elenamarie Posted March 3, 2012 Report Share Posted March 3, 2012 Alas, I can't get the "insider" access to the site but there's a lot for those of us who can't shell out the money. Go here for the Iditarod! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sutsibe Posted March 3, 2012 Report Share Posted March 3, 2012 Love checking in and seeing how the race is going! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIOTcore Posted March 3, 2012 Report Share Posted March 3, 2012 thats not fair have to sign up to veiw the race, idk what time it would be over here though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elenamarie Posted March 3, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2012 Wow, HUGE change in the trail. From article: For this year's Iditarod, organizers have cut out a notoriously steep and dangerous section called the Happy River Steps, a series of switchbacks, and rerouted the trail to a nearby winter road created by a mineral exploration company. The change has elicited some grumbles that it eliminates some of the historical romance and adventure of the race. Others praise the move, including Willow musher DeeDee Jonrowe, an Iditarod veteran with 14 top-10 finishes, twice as runner-up. Jonrowe, 58, dislocated her shoulder there last year, she said, and Rick Swenson, the Iditarod's only five-time winner, broke his collar bone in the same race. Despite their injuries, both completed the race. For Jonrowe, the rerouting was a good call. "I really think that is what this race is all about. That is the highest standard of dog care," she said. "When it was the only way down, they did what they could to make it as safe as possible and we all had our hearts in our throats and went that way." Organizers are now saying the northern Iditarod route taken on even years is actually 975 miles, not as long as the 1,150 miles quoted in the past, although some mushers believe the new estimate is too low and that the race is at least 1,000 miles. There are various reasons for the mileage tweak, organizers said, including the move of the competitive start north from Wasilla to Willow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elenamarie Posted March 3, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2012 Love checking in and seeing how the race is going! Are you a subscriber to the site? I'm finding a lot of stuff isn't accessible without a paying subscription. Oh well, I'm searching for a local AK station that live streams so maybe I'll get some of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elenamarie Posted March 3, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2012 This site has Iditarod coverage, it's a local AK station. Live streaing Anchorage start! Don't know if they'll stream the restart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elenamarie Posted March 3, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2012 Iditarod vets are requiring Bordatella and Leptospirosis vacs this year. Odd, I'd have thought the dogs would have those anyway. I've given them to Sarah since she was little. PS--lots of good vid of Lance Mackey at that link above. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elenamarie Posted March 3, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2012 Another site. Iditablog.com TOTAL BUMMER! From the blog: "Zoya Denure was the second musher to encounter a moose in the week before hitting the start line today. Last night Denure asked for prayers on facebook after her team became tangled up with a moose on a popular dog sledding trail in the middle of Anchorage. Her dog Demon made his way to Iditarod vets, who didn’t count him out of the race quite yet. Instead they prescribed hot and cold compresses throughout the night, which occurred while Denure’s husband stitched up her sled bag also wrecked from the moose encounter. In a midnight facebook post Denure announced that she’d be at the start line this morning, though it was unclear whether Demon would be there as well. Karen Ramstead, the Alberta musher known for racing her all-Siberian team dealt with a moose attack the week prior, causing her to leave sled dog Irving behind with a torn muscle. Regardless of moose catastrophes, both these women will be on the trail again starting this weekend. Best of luck you both, Zoya and Karen! UPDATE: Denure is running Demon in the ceremonial start this morning and will determine whether he’ll be up for the real start tomorrow." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MollynDiesel Posted March 3, 2012 Report Share Posted March 3, 2012 Wow, HUGE change in the trail. Think that was a good call really. Although it was a historic part of the race it was pretty dangerous. Still an epic race though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Removed #1 Posted March 3, 2012 Report Share Posted March 3, 2012 I can't ever seem to root for the Alaska guys and gals, hoping Ed Stielstra does okay this year. Not because I've followed him for ages or anything, but because he's a yooper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elenamarie Posted March 3, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2012 Think that was a good call really. Although it was a historic part of the race it was pretty dangerous. Still an epic race though Given that I haven't run it I can't really judge. I remember Gary Paulsen's description of it and it certainly sounded like something else! I kinda hate that it's gone in way, but then again the Steps certainly have taken out a lot of mushers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elenamarie Posted March 3, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2012 I can't ever seem to root for the Alaska guys and gals, hoping Ed Stielstra does okay this year. Not because I've followed him for ages or anything, but because he's a yooper Rooting for Lance, just because I can relate to a lot of his story. Besides, that sneaking out trick in 2008 stole my heart! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MollynDiesel Posted March 3, 2012 Report Share Posted March 3, 2012 Given that I haven't run it I can't really judge. I remember Gary Paulsen's description of it and it certainly sounded like something else! I kinda hate that it's gone in way, but then again the Steps certainly have taken out a lot of mushers. No i havent run it either but ive seen it on the Iditarod dvd i have. Was defo a scary moment watching it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elenamarie Posted March 3, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2012 Iditablog facebook page. They have podcasts too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elenamarie Posted March 3, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2012 No i havent run it either but ive seen it on the Iditarod dvd i have. Was defo a scary moment watching it Paulsen's description was, well, it was vivid. He wrote that in his first Iditarod he did the Steps on his belly hanging off the sled. His lead dog Cookie decided the best way down was off the trail. I have that DVD too and it yeah, it looks like a real challenge. Like Buser said, if your dogs don't know how to go slow you are SCREWED! That was Paulsen's problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elenamarie Posted March 3, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2012 Oh, just read that Irving is going on the trail in wheel dog position. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elenamarie Posted March 3, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2012 Another blog, looks like a good source of information. KNOM on the Trail Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sutsibe Posted March 4, 2012 Report Share Posted March 4, 2012 Are you a subscriber to the site? I'm finding a lot of stuff isn't accessible without a paying subscription. Oh well, I'm searching for a local AK station that live streams so maybe I'll get some of it. No, I can't really afford it at the moment, and besides, I connect to the Internet with a cellular modem, and can only use a certain amount of bandwidth per month - streaming video eats it up very, very quickly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elenamarie Posted March 4, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2012 No, I can't really afford it at the moment, and besides, I connect to the Internet with a cellular modem, and can only use a certain amount of bandwidth per month - streaming video eats it up very, very quickly! Oh wow, I'd break the bank using a cell modum. I'm still trying to justify the $$$ to subscribe to the site but if I can't, I think the blog and the local news outlets will do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elenamarie Posted March 4, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2012 Karen Ramstead's team of registered Sibes leaving the chutes for the ceremonial start yesterday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elenamarie Posted March 4, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2012 GizMaiz&Diesel Turns out the Steps are back in the race. I think? The race committee decided to return the Steps after the ceremonial start according to Iditarod.com. They’re Back – Happy River Steps! The Iditarod Trail Committee (ITC) announced after the Anchorage Ceremonial Start that it will route mushers down the Happy River Steps during this year’s race. In early February, ITC made the decision to use a winter trail established last year that circumvented the Steps that added a little over a mile to the distance between Finger Lake and Rainy Pass. “While teams were still leaving 4th Avenue today, we heard from our trailbreakers that the winter trail was no longer the better option based upon the amount of snow and wind in that particular section of trail over the last day,†said Mark Nordman, Race Director. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elenamarie Posted March 4, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2012 Listening to the latest podcast on iditablog.com, and they're saying that there's no snow at all in the Burn at this time, but who knows what it'll be like when they get there. A short interview with Ken Anderson as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elenamarie Posted March 4, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2012 Saw this pic and had to smile. A big branch versus a moose? Not even Lance Mackey can make that work. This was during the ceremonial start in 2009. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MollynDiesel Posted March 4, 2012 Report Share Posted March 4, 2012 GizMaiz&Diesel Turns out the Steps are back in the race. I think? The race committee decided to return the Steps after the ceremonial start according to Iditarod.com. They’re Back – Happy River Steps! The Iditarod Trail Committee (ITC) announced after the Anchorage Ceremonial Start that it will route mushers down the Happy River Steps during this year’s race. In early February, ITC made the decision to use a winter trail established last year that circumvented the Steps that added a little over a mile to the distance between Finger Lake and Rainy Pass. “While teams were still leaving 4th Avenue today, we heard from our trailbreakers that the winter trail was no longer the better option based upon the amount of snow and wind in that particular section of trail over the last day,†said Mark Nordman, Race Director. Oh, awesome! lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sutsibe Posted March 4, 2012 Report Share Posted March 4, 2012 Saw this pic and had to smile. A big branch versus a moose? Not even Lance Mackey can make that work. This was during the ceremonial start in 2009. [ATTACH=full]41019[/ATTACH] I suspect that there are times when attitude and making yourself *seem* as scary as can be are more important than what "weapon" you actually have... A month or so ago, there was a story about an elderly couple (something like around 80 years old, if I recall correctly) where he was attacked by a moose while calling their dog back to their vehicle. She beat the moose off of him with a shovel! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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