I had the opportunity to get to be front and center at the staging and starting line for the
Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race ceremonial start in Anchorage. I bundled up in about every piece of clothing I own and spent the whole morning hanging out with the mushers, their handlers, race volunteers and of course, the true athletes, the dogs!
I was able to be a part of the whole mushing process, visiting with the teams as they unloaded and hitched up their dogs to their lines, entered the shoot and made their way to the official starting line. The air rang with the yelping and excited barks of anxious dogs ready to start their 1,000 mile plus journey to Nome.
The
Iditarod Trail had its beginnings as a mail and supply route from the coastal towns of Seward and
Knik to the interior mining camps at Flat,
Ophir, Ruby and beyond to the west coast communities of
Unalakleet,
Elim,
Golovin, White Mountain and Nome. Mail and supplies went in. Gold came out. All via dog sled. Heroes were made, legends were born.
In 1925, part of the
Iditarod Trail became a life saving highway for epidemic-stricken Nome. Diphtheria threatened and serum had to be brought in; again by intrepid dog mushers and their faithful hard-driving dogs. The
Iditarod is a commemoration of those yesterdays, a not-so-distant past that Alaskans honor and are proud of.
A race over 1150 miles of the roughest, most beautiful terrain Mother Nature has to offer. She throws jagged mountain ranges, frozen river, dense forest, desolate tundra and miles of windswept coast at the mushers and their dog teams. Add to that temperatures far below zero, winds that can cause a complete loss of visibility, the hazards of overflow, long hours of darkness and treacherous climbs and side hills, and you have the Iditarod. From Anchorage, in south central Alaska, to Nome on the western Bering Sea coast, each team of 12 to 16 dogs and their musher cover over 1150miles in 10 to 17 days.
Mushers enter from all walks of life. Fishermen, lawyers, doctors, miners, artists, natives, Canadians, Swiss, French and others; men and women each with their own story, each with their own reasons for going the distance. It’s a race organized and run primarily by volunteers, thousands of volunteers, men and women, students and village residents.
It was so great to spend the day among the faces of the Last Great Race. As a child, I watched some of these same mushers mount their sleds at the Anchorage starting line and here I was walking among legends like Dee Dee Jonroe and Rick Swenson loving on their dogs and cheering them on as they set out for yet another race to Nome. I was able to hang out with Rick Swenson's team (who sported my favorite fashions, hot pink and black, just like me!)even having the chance to visit with Senator Lisa Murkowski who had stopped in to wish them luck. This year's race could bring forth new Iditarod history as Rick Swenson races for his 6th win and Lance Mackey fights for a 5th consecutive win!
Every year the race sees new rookies making their first trip to Nome. I got a chance to develop two new rookie favorites, the "Mushing Mortician," Scott Janssen (a local funeral home owner) and 19 year old, Cain Carter, step-son of the famous, Lance Mackey. I was able to hang out with both of these new teams, help them get harnessed and hooked up to the sleds and ready for the start. I enjoyed loving on my new furry friend, Joe, one of Cain Carter's dogs.
With the potential for history in the making, I'll be following the race this year, as always, but with a little extra interest as I feel a little more personal investment in some of the teams I spent time with. It certainly was a different look at the race start than I've ever experienced before. I'm excited to cheer them on as they make their way to Nome, some for the first time.
I was thrilled that my good friend (and Mrs. AK successor) Renee Scott was MCing the pageant. It was so special to have someone who'd walked this incredible journey with me for two years now be there to share and celebrate my final house as Mrs. Alaska. She got to introduce me for my final farewell video and help my hand tenderly through the whole thing, commenting on some of our shared memories and the sweet photos as they played across the screen. 
As always, the competition went so quickly that before I knew it, it was almost over. The ladies all did such an amazing job showcasing their platforms and answering questions about themselves on stage. They all looked spectacular in their swimsuits and so elegant in the evening gown portion. After a brief intermission, my video played, I took my final walk (Lem brought flowers up to me on stage with a hug and a kiss) and it was time for awards and crowning the new Mrs. Alaska. Our new titleholder, Brandy Wendler, has such a knowledge and passion for her platform (Celiac Disease) and I know that she will have an amazing year. She's a fellow woman of God and I'm excited to walk with her through this year as she seeks to put God first and bring Him glory in all things. I'm thrilled to be passing on the crown to someone who knows her beauty (inside and out) is designed by our Creator and her year, like mine, is sure to be guided by that truth. I couldn't have asked (or prayed!) for a better successor. I wish her all the best in her experience as Mrs. Alaska United States 2011 and will certainly be here for whatever support she needs, and if nothing else, as a new friend. 
The skater volunteers did a great job sharing their passion for skating and making sure everyone was having a fun time. The event offered free 10 minute, mini-lessons, skills demonstrations (jumps, spins and spirals) and of course, lots of games including limbo, red light green light and squat. 
I was able to skate and talk with tons of kids and pass out prizes to the participants and, as always, posed for lots of pictures. I also signed autographs and passed out signed photos for those who wanted them.
This past weekend marked the culmination of Special Olympics' winter season. State Games were held all over Anchorage with figure skating taking place Saturday at 
