Google Earth cameras

At 10:00 a.m., Rob Cooke pulled his hook at the starting the line and the 2015 Iditarod was officially underway. Every 2-minutes mushers and their dogs began their long journey to Nome. The last team to leave Fairbanks was an unofficial team. Dean Osmar, 1984 Iditarod champion, is escorting a Google Earth representative along part of the trail. The Google Earth rep will drive a tag sled behind Dean along the trail.

Bright and early this morning mushers began pulling their dog trucks and filling the dog lot. Mushers began prepping their teams for the long journey across Alaska. Checking and double checking sleds to make sure everything is in place. Every musher and every dog does their own thing while they are waiting for their starting time. Some mushers just relax, sit and wait. Others spend time loving on their dogs. I even saw one musher, Matthew Failor, brushing his teeth. There are dogs that spend time relaxing in the truck or relaxing outside. Some dogs are taking last-minute naps before heading down the trail. Most dogs are energetically screaming, howling, and jumping up and down trying to pull the sled from the truck.

Alan Stevens leaving Fairbanks

As their starting time neared, teams started hooking up and were directed to the chute. The announcer was introducing the mushers and giving a countdown; 1-minute, 30-seconds, 10 seconds, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, Go! Off they went to Nenana. Nenana is the first checkpoint on the trail, a 60-mile run, and about a 5-7 hour run. Nenana is an unusual checkpoint for the Iditarod. There are no checkpoints on the road system on the original trail. Due to lack of snow and poor trail conditions, the trail was moved to start in Fairbanks for the second time in 43 years. Since Nenana is on the road system, drop bags weren’t sent here. Instead, handlers were able to drive out and deliver supplies to the mushers. Another effect of being on the road system was more family and friends of the mushers made the trip to cheer them on.

Martin Buser was the first musher to arrive in Nenana at 3:03 p.m. He parked for about 20 minutes. Teams continued to arrive through the late evening. Some teams went through the checkpoint because they camped out or took long breaks along the way. Other teams took their break at the checkpoint. When teams started arriving in Nenana they reported to the checker and recorded their time in. Teams were then led to a spot to park their teams. Now began the process of doing their chores. Straw was put down for the dogs, booties were taken off, food was cooked for the dogs, and the vets made their rounds.

Dee Dee Jonrowe’s dogs sleeping

Inside the checkpoint mushers found spots to dry their clothes and boots next to a warm and toasty fire. They also worked their way to the food table. A delicious spread of spaghetti, soup, hot dogs, fresh salads, chips, and drinks were available to mushers and volunteers. Along the walls of the community center were benches covered with a carpet material. After doing their chores and eating a warm meal, most mushers took advantage of a the benches and took a nap. About an hour or so before they plan to leave they will wake and head back outside to do more chores before they leave. They will need to put their cold weather gear back on, put booties on the dogs, and hook their dogs up. Oh yeah, most will be doing this in the dark with their headlamps.

Next checkpoint for the mushers is Manly Hot Springs.