The Iditarod Teacher on the Trail™ sleeping bag was handed over to me in a public ceremony at Iditarod headquarters Saturday. It is a special and longstanding tradition, with 17 men and women before me using it on the trail all the way to Nome. Erin Montgomery, the 2015 Iditarod Teacher on the Trail™, left …
Taking charge of the legacy of the Iditarod Teacher on the Trail™ has given me the opportunity to meet some of the most remarkable people. I have seen Peg Stout several times in the last few years, close by her daughter’s side, the legendary musher DeeDee Jonrowe, as I waited for an autograph or photo …
Dr. Larry Daugherty, rookie musher, and Mitch Seavey, veteran and champion musher, sat down for a visit during the Iditarod Volunteer Picnic today at headquarters. One can only imagine the conversation. There is something genuine and giving about the mushing community. The passing on of history and knowledge is a gift that veterans and mentors like …
[wpvideo qBhGtEnh] “It’s never too late to live your dream,” reads the banner heading on Gwenn Bogart’s musher web site. I can’t think of a better expression to describe Gwenn. She is vivacious, uplifting and positive, and this year she is determined to make it “from home to Nome” as she tries a second run …
“Tip me for Willow fire!” read the hand-written note clipped to Barb Redington’s jacket at the Iditarod Volunteer Picnic today. Barb has a big heart and a passionate dedication for the Iditarod and everyone involved from volunteers to mushers. She is married to Raymie Redington, the son of Joe Redington Sr., the founder of The …
Two young athletes sat respectfully on the stage as we entered and sat in “The Gathering Place” inside the beautiful Alaska Native Heritage Center in Anchorage. A small tethered ball covered in seal skin and fur hung conspicuously from a tall wooden pole. Our group from the Iditarod Summer Teacher Conference waited with quiet excitement …
[wpvideo cwcKGlji] Puppies are the future for any kennel. They require special nurturing and training from the day they are born to prepare them for the possibility of one day becoming a champion. The teachers at the Iditarod Summer Camp had the opportunity to spend time with Vern Halter’s newest litter during our stay, and …
“Dogs laugh, but they laugh with their tails.” – Max Eastman Howls, licks and love abound at the Dream a Dream Dog Farm for all of the teachers at the Iditarod Summer Teacher Conference. We all pitch in for dog yard chores and puppy walks several times a day, and there is plenty of husky …
“How glorious a greeting the sun gives the mountains!” – John Muir On a map, the Palmer Hay Flats encompass about 45,000 miles of freshwater streams, marshes, bogs and silty glacial rivers. In person, its wild beauty is inspiring. The refuge is the stop for thousands and thousands of migratory birds, and many stay and …
Driving toward Willow, Alaska to Vern Halter’s Dream a Dream Dog Farm for the 2015 Iditarod Summer Teacher’s Camp, I reflected upon the ongoing situation with the Sockeye wildfire. As of this posting, the fire was not totally contained in the thousands of acres affected, but the hard work and dedication of many people continues. …
