by
Jim Keller
March 14 2008 17:44
Nome, the little Bering Sea coast village, and the finish of the Iditarod trail taught me many lessons.
We returned home today at 9 a.m. CST, without a bed for 24 hours, and I'm still in awe from what we experienced.
The Iditarod is not over. Mushers are still on the trail, and they will
hold their banquet on Sunday, March 16, 2008. A total of 96 mushers and
their dog teams started out in Anchorage 12 days ago with a goal to try
to reach Nome. Most are not trying to win, just finish. This is a
fascinating and spiritual sport.
While driving to the office, I realized that Alaska, the Iditarod, and
Nome are special. I didn't hear or worry about the federal deficit, the
financial institutions losses, the stock market wall of worry, or all
the Washington spin.
Nome is a fairly happy little community with mushing on the
residents' minds. What a novel and noble strategic plan. A place with
no trees, permanent frost, and a few roads that lead nowhere. The
village plumber has a pet reindeer that rides in the back of his pickup.
Nome has certain therapeutic values that can teach us all some lessons.
The 36th Iditarod is coming to a close but will not be forgotten. We
documented the race with hundreds of photos and videos. We will be
publishing a J. J. Keller 2008 Iditarod Extreme Report and a DVD that
includes exclusive trail footage. Please stay tuned to this website for
updates.
P. S. The work is just beginning...
by
Jim Keller
March 12 2008 17:43
Thousands
of fans braved below zero temperatures and crowded the front street to
see Lance Mackey arrive at 2:45 a.m. on Wednesday, March 12,
2008. Lance was not to be denied and won back-to-back Iditarod
races. He has also won four consecutive Yukon Quests to make him the
modern-day iron man of mushing.
Four-time Iditarod
champion Jeff King came in an hour and a half later for second
place. Many thought he would catch Lance, with his stronger 16-dog
team, but it was not meant to be. Mackey is nearly impossible to run
down.
We were busy filming
the next four finishers and in the process got plenty of fresh air ...
and even a little frostbite on anything exposed.
Mitch Seavey came in around noon for 7th
place. I immediately called Jean Bilitz, J.J. Keller communications
manager, and she emailed a formal press release. Mitch had a good race
and is looking forward to the All Alaskan Sweepstakes in a few weeks, a
400-mile race from Nome to Candle and back. This race is held every 25
years, and the prize is $100,000 - winner takes all. He said once he
got a little sleep, he would have all kinds of stories. He did mention
he had to backtrack and drop off one of his leaders, and this cost
him three valuable hours.
Mitch presented me with the 100 certificates that we
gave him in Anchorage. These will be given to select J. J. Keller
Associates.
Dallas arrived at
midnight by snowmachine and joined the team. He also has a lot of
stories that will be told shortly. We were all happy to see him. He
said he really missed running the Iditarod this year and will be back.
Our Internet
connection is very slow in Nome, so Brian will be uploading the photos
and videos tomorrow when we arrive in Anchorage.
We are happy to be able to bring the finish of this famous race to the lower 48 states!
by
Jim Keller
March 11 2008 17:42
Lance
Mackey and Jeff King have left White Mountain after taking their final
8-hour rest. They are less than 77 miles from Nome and are 1 hour
apart. If they come in within 1 hour, 4 minutes apart from one
another, it will be one of the top 10 closest finishes in history.
It
appears that Jeff King has the stronger team, but he has not been able
to catch the 2007 champion. Jeff needs to make up more than 1 hour in
the final 77 miles to capture his fifth title. Lance will not be easy
to catch and wants his second title. He also won the Yukon Quest this
year, his fourth straight, and winning the Iditarod again would be
unprecedented.
Mitch is
in a group with 8 other mushers who will be trying to place as high up
in the top 10 as possible. The higher the finish, the higher the payout
will be.
We plan
to be in our stations at the finish line about 2:00 a.m., an hour or
two before the winner arrives. This assures us that we will have our
good locations. We will stay and capture the top 5 finishers, including
Mitch. It will be below zero, so we will need all our heavy gear and a
great attitude!
A
snowmachine, going 40 mph, ran over an Iditarod team on the trail,
killing one dog and seriously injuring another. The musher said she
could have been killed as well. Another small plane from the Iditarod
Air Force crashed today, seriously injuring 3 people.
We tried to track down the reindeer in
the pickup earlier today but were not successful. We will keep trying
and hopefully will film this awesome sight – only in Nome.
I will
call the J. J. Keller office when the winner arrives and when Mitch is
finished. The website will be updated ASAP, and we will issue an
immediate K-line report for J. J. Keller associates.
by
Jim Keller
March 10 2008 17:41
We
arrived in Nome on Monday at 1:30 p.m. AK time. The flight was good,
and the temperature was zero with sunny skies. Nome has been very cold
with a lot of snow this winter, and everyone is looking forward to the
race finish ... and eventually spring!
We walked around town, took some photos and videos, and talked shop
with other race fans and some media we met last year. Several people
mentioned that they do business with J. J. Keller and were
complimentary. J. J. Keller is everywhere!
We located and bargained the use of a very nice balcony at the finish
line, which we will use to get photos and videos when the mushers come
in late Tuesday or early Wednesday. We will have a digital camera and
a video recorder in the balcony and on the ground.
Dallas was reported to be with Mitch on the trail, so we await his
arrival in Nome. I believe he is using his third snowmachine.
Mitch is in the top 10 and hopefully will close the gap in the final 120 miles.
We met a National Geographic photographer, and he said his plane went
down along the trail and that he was fortunate to be alive. He said the
Discovery Channel helicopter also crashed. Other planes were reported
down. Imagine the cost of their footage. I guess the best form of
transportation is still dog sleds.
We learned that natives take the Iditarod trail markers to mark their
local trails. This confuses the mushers, is responsible for mushers
getting lost, and costs a lot of time. The trail marker colors are
changed to try to help the mushers. Who ever said it was easy?
Where else can you see a full-sized reindeer riding in the back of a pickup?
Stay tuned ... we are very close to finding out the results from the 2008 Iditarod.
by
Jim Keller
March 10 2008 17:37
It
is 11:00 a.m. Central time and still pitch black in Alaska. It will
start to get light in an hour, and we will be on the plane to Nome in a
few hours.
We had an interesting flight to Anchorage. Green Bay Packers Aaron
Rodgers and Ruvell Martin were sitting directly behind and ahead of us.
They were heading to Fairbanks for a military base event. I had a nice
conversation with them and planted a few seeds for the future!
Mackey
and King are in the lead with only 160 miles to Nome. There are10 other
mushers within striking distance. All the mushers must stop for eight
hours at White Mountain before heading to Nome.
The winner will arrive late Tuesday or early Wednesday.
Mitch is in 6th place with a team of nine little diesel engines powering his sled. He is 23 miles behind the leader.
There are 11 mushers out of the race and 85 still trying to finish. In 2007, there were only 82 mushers who started.
As
soon as we arrive in Nome and get settled, we will have an update. The
temperature in Nome is below zero, so that is no surprise! Stay tuned…
by
Jim Keller
March 09 2008 17:36
The J. J. Keller team is in Minneapolis on the first leg of our trip to Nome, Alaska to bring you the finish of the 36th Iditarod.
Rosanne
spoke with Dallas’ mother Janine last night. Team member Dallas is
stranded near Ruby with engine trouble on his second snowmachine –
parts are on the way. Hopefully he stays safe and will make it to Nome
before Mitch does. He should have some interesting footage if the gear
makes it.
Mitch is with the leaders and is currently in 8th
place with 10 dogs. He is prepared for a faster pace during the final
300 miles. In the 2004 race, which he won, he didn’t take the lead
until the 900 mile marker. Go Mitch!!
We will
try to get some “cultural footage” along with race footage while in
Nome. We are staying with Leo Rasmussen, an Iditarod Hall of Famer, who
knows the history of the race and was the previous mayor of
Nome. Hopefully he can steer us in the right direction.
In a few
days, probably Tuesday, the first Musher will stand under the famed
burled arch (finish line) as the 2008 Iditarod Champion.
We are
excited to be able to bring you the finish again from Nome. Please stay
tuned to this website and look for updated blogs, new photos, and
videos.
by
Jim Keller
March 07 2008 17:35
Mitch
has completed his mandatory 24-hour layover and is in full race mode.
Currently in 7th place, he has the fastest times between the last three
checkpoints, which is a good sign. Mitch left Cripple (mile 503) and is
now en route to Ruby (mile 615) on the northern route, which is a
112-mile run.
Lance Mackey, last year’s champion, is currently in the lead. However,
he is concerned about the strength of his team and is running out of
leaders.
Thus far the weather has not been a major factor, so the best team of athletes in the last 300 miles will probably win.
Now that the leaders have completed their 24-hour layovers, the race is
on. Each musher must still take a mandatory 8-hour layover and will be
required to hold for 8 hours in White Mountain, which is 77 miles from
the finish line in Nome.
Six mushers have scratched and one has withdrawn to date.
Stay tuned for a great finish.
by
Jim Keller
March 06 2008 17:34
Mitch
was the first Musher into Ophir and decided to take his mandatory
24-hour layover. He should start on the trail again at 1:00 p.m. CST
today.
Mitch posted the fastest times between the last two checkpoints, which
is a very good sign of a strong team. Other mushers have since passed
him, but that won't last long. They will need to take their 24-hour
layovers soon.
444 miles are history with 668 miles to go before he gets to Nome.
Mitch said in an interview in Ophir that when he won in 2004, he didn't
have the lead until mile marker 900 at Unalakleet. His team looked
great, and he was in a good mood after arriving in Ophir in the lead.
The weather is in the 25-35 degree range and just the opposite of last year when it was 25-35 degrees below zero.
Five mushers have scratched to date, for various reasons, and I'm sure there will be more.
I have not heard from Dallas, who is on a snowmachine. I trust he is ok
and that he is taking a lot of video footage at the checkpoints.
There is a lot of racing left, so please stay tuned to the race and this website.
by
Jim Keller
March 05 2008 17:32
Mitch
states he is within his game plan and not in full race mode to date.
It's not wise to burn your team out too early in this marathon race.
Three mushers have scratched, some thrown from their sleds, and others
are wondering how to get through the monstrous walls of snow in the
mountains. Dallas said there were 15 feet of snow in some areas. There
was one report where a smowmachine was buried. A musher passed by, put
his hook on the machine, and the team pulled it out in an instant. Dog
power rules in the Artic!
I have not heard from Dallas, so I hope he is not on one of the buried snowmachines!
Mitch is at mile marker 412 and heading to Takotna. The 4 current
leaders ( Backen, Mackey, Burmeister, King) are resting in Takotna,
which is mile marker 419.
Mitch had the fastest time from Nikolai to McGrath, so he has a strong team.
The weather is still warm at 25-35 degrees. Mitch is mushing without his parka, using only his vest and a long-sleeved shirt.
The race is just getting started, and I'm sure the weather will be a factor before it is over.
When I hear from Dallas on the trail, I will issue a special real-time report, so stay tuned.
by
Jim Keller
March 04 2008 17:32
After
28 hours without a bed, the J. J. Keller team returned home yesterday
at 1:00 p.m. CST. The first leg of our Iditarod trip was great, and we
are leaving again on Sunday, March 9 for Nome.
Day three of the Iditarod is shaping up to be a real dogfight!
Mitch
is at mile marker 185 and the leader is at 203. There are 10 mushers
who will probably be trading places during the next 24 hours.
Temperatures
are almost 100 degrees different than last year. When Dallas went
through the mountains in 2007, it was 60 below. Right now it is 35
degrees. I have a feeling the warm temperatures won't last long!
Eighteen mushers
have GPS trackers on their sleds this year. This is a trial, and so far
it seems to be working. You can be fooled because many of the
contenders aren't being tracked, and there will be some surprises.
These units do not help the musher navigate; they only track his sled.
The viewers have more current information than the mushers.
The
Seavey's have two puppy teams in this race, run by two Belgians (the
first Belgians to enter the Iditarod) who were trained by the Seavey's.
Sam Deitour, #63, is in 87th place, and Dries Jacobs, #65, is in 93rd.
Stay tuned to this website.
|
|
