Jen Reiter 2014 Teacher on the Trail

Learning Something New Everyday!

Still hanging out here in Takotna… the press has moved on for the most part… the mushers and dogs have moved on.  It’s pretty quiet for the time being. Everyone who did their 24 hours here has moved on.  Danny Seavey and Eliot Anderson blew through a little while ago with their puppy teams.  Both …

Morning Sights in Takotna

I’ve been wandering around this morning and checking out what is going on.  Here are some snapshots of what I’ve seen to kind of give you an idea of what is happening.  The mushers who are here are doing their 24 hour layover and if they aren’t staying they pretty much just come and go. …

Nathan’s left Takotna!

Nathan left after his 24 hour break a little after 5:30 am.  When they leave from their 24 hour they have to sign out so it’s official! [wpvideo ciEwXhEH]

Flying to Takotna

Late this afternoon I got news that I had a plane coming to fly me from Nikolai to Takotna.  Before I left, I had a chance to see Monica after her rest in Nikolai. She seemed in much better spirits after a good nap!  Apparently her sled did break in the tough trails from Rohn …

“Who is Winning the Iditarod?”

This is the question that is on the minds of most of the kids who are writing me emails or sending me video messages! The truth of the matter is that this is a really hard question to answer!  It’s always hard to tell for sure until everyone completes their twenty-four hour layover.  Some of …

Still Hanging in Nikolai

It’s morning here in Nikolai.  It’s pretty quite now. We are expecting about nine more teams through here.  We have twelve dogs who have been dropped here, so this morning I got to help load up a few to go to the airport.  There is only one dog who has a sore leg, the rest …

Nathan’s in Nikolai

Nathan made it into Nikolai about 3:06pm.  He arrived with a smile still on his face!  He’s the second rookie in to Nikolai – and is still my pick for rookie of the year! It’s been a rough trail in.  Allen Moore describe the trail by saying, “I broke three stanchions on my sled and …

At the River in Nikolai

I’m here in Nikolai which is a hotbed of activity!  Mushers are coming and going.  I’m in the school right now which has been pretty much turned into a hotel for the race. The mushers and volunteers are sleeping in the school and the students are cooking food and meals to raise money for a …

Waiting in McGrath

Once I left Skwentna today, I flew back to Anchorage, only I didn’t land at the airport, I landed right on Lake Hood, which is right behind the Millennium Hotel.  I took off almost immediately again, this time headed for McGrath.  I’m in the Cafe now, which is kept open for twenty-four hours a day …

Overnight in Skwentna

I flew into Skwentna with Race Judge Jim Gallea.  He has been a race judge for about ten years and is an Iditarod finisher himself.  It was a beautiful day for a flight. The sky was so clear you could see forever. It was just amazing!  I got to sit in the front seat of …