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Juli Westrich 2023
Spent the night at the Iditarod Trail Roadhouse in McGrath, Alaska – population 479. Waiting for dog teams to come in I found myself grabbing a bunk, and settling in with some coffee….and new friends. If you recall from earlier this week there is a lot of HURRY UP! And WAIT involved in the Iditarod. …
Sitting here in Nikolai I can’t imagine a more beautiful spot on Earth. The musher GPS provided a good estimate of their impending arrival at the checkpoint in the early morning hours so we committed to a solid night sleep before the action started. Up before the sunrise, we headed down to the river. With …
Working as a dog handler yesterday gave incredible perspective on the enthusiasm of the dogs as they get ready to run. As they hook up to the trailers you’ll hear barks of excitement; some of the dogs are so pumped with adrenaline they shake. Attaching them to the tug line the barks turn into cries, …
This morning, at the Willow Restart, I had the privilege of handing out the Trail Mail to each musher. Trail Mail is required gear. Mushers carry a small cachet of letters in their sled the entire length of the Trail, and present it in Nome to be postmarked and returned to original sender. It is …
There are life experiences so remarkable that, even when they are happening, it is clear that no souvenir, no photo will ever be able to conjure the amazing emotions in that moment. Enjoy the ride, and focus fully on the present, because you can’t take it with you once it is over. Yes, memories are …
Setting priorities can be a challenge for students. According to Britannica Online Dictionary a priority is “something that is more important than other things and that needs to be done or dealt with first.” I know often during library book check-out (the very last 5-10 minutes of my class time depending on how much I …
This morning my big assignment was to make sure every musher signed their Trail Mail, which meant I was in the room for the official Iditarod Musher Meeting. Pardon me while I pause and freak out. Okay, I’m back. It was an Iditarod fan’s dream to be in the room with every single musher in …
Today the IditarodEDU Teacher’s Conference had the great fortune to visit Iditarod legend Martin Buser’s Happy Trails Kennel. Buser, who completed the Iditarod 39 times, and won 4, talked about racing and raising sled dogs. This is the first year that Buser is not racing the Iditarod since 1986, and a new phase in his …
When my friends, family, coworkers, and students heard I’d be in Alaska for a month they were very concerned about the cold. “Do you have the right gear?” they asked. Luckily, I’m outfitted with the perfect gear for the trail! I have amazing boots, which make me about 3 inches taller thanks to the incredible …
The Jr. Iditarod concluded last night with a wonderful banquet celebrating the teenage mushers who competed in the race. It was also a time to recognize the Honorary Musher. This was an emotional, heartbreaking moment; one that I feel lucky to have been in the room to witness. Honorary Musher? What’s that? The Honorary musher …