by
Jim Keller
March 23 2009 11:14
Dallas certainly didn't go unnoticed in 2009. Please watch the Versus TV channel for the 2009 Iditarod and you will see the J. J. Keller logos everywhere on Dallas, Mitch and Jen. They featured the Seavey's due to their rich race history and that 3 Seavey's were in the 2009 race.
Not only did he finish the toughest Iditarod Trail ever in 6th place he won the most Improved Musher Award last night at the closing banquet. Dallas moved up from 41st to 6th place to earn the award. Dallas received $2,000 for the award to go along with his $39,100 for 6th place. Asked what he is going to do with the money he replied "It's already spent". Mushers are not rich people but winnings can be used to improve their kennels and pay the bills.
Jen finished in 43rd place and made the banquet. Official stats are: Mitch Seavey, 4th place, 10 days, 14 hours and 18 minutes and finished with 10 dogs. Dallas Seavey, 6th place, 10 days, 14 hours and 50 minutes and finished with 9 dogs. Jen Seavey, 43rd place, 14 days, 1 hour and 48 minutues and finished with 14 dogs.
There are 47 Musher's into Nome, 5 between White Mountain and Nome and 15 have scratched.
We left Anchorage just in time. Alaska's Mt. Redoubt Volcano erupted Sunday, 3/22/09 at 10:38 pm AK time, sending an ash cloud 50,000 feet above sea level. Some flights were canceled.
Please listen to Appleton's AM 1570 The Score "Living the Outdoors" show, on Wednesday, 3/25/09 from 6-7 pm for a live 2009 Iditarod report. I will be in the studio so please pass the word. I will also have some comments on the 2010 Iditarod. Thanks for following this great race with us!
by
Jim Keller
March 21 2009 06:21
We left Nome, AK yesterday morning, left Anchorage, AK last night and just arrived home in WI at 9:30 am on Saturday, March 21, 2009. I'm getting used to this trip but I must admit it is a bit extreme - 27 hours without a bed.
67 Musher's started on Saturday, March 7, 2009; 38 are in Nome, 17 are still on the trail and 12 have scratched. The 12 feet of snow in the Alaska Range Mountains, the Moose, the Wolves, the 50 mph winds, the -40 to 70 degree temperatues, Musher's crashing and losing their sleds, Musher's falling asleep and losing the trail, Musher's falling asleep and falling off their sleds, frostbite body parts, and many other perils make this the toughest and Last Great Race on Earth!
When Mitch and Dallas came into Nome, I said "you look like you have been in a fight" and Dallas replied "I have been". Being a champion wrestler he knows what a good fight is!
Jen Seavey is currently in 45th with the rookie team. If She arrives before tomorrow evening she will make it for the formal banquet. If not they have another one for everyone that finishes after the banquet. Jen is the 1st Seavey lady to start the race and will be the 1st to finish. Seavey's don't quit and never have excuses. The entire clan are honest, God fearing, hard working people with a purpose. They are winners in many ways not just on the trail.
On behalf of my wife Rosanne, son Brian, his wife to be Meghan and Troy we were also on a mission; to support the 3 Seavey Musher's and bring the Iditarod into your homes, offices and schools with a "behind the scenes" mentality not delivered this way before.
Please continue to check this site for new blogs, photos and videos. Due to the very slow, if any, internet and cell connections in Nome uploading was impossible. We will be producing a 2009 J. J. Keller Iditarod Adventure DVD and Extreme Report. This will further document our work so we can share it with the world. Thanks
by
Jim Keller
March 19 2009 03:53
This is stuff dreams are made of but no one would dream about a scene on March 19, 2009 in Nome, AK at 4:30 am with a temperature of -35.
This scene just took place with Mitch Seavey, the 2004 Iditarod Champion, coming in 4th place and within 1/2 hour son Dallas Seavey, age 22 and the youngest Musher to ever finish the Iditarod, finishing in 6th place. Dallas said " this has not sunk in yet ".
Both J. J. Keller sponsored Musher's were happy for each other but were clear that this was the world championship and they were independent racers.
I checked everywhere and could not find a musher any youger that has finished this high. I also think that this father & son top 10 finish could be a record.
Unofficially Mitch finished in 10 days, 12 hours and 30 minutes and Dallas finished 1/2 hour later.
Dallas delivered the 100 J. J. Keller Official 2009 Extreme Iditarod Certificates that were carried in his sled since Anchorage. Dallas and I will sign these and they will be given to 100 individuals that went to the Extreme for J.J. Keller & Associates !!
We will have the best coverage (despite being dark and -35) of Mitch and Dallas including videos, photos, interviews and commentary. This will be available soon on this site and in the 2009 J. J. Keller Iditarod Adventure DVD.
We will wrap up our coverage in Nome, AK today and will fly out tomorrow.
I will keep you advised of our post-race coverage and plans. Thanks for visiting our site and we hope you have enjoyed our coverage of the 2009 Iditarod.
by
Jim Keller
March 18 2009 12:57
As predicted Lance Mackey, winner of the past 2 Iditarods, crossed under the famous Burled Arch in Nome, AK at 11:50 am AK time today. He spent 9 days, 21 hours and 30 minutes on the trail. This was not a record time but the weather was windy and cold reaching -70 wind chill. Many Musher's had to scratch due to these tough race conditions.
Thousands of race fans and media, braved cold weather at -15, were on hand to see this historic event. Lance is only the 3rd Musher to win 3 in a row and now has won seven 1,000 mile races in the past 5 years. He is certainly worthy of being named along with the greatest Musher's of all time. He was a runner up for an ESPN Espy award the past 2 years. He should win the award this year for best outdoor athlete.
We have some awesome Bering Sea footage and finish line footage and photos. Watch for this in the future on this web site and in our 2009 DVD.
Schnuelle and Baker will come in 2nd and 3rd. These 2 Musher's ran a great race.
Mitch and Dallas Seavey are in White Mountain resting for 8 hours. There will be a great race for 4th thru 9th when they are allowed to leave.
Stay tuned and thanks for visiting our site.
by
Jim Keller
March 14 2009 12:06
Lance is parked at Eagle Island, getting some rest for another run. Lance has the only top team with all 16 dogs. A few hours behind are Neff & M. Seavey - both have taken their 8 hour layovers. Schnuelle and Burmeister need to take their 8's so they aren't really in the #2 & #3 spots as listed on the leaderboard. King is less than an hour from M. Seavey. We have a very good race shaping up for the 2nd half.
Dallas Seavey is listed in 14th place, has taken his 8 hour layover, and should be in 9th place after all those in front of him take their 8's. Jen Seavey is in 57th. She said her 16 dog team is awesome and is having alot of fun.
The race is taking the southern route because of the odd year - 2009. 2010 will be the northern route. There has been only 3 Musher's that have scratched which is a very good ratio considering 67 started. Some years 15-25 Musher's donot finish out of a field of 85-96 that start.
The word Iditarod means " distant place and clear water " as in the Iditarod River and Iditarod the town. The race is named after this once prosperous settlement. The now ghost town of Iditarod, once had a population of over 10,000. This was the heart of the Iditarod mining district. 35 million in gold was mined from this area. Gold was $20 per ounce and now is over $1,000 per ounce - and still a very popular investment.
Rosanne and I are leaving for Nome early tomorrow so the next blog will be asap when I land in Alaska. Can't wait for the "spiritual" finish in Nome!
Future blogs will highlight the endurance of a sled dog, collar tags, microchipping and the most frequently asked question: How did the Keller's and Seavey's meet and why the Iditarod sponsorship?
Please check out the awesome photos from PK Media and stay tuned for some great facts and race action. Thanks for using our site.
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 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 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 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.
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