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.
