Iditarod
Geir Idar Hjelvik is back for his second Iditarod. He earned his finisher’s belt buckle in 2016. Geir didn’t stand on runners for his first experience with working dogs, he stood on skies behind a German shepherd. From there he began learning the sport of mushing and soon began his own kennel with dogs of …
The break between Laura Neese’s arrival on Thursday at suppertime and Jodi Bailey’s arrival at 0540 this morning afforded the folks of Nome a full night’s sleep without the periodic wail of the siren. Looking for 13 mushers, give or take a couple, to arrive on Front Street today. Early arrivals will be in time …
Iditarod spectators really weren’t hearing things or seeing double this afternoon. The siren sounded twice announcing the arrival of Anna Berington and Kristy Berington. There were two squad cars waiting down near Subway and the movie theater to escort the twins to the Burled Arch. Then there were two teams heading down the left side …
After Seth Barnes cleared the chute but before Karin Hendrickson arrived, the bucket truck from the power company arrived to assist in re-hanging the Iditarod banner. A storm came through Nome earlier in the week and officials decided to take the sign down rather than let the wind tear it to shreds. Today the banner …
The 26th musher to cross the finish line in Nome was adventurer Lars Monson. Looking at his bio, adventure should be his middle name. His trademark is long expeditions. Iditarod, a native word meaning far distant place, certainly qualifies. Monson has spent 4,500 nights in a sleeping bag with more than half of that being …
Have arrived in Nome so switching from Unalakleet gear to Nome gear. I’m very happy to have been in Unalakleet to speak with the final musher to make the coast from Kaltag. From Unalakleet to Nome, the trail is anything but down hill. Upon leaving Unalakleet for Shaktoolik the teams have to climb through the …
It’s March, so talk about the Sweet 16, the Elite 8 and the Final 4 is the buzz. Sure it’s usually about basketball be it high school or college but today it’s about Iditarod mushers. This afternoon, on day 9 of Iditarod, the Final 4 arrived in Unalakleet. They had camped at Old Woman Cabin …
Day nine of Iditarod XLV and all of the action is between Old Woman Cabin on the Kaltag Portage Trail and Front Street of Nome. What Mitch Seavey accomplished this year in winning the race and setting not one but two records is just plain phenomenal! He already had the record for the oldest winner …
Rookie Justin Steilstra is just 300 miles from earning the coveted Iditarod Finisher’s Belt Buckle. Justin was born in Texas but was raised in Michigan. Justin started mushing in 2014 by helping his Aunt and Uncle, Tasha and Ed Stielstra at Nature’s Kennel in the UP of Michigan. He helped Ed, an Iditarod veteran, train …
Rookie Justin High arrived in Unalakleet just after the sun rose. High is brightly attired in gear sewn by his wife Jamiee. Together the Highs own High’s Adventure Gear. Justin is happy to be on the coast. He says it’s anything but down hill to Nome from here. Three hundred miles to go along the …
