Wrapping up the 2016 Iditarod

I have to admit that the more I read and heard about the  snow machine attack, the more traumatized I became myself.  At this point I am deep into reading everything I can find about it and trying to resolve in my own mind the whys and wherefores. Quite separately several of my friends and relatives who are not fans or followers but just heard about this incident asked me if it was possible a  musher could have engineered the attack to cut down the competition. I had shoved that notion aside as ridiculous but they got me thinking. What if? Were I to title the annual video for this one it would be "Mishaps and Mayhem"--a very unusual race. What if?

"Will someone not rid me of this troublesome priest?" So said Henry II and then Thomas Becket was killed. What if? A musher could have casually or even sarcastically said something to the effect that the pack of leaders was a bit crowded and it would be nice if a few of them could be encouraged to scratch out. Yes, what if?  And then the modern equivalent of the moccasin telegraph spread this down the river and one man with a bit too much booze behind his belt decided he could handle that. I do hope the authorities investigate in depth and do not take the easy route out and blame alcohol and slap the guy on the wrist and send him to detox. From all I have read so far,the snow machine jockey's story has more holes than Swiss cheese.  Is he really that drink-fuddled or is he hiding something?

I have huge respect now for both Aliy and Jeff King. She was about to scratch but many persuaded her to go on and she ended up finishing third because Brent Sass was induced to push his dogs too hard when the Seaveys passed him and the team went on strike and would not get up to leave White Mountain. He waited about twenty hours, acknowledging that he had made a serious error and would not subject them to any more distress. He squeaked in to Nome in the 20th place.

I am very proud of Aliy but you can still see the strain on her face. The smile is back but just a bit shadowed now. I pray she will heal and recover with time. She issued a statement and in effect begs the public and media to leave her alone to work her way past this. That it had to be rough and intensely traumatic is obvious. This is no weak little clinging vine kind of woman but a tough, brave and  courageous one. If she was badly shaken, the event had to be very ugly and she is not disclosing the details except to the authorities.

On a happier note, Allen got in with the Black Team, still fourteen dogs strong, yesterday afternoon. Quito led them the whole way, often paired with a younger dog who was learning by example how to do it.  After he was clocked in, Aliy came out and they shared a long hug, she with her face buried in the fur ruff of his parka hood. The deep love between them was radiantly obvious. He will help her move on and regain her balance, I am sure. She is lucky to have a man like that at her side as he is lucky to have her. Yes, I am a little envious but they do deserve each other!

Deedee arrived in good shape, with only eleven dogs this time but feisty and showing a bit of temper at an officious announcer and some people who would not clear a way so she could move her team on to the dog yard. I had to laugh at my very spunky heroine!! Kick butt, Deedee!!

Now all but about six mushers are in, and they are mostly rookies. Jodi Bailey, Paige Drobney, Monica Zappa, Lisbet Norris and several others made it in good time and style and received cheers from the crowd.  There were many highlights that I am not going to cover here. Anyone can read them on the Iditarod.com site if they are interested.

As for me, I have observed some troubling trends and am working on a letter to the ITC Board suggesting some rule and policy changes. I will post more on that later as it is still in a very developmental stage. Suffice to say I feel they need to bring emphasis back to the dogs and away from a musher or two who seek to be a rock star and simply use the dogs--as few as possible--as a biological snow machine to put him/her into the limelight. This is NOT what the Iditarod is supposed to be about!!

The awards will be given out, I think on Monday night and I will give a few highlights from that. Meanwhile here is a shot of the SPK Black and the SPK Red teams coming in. I will try to get one of Deedee in a bit. Oh yes, Martin Buser also got in and will head back to Seattle to be with Nik as he continues rehab and therapy right after the ceremonial end.