race, I will be assigned the job of Trail Guard. As a trail guard, I will make sure that race attendees stand behind the barriers. Tonight is the musher’s banquet.
Mush....mush...
Did you know?
The 2010 Iditarod has 71 teams entered. That means 1,136 dogs will be at the starting line on race day. That’s 4,544 feet that will need booties. A guess on the number of booties that will be sent out on the trail to protect all these dog paws is somewhere between 75,000 to 100,000. To feed all the dogs in the Iditarod this year will take between 1,700 to 2,275 pounds of food per day before racing. Once they start running during the race they consume more. Of the 71 teams in this year’s race there are 13 mushers from countries other than the US and 22 rookies are attempting their first Iditarod.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Yesterday I worked with other educators and also toured the home of John and Jona Van Zyle. Jon Zan Zyle is the official Iditarod artist and ran the Iditarod race twice. He and his wife own a team of Siberian huskies. Jona Van Zyle has an Ohio/Medina County connection. Jona Stokes. She wanted me to say "hello" to everyone back in Ohio. They were gracious hosts. We were able to visit with their dogs and understand what is actually packed in the sled.
Today, I will travel to Iditarod Headquarters in Wasilla and visit Martin Buser's Kennel in Big Lake, Alaska.
Did you know???
Rule 16 -- Mandatory Items:
A musher must have with him/her at all times the following items:
- Proper cold weather sleeping bag weighing a minimum of 5 lbs.
- Ax, to weigh a minimum of 1-3/4 lbs., handle to be at least 22" long.
- One operational pair of snowshoes with bindings, each snowshoe to be at least 252 square inches in size.
- Any promotional material provided by the ITC.
- Eight booties for each dog in the sled or in use.
- One operational cooker and pot capable of boiling at least three (3) gallons of water at one time.
- Veterinarian notebook, to be presented to the veterinarian at each checkpoint.
- An adequate amount of fuel to bring three (3) gallons of water to a boil.
- Cable gang line or cable tie out capable of securing dog team.
When leaving a checkpoint adequate emergency dog food must be on the sled. (This will be carried in addition to what you carry for routine feeding and snacking.)
Gear will be checked at the Re-Start and during the 24 hour layover for conformity to minimum standards as set forth above. Gear may be checked at some other time during the Race Gear may be checked at all checkpoints except Safety. Vet books will be signed by a veterinarian or in the absence of a veterinarian may be signed by a designated race official.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Hello from Alaska!
It is 4:15 am in Alaska and I'm ready for the day. I will be working with teachers today as we write creative lesson plans centered around the Iditarod Race. I am working the race and restart of the race. I will be a trail guard. This will be on Saturday and Sunday. My responsibility will be to keep spectators away from the barriers. I am allowed to take photos in that area so I plan on getting photos of all teams as they leave the start. On Monday, I will be assigned to assist any dogs that have been dropped from the race due to medical issues. Although I do not have any medical training, the dogs will need companionship if this occurs and that is where I would help.
