Willow-Tug 300, camera 1 shots

Let's go, let's go, let's go!!!!

And they're off....

Karin waits patiently for her turn to start.

Check out that vertical leap of the rear dog!

See the snow machine? This is the sled DeeDee sorta tackled to stop a wannabe runaway team. Mike Jonrowe brought up the snow machine to tie off the sled since no way they were going to be able to back up those dogs to tie them off to the truck again.

Mike Jonrowe on his trusty snow machine.

Bud Smythe, with what served as the start flag, checking things out to make sure everyone/thing is okay.

DeeDee watching the action elsewhere.

Had to laugh cos I spent the longest time looking for DeeDee in her now trademark pink, only to discover she wasn't in pink today since she wasn't racing.

This shot doesn't show the dogs, but it's one of the wannabe runaway sleds that made it further out on the lake than the Jonrowe team did. Still not sure who it was, but maybe someone can enlighten me?

The problem for the musher in the photo above is that his team was beyond hyped and it took lots of folks to keep them in place while several other teams passed. The front team is passing.

Fuzzy focas, but a view of the dogs crossing toward where they'll turn right to head off the lake.

Bill Cotter

Martin Buser wasn't racing, but was handling for a couple of his handlers today and would be heading out on the trail to provide support and share his expertise with all the teams on the trail. More than a dozen of the teams that started today are using it as a race to qualify for the Iditarod. Not necessarily rookie mushers, but not many would turn down a chance to hear Martin's words of wisdom, I'm sure.

Martin hanging out with Magnus' leaders.

I just love the expression on DeeDee's face, made all the more emphatic by her sign language. Ha

Baby, we were born to run....

Donna, was this you shooting pix? Couldn't tell from where I was.

Just to make my day even more lovely, Denali was out as I headed home.

Willow-Tug 300, camera 2 shots

The temp on the lake, courtesy of the thermometer on Eric Rogers sit-down sled, which I was trying out. I mean, someone had to hold the sled down right, nevermind there weren't any dogs hooked up at that point.
A pretty day at Willow Lake

I have no clue what Karin Hendrickson is so happy about, but she sure doesn't looked stressed. Ha

Kevin Neher preps

I think it's a safe bet to say that Anjanette Steer plans on camping out awhile.

Ray Redington

Bud Smythe explaining "how it's all supposed to work" to Eric Rogers pre-race. He was making a point to speak to all the mushers on the lake and I lucked out and timed it right to get to hear his comments.

Eric Rogers, front, getting his sled ready with the help of rookie handler, Pat Schue. You go, Pat!

Lance is in Wyoming, but Braxton was there with a Mackey team.

The view from (almost on) Karin's sled as the team is being hooked up.

Took a whole series of these dogs getting hyped to run.

I remain pretty clueless as to who was who cos I wasn't taking notes, but this was the first team out, Alexander Beebee-Guidice. I was very impressed with the handler nearest the front of the team cos they were doing a darn good job of keeping up with the team....which they needed to unhook a lead from.

No clue who this is, maybe Kevin Neher, but the teams started from their parked trucks, sorta went down the lake a bit, then had to "gee" and head out across the lake to get to the trails.

Mushing is obviously a very serious business.

Find that spot of blue/purple about waist high from the front guy on the right. That's DeeDee, who'd just "tackled" a runaway sled to keep the dogs from heading to Skwentna without their musher. Happened in the blink of an eye, but her reactions was instantaneous. You rock, DD.

Check out that dogs leaping ability!

This was probably my fav pix of the day, Martin, who was only handling, loving on his dogs as they waited to head out with Magnus Kaltenborn.

DeeDee, front, in blue

Willow-Tug 300 Vet Check, a few photos

All photos courtesy of Pat Schue

So, gee, what was your first hint that these might have been taken at a dog event?

Eric Rogers, who'll be running a puppy team for Dallas Seavey

Seavey dogs

They start mushers young here in Alaska....

Eric at the vet check

Vet checking over the dogs.

Lois Harter: A Celebration of Life

I attended the Celebration of Life service yesterday for Lois Harter. Lois was not only my friend, but one who changed my life in ways I doubt she ever recognized. I took a few shots in an around the service, but first a few of my favorite memories of Lois as revealed by my photo stash.

Lois with not only Susan Butcher, but Zuma, who Lois brought to life as the Iditarod's Canine Reporter on the organization's website. This was taken after one of the winter teacher conference sessions.

Lois was also one of the forces behind the Iditarod's Teacher on the Trail program. She's shown here at one of their early summer workshops for teachers, with DeeDee Jonrowe, who was one of the speakers that year. DeeDee was filling out her paperwork for her entry in the next years race at the next day's musher sign-up.

I only realized how few photos I have of me with Lois when I started looking for them. I'm not even sure who took this one, but it's from an Iditarod Summer Picnic. Lois had just drafted me to enter musher names into the computer in front of me (that's me with my arms up, adjusting my hat) as they fulfilled notary needs. This might have been '04 as we all appear to be mostly dressed for warm weather and it was very warm that year!

I rode to the Celebration of Life for Lois with another longtime friend of hers, Barb Redington, who was there both as a friend and to represent the Redington Family. Barb is shown left, taking a photo of the old cache that stands outside the VFW in Eagle River that once served as Checkpoint #1 for the Iditarod. The sign, right, commemorates this fact.

Another Iditarod connected piece of scenery, a historic trails sign outside the VFW Building.

Somehow, as we entered, it seemed very appropriate to turn and see a dog truck pulling into the parking lot for the service. Eric Rogers, pulling in.

Lois loved wolves and I couldn't help but think she was smiling as I noticed the wolf standing guard above the stage the service was conducted from.

Peg Stout, aka DeeDee's mom, spoke about Lois' dedication to and efforts on behalf of the Iditarod's teacher program.

Flowers were laid in honor of Lois.

Part of the display.

One of the things mentioned in Lois' obituary was her role in helping create the saying "Alaska: Where Men Are Men and Women Win the Iditarod," so it seemed a must to catch a photo of the t-shirt Barb Redington chose to wear to the service. We all miss you, Lois.

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