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Thursday, February 23, 2012

It's That Time Again!

I cannot believe it has been one year since our first trip to Iditarod.  The time has come when I have signed up as a volunteer - again - for the 40th Iditarod Trail Dog Sled Race which will take place from Willow, Alaska on March 5, 2012.  The emails have arrived, the airline tickets are secured and reservations are confirmed.  This year I have changed my tune considerably as to how my voluneerism will help the committee.  I have decided to work in the gift shop at the Millenuium Hotel in Anchorage, work in the stats room at the hotel, work the re-start in Willow as a dog handler, work at the 'dog drop' on Hood Lake in Anchorage; and then work at the headquarters and 'guard' the sled dogs at the 'dog lot' after they arrive in Nome. 

This trip will commence on March 1, 2012, when I leave for Anchorage at 9:40 a.m. from O'Hare International Airport in Chicago; fly to Nome from Anchorage on March 10th, then leave Nome for Anchorage on March 16, and later that evening fly to Chicago.

This year, Kim will be joining me in Nome, along with a nurse from Anchorage, Amy.  I believe this will be Amy's first trip to Nome.  Let me show her the way!  I am excited about Nome because we will be staying at the Nugget Inn for our first three nights and with a Native family for our last four nights.  Our host has experienced many Iditarods and he believe we will see at least the first 20 mushers arrive under the Burled Arch before we must leave.  We are excited to meet him and his family.  His name is Uly.

Also, when I first began this blog, I intended to publish it into a book for our new grandson, Lucas.  Lucas is now 16 months old and now has a new baby sister, Isla, who is 2-1/2 months old.  Yes, things have changed but I am even more excited this year than last, because, now, I know what to expect.

My 'to-do' list includes the purchase of hand- and boot-warmers, memory cards for the camera, and fresh veggies for the trip to Nome.  This blog will continue to include wonderful photographs and details of my experience as a volunteer for the Iditarod.  One thing that has made this year's trip so exciting is that I am now Facebook Friends with three veteran mushers, Jeff King, Dee Dee Jonrowe and Aly Kirkle as well as former Iditarod musher, Shawn Sidelinger.  They are are seasoned mushers and wonderfully generous with photos and posts of their 2012 training runs and races, and their exhuberane and love of the gorgeous dogs as they ready for the big race.  Their excitement is definitely contagious. 

So.......let's get on with it!

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