I’m all packed and ready to depart for Unalakleet where I’ll once again be on the ground in the checkpoint with volunteers, villagers, dogs and mushers. I’ve been watching the race through the stats board in the lobby of the Millennium, Iditarod Race Headquarters in Anchorage, Insider Videos and last but not least the dropped dogs that await pickup outside the Millennium. Those dogs have a story but they’re not saying much.
Watching the Insider video, “Paddy Says Thanks” really warmed my heart. When King won the First to the Yukon Meal and $3,500 After Dinner Mint provided by the Millennium Alaskan Hotel, he invited Paddy Nollner to join him for the five course dinner. Paddy who lives in Galena is the son of Serum Runner Edgar Nollner. Edger was just 21 years old when he and his seven malemute dogs acquired the serum in Whiskey Creek from Billy McCarty and carried it 24 miles then handed it off the his brother George in Galena.
When Paddy arrived for dinner with Jeff on Thursday, he was carrying a carefully wrapped package which he handed to Jeff and said, “I hope these fit.” King was clearly delighted to receive the gift from Paddy even before he know what was in the package. When King saw the contents he was clearly awed. Paddy had presented him with a pair of gloves trimmed with bead work and fur. King put them on and they looked to fit perfectly.
King who never seems to be at a loss for words was almost speechless. Of course he thanked Nollner but there was something else on his mind. After a few seconds of silence, Jeff told Paddy of the time in 1989 when a native woman gave him a pair of fur mitts at the starting line of the Yukon Quest. King went on to win the Quest that year.
For the meal King was wearing a sweater that had been given him by Norwegian friends. He said he didn’t believe in putting his favorite things on a shelf and never enjoying them. That’s why he was wearing the sweater. He also admitted that he felt it was a lucky sweater.
Only time will tell if the gloves gifted to King and the lucky Norwegian sweater will be the luck Jeff needs to claim his fifth Iditarod title. King’s bib, #59 also happens to be his age.
