Friday The 13TH

Happy Friday The 13TH. (cue dramatic music...duh, duh, duhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.) Most people seem to be a little intimidated by this day. They seem to think it brings bad luck and chaos. Personally, we seem to have the best luck on Friday the 13th (duh, duh, duhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.) I think you find your luck where you look for it. Kind of a cup half full versus cup half empty sort of thing. The Iditarod is cruising along at a steady pace. Lance Mackey is currently in first place. The closest musher was about three hours behind him. So far, three mushers have dropped out. This is a tough race, and a dangerous one. One of the scratchers, Bjornar Andersen from Norway, was seriously injured in a bad accident in the Buffalo Tunnels. They suspect internal injuries. They are only a little over half way through the race. If interested, you can check out the official Iditarod website. There is a link on the right side of this page.

I hope you all enjoy your lovely Friday the 13Th (duh, duh, duhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh) and make the most of it. Buy a lottery ticket. You never know...

The Iditarod... And The Cats

The official restart of the "Last Great Race On Earth" 2009 will take place at 2 pm today at Willow. I won't be there, but I send my best wishes to the mushers and dogs taking part. They have a long trek ahead of them. You will be able to track your favorite mushers on the Iditarod website after that time.

I think that the fight between me and the cats is at a standstill. I am determined that they will stick to their new diet (1 dixie cup each of dry food each a day), and they are determined to make my life miserable until I give in and feed the little porkers. Each morning, around 5 am, they start their little game. They take turns trying to coax me out of bed and down to the feeding bowels. One at a time, they walk up my back with their pokey cat feet. Then Tink stands on my head to look out my bedroom window. (Seriously, there are a dozen windows in this house, does this one really have the best view?) Then they sit beside me and tell me it's time to get up. Sometimes Tink does her shark routine, where she climbs up under the covers from the foot of the bed, and sneaks up on me. If I ignore them (which I try my best to do), they start to argue amongst themselves. Ashley has a nervous habit. When she gets irritated, she starts twitching her tail. She can't help it. Tink, in turn, can't resist anything that moves. Do you see where this is going? Tink resist for about 30 seconds, and then she pounces on Ashley's tail. Now I have two cats fighting on the bed. Ugh! They win. But only to a point. I dump their little dixie cup of food in each bowel, and they can't decide whether to dig in or look at me in disgust. The diet continues.

The 2009 Iditarod Has Begun!

It's official...the 2009 Iditarod has begun. This is the Ceremonial start to the race, and runs from Anchorage to Eagle River. Then they will do a restart in Willow and head to Nome. Originally, the race did start in Anchorage and go all the way to Nome, but due to weather and population changes over the years, they had to make some adjustments to the race. This all started out as way to get mail and supplies to remote areas of Alaska. Then in 1925, it became part of history when sled dogs were used to carry Diphtheria serum to Nome and saved countless lives. Now the race is a way to commemorate those events in Alaskan history. If you'd like to read more about the race and follow the sleds on an interactive map, then check out the official website. Yes, you can even order a hat and t-shirt!

http://www.iditarod.com/

We couldn't have asked for a better day to start the race. The sun is shining and the skies are blue. It is a tad cold outside (It's 22 degrees with a wind chill of 15), but nothing unbearable. This is one of those days where all the activity is downtown. Crowds line 4th Avenue in anticipation, waiting to get a glimpse of their favorite musher. The south has Nascar, we have the Iditarod. Some people prefer to watch from the parking garage. You are a little farther away from the action, but it does provide a great view. One by one, the teams line up to start. The announcers give the mushers name, as well as a little background information about them like where they live and how long they have been training. Then they are given the clear, and they head out. The crowds go wild, cheering and clapping.

Because this is a short leg of the long journey to Nome, the race officials take advantage of it to raise money to help pay for the race expenses. They have an auction prior to the Iditarod, and people can bid on a chance to ride on a sled from Anchorage to Eagle River. Each year, sponsors purchase rides and donate them to charities such as the Make A Wish Foundation. There are other auctions, too, so be sure to check them out when you visit their official site.

After the excitement of watching the mushers depart, we headed home to enjoy a nice HOT lunch. (And a big cup of coffee for me!) Happy Iditarod.

The Iditarod

The Iditarod Is Coming

Here are some pictures to get you psyched up for the Iditarod next month. It will be our last one here, so we plan to go and enjoy it once again. Well, I will go and enjoy it. I will drag the kids down there while they say things like "It's COLD." "Mom, they're just a bunch of dogs." and "Didn't we do this last year?" Sometimes you have to cram the culture down these kids throats in the winter. They are like black bear. They like to hibernate.

Some people from the lower 48 don't really get the Iditarod. They see it as a form of animal abuse. If you ever get a chance to see it in person, do so. The dogs all look like kids on Christmas morning. They can't wait to get going, and look like they are grinning when they finally get their turn to start.

There are lots of great characters to meet when you are watching the race, too. Lots of them get into traditional fur trader garb.

I LOVE this outfit. Can't you just see me wearing this the next time we hit the town. This nice fellow is sporting some serious style! I have to get a pair of these boots, if nothing else!

Can you imagine what the cats would do if I walked in wearing this hat?

I hope you are enjoying your lovely winter day. Any day that a volcano doesn't erupt is a good day.

Iditarod on the Discovery Channel

Here is a chance to check out more of Alaska on the Discovery Channel. On October 14, they will start a new series called "Iditarod: Toughest Race On Earth." Last year, during the race, they attached little cameras on some of the sleds. One camera was facing the musher, and the other was facing the dogs. Check it out. The real race takes place in early March. I plan on being down there again and taking lots of pictures. :0)