Today is a day that I will not soon forget. I got to meet the 2022 Winter Education Conference attendees, I spent a lot of time with former Teachers on the Trail™, and then I attended a special banquet for the “Old Iditarod Gang”. This event was geared to those who were involved in the infancy of the race, specifically the first 10 years. There were so many people there that I have heard legendary stories about. Some of these mushers I had the opportunity to speak with a couple summers ago, when I was interviewing them for my “Moments with Mushers” series of posts. If you are curious about those posts, here is a link to read about the topics covered with these iconic mushers, both past and present. https://iditarod.com/?post_type%5B%5D=teacher&post_type%5B%5D=zuma&s=moments+with+mushers.  At the center of this event was an important piece of literature that is meant to serve as an educational resource about the beginnings of this race, a book also entitled “Iditarod: The First 10 Years”. Here is a link to the store if you are interested in a copy of your own. https://voyij.com/iditarod-the-first-10-years-book-9560/

There were simply too many great stories told to remember. Everywhere I turned, there was another name. Cotter, Van Zyle, May, Mackey, Seavey, Schultz, Jonrowe, Buser, Riddles, Crane, Potts, Adkins, the list goes on and on. There was even the family members of those that are no longer with us in attendance. Susan Butcher’s daughter, Tekla, has her mother’s same great smile.  I talked for a time with the nephew of the Yukon Fox, Emmitt Peters. I had dinner next to Billy Honea, long time volunteer from Ruby and son of legendary musher Dan Honea. I shared a table once again with “Dr. Phil” Meyer and is wife Ann. He is the same gentleman I had the privilege of riding home with from the Junior Iditarod Sunday night. It was so great to see him again. They extended an invitation to me when I get off the trail to meet them for lunch at their house. Simply some of the most genuine people I have ever met. And that is the trait which is consistent among this group. 

Some of these inspirational people of Iditarod include Dick Mackey, whose finish ahead of Rick Swenson is still the closest in Iditarod history, which is going to be hard to top. See the Full video here. Mackey/Swenson Video. I thanked him again for his time talking to me a few summers ago for help with my posts and was able to get a great picture with him. 

I spoke with Libby Riddles who I asked to sign the month of March on my 2022 Iditarod calendar. She obliged but promptly turned the page, declaring that she was going to sign it on her birthday. She only had to flip one page, because ironically, her birthday is on April 1st, April Fools Day. To which she turns back to me and declares, “Can you imagine having the last name of Riddles and being born on April Fools Day?” As I said earlier, something I will not soon forget. 

I talked more at length with Dan Seavey, who immediately recognized me and asked about my trip up from Ohio. I was floored. He is one musher who I have spoken with on multiple occasions, beginning with the above Moments With Mushers pieces.  I asked him to also sign the calendar and pose for a photo. He did not want to do a regular pose, so the picture below is what turned out. However, the highlight of my time with him came later on in the evening. As Jane Holmes was talking about her role in connection with this book, Dan looked at me, gave me a big smile and winked. Such a small gesture that will stay with me.

I had the opportunity to talk with Dee Dee Jonrowe; the musher who I remember as peaking my interest in the entire Iditarod. I shared that with her, and said that the image of the bright pink parka going down the trail was engrained in my mind. She then shared that she switched the color of her parka after winning her battle with breast cancer – a symbolic change I was not aware of. I shared that I too beat cancer, and said that there were many members of that club. She agreed completely and then we talked about seeing each other on the trail this year, as we will be in the same checkpoint on a few occasions. 

Finally, I was able to get a print of Jon Van Zyle’s poster for this years race. An amazing piece of history in itself. What made it even more special was the personal touch he added to the bottom. 

In the end, these legends of the race will always hold a special place in my heart. I love learning about the history of this amazing race, and tonight was the epitome of that.

Teachers: As this book was meant to serve as a compilation of stories and lesson that could be adapted into classrooms. Stories that were compiled over the years and put into one place. Ask your students to go home and interview an older member of their own family to start hearing some stories they could connect with. I can almost guarantee that they will come back to school with an amazing story they can share.