Oh what a beautiful morning at the Lakefront in Anchorage

Good Morning Iditarod Family, Friends and Fans! Nice to be in Anchorage where there is really winter. I left Wisconsin, where there should be winter, in pouring rain after days of temperatures in the mid to upper 50’s. Grass is visible everywhere, ski trails have turned to treacherous icy slush, skating rinks have melted and even the American Birkebeiner scheduled for this coming weekend in Hayward is in question. This February spring thaw has made for some great bike riding in Wisconsin but really? We should be enjoying the last weeks of winter. Did the ground hog get something mixed up?

The Lakefront’s dog team

The Lakefront Hotel in Anchorage, has been home of Iditarod since 1987. There’s a long and much appreciated relationship between Iditarod and the Lakefront. When coming into the Lakefront, you’re only a stranger once. The staff is very kind and recognizes us as their Iditarod family that returns year after year. At breakfast this morning I was greeted warmly by the waitress who welcomed me back for another race.

Ski Equipped planes rest on the Lake. Anchorage International Airport in the distance

After ordering breakfast, the view out over Lake Spenard evolved as the sun rose. Just as my short stack of sourdough pancakes arrived, the mountains were bathed in a pink sheet of alpen glow. Here’s the difference between Official Iditarod Photographer, Jeff Schultz and myself. Jeff would have ditched his pancakes and dashed out to capture the beauty of the sunrise. I ate my pancakes, noted the time and hoped it would be as pretty tomorrow when I’ll plan ahead and eat earlier.