This morning bib number 15, Jessie Holmes, was the first musher into White Mountain just as the sun was rising over the Niukluk River. While he was getting his dogs settled into their straw beds, in his traditional “cuddle puddle”, he was chatting about the warm welcome he received in Elim and many other towns along the way. This is a tough race and the warm welcome that mushers receive helps to keep spirits up, especially when there has been a fair share of ups and downs in this race.
Have you seen the GPS tracker? I’m in Nome!! And anxiously awaiting to see who comes down Front Street toward the Burled Arch first! As the front runners finish the race, it’s important to keep the energy and excitement going until the last musher arrives in Nome. Celebrate the journey, not just the finish by creating a highlight reel for the mushers, making predictions on finish times based off their distance and traveling speed, or create songs/chants/lyrics that are celebratory and can be presented as the mushers finish individually. Don’t forget- if your students are following a musher who finishes the race over the weekend, you can watch the musher’s finish on the Iditarod website when you get back to school on Monday. A few interesting things to note about this part of the race:
Mushers do not wear their bib throughout the race. They either wear or carry their bib from the starting line to the first checkpoint. At the first checkpoint (this year: Nenana), the musher will give their bib to the checker. Once all the bibs are collected, they are carefully transported to Safety, where each musher will get their bib back to wear to the finish line.
Between White Mountain and Safety, mushers have to pass the Topkok Hills. This area of the trail can be especially tricky if there is bad weather or high wind. Ground blizzards have proven difficult in this area in the past, as well as the infamous “Blowhole”.
There is an award for the fastest time from Safety to Nome. Last year, Nic Petit won the award with a time of 2 hours and 18 minutes. Who will win this year?
Reach out with any questions or ideas! emailtheteacher@iditarod.com
