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...
