Backstage Iditarod

Saturday, June 25, 2011

Volunteer/Musher Sign-Up Picnic

Captions will be brief or non-existent for a bit, sorry.

Replica of Rohn cabin.

Candy Gibson

?? and Lilian at the volunteer sign-in table

Lilian, who came to visit from Switzerland, and Candy

Inside the meeting room

Joanne Potts chats with Pat Moon

Ken Anderson doing sign-up paperwork.

Lunch line, where mushers and fans share the line

Peg Stout and daugher DeeDee

Hugh Neff

Karin

Fan and musher spouse Maureen Morgan. I fell in love with her blouse.

Hmm, Jeff King? Yep, Jeff's back. Seen here chatting with head vet Stu Nelson.

Jeff and John Baker share a laugh

John being hooked up to do some announcements.

Aliy

Kevin Neher, who'll be an Idita-2012 rookie.

Ken and John

John was learning the writers cramp may be part and parcel of being champ as he signed endless autographs and was signing bibs here for the ITC's auction.

Jeff King signing up after a one-year absense.

Jeff Schultz chats with musher Jodi Bailey

Jodi

Dallas Seavey, ?, ?, Jeff King

Did you doubt for a moment that I didn't take time for some puppy visiting?

I love reading license plates anyway, some are so funny, but bet you can figure out which family owns the dog truck this one's on.

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Brief "checkpoint" stop at the Millennium Hotel

Iditarod Headquarters in Anchorage during the race, the Millennium Hotel from outside. And, of course, you'll notice the sign for Fancy Moose Lounge, a very popular hang-out for one and all.

One one of the posts inside the Fancy Moose.

June Shelley working in the phone room.

One can never have enough stuffed huskies.

This was as close to dogs as we got today. A plane was due in but hadn't arrived, so we just sat in the Moose and enjoyed the view.

I don't normally get in photos with folks, but figured, hey, these are the parents of one of my favorite mushers, Aliy Zirkle, so why not. It also let me show the haircut. Ha

They did fly in a sled while we were there, albeit in pieces. The people front left have the runners while the rest of it followed.

Pat Schue and GG Goss

Wednesday, March 09, 2011

Iditarod Restart, 2011, Willow, Alaska

All photos here courtesy of Pat Schue. Thanks, Pat!

Pat sent a lot of really nice pix of "backstage restart", but this has to be my favorite. Kinda says it all, doesn't it....and it's on the back of Lance and Newton's truck.

Newton posing with fans.

Inside the Willow Community Center, artist Jon VanZyle signs Pat's poster.

The crowd is gathering near the restart banner on Willow Lake.

Sebastian going through his last sled check before he hits the trail.

Seavey dogs are ready to go!

Hurry up and wait, hurry up and wait, let's get this show on the road. Seavey dogs.

Hmm, I've got to remember this for next year. A lounge chair on a sled that was pulled out onto the lake by a snow machine for an older fan to be able to see the restart. Someone actually brought Col. Vaughan out onto the lake in his wheelchair this way one year.

Dallas Seavey, Yukon Quest 2011 Champion

Catching a few rays before the start.

Bonnie Foster, left, making sure Sab gets himself packed and ready to go on time.

This tag sorta speaks for itself, I'd say.

Bored?

Hey, can you see Russia from here?

Hans Gatt laying out his gang line.

Ed Stielstra tending to last minute details.

Dawson Dolly even sang to the tv guys!

Martin Buser already had on his serious game face.

Lance Mackey....anywhere Lance was, you knew cameras, media and fans couldn't be far behind.

Something tells me Kristy Berington's "bad hair day" hasn't improved since hitting the trail.

Keith trying to get one of those pesky ID tags on one of Sven's dogs. The metal links are hard to get on under the best of circumstances, even worse with cold hands and in a rush.