Slogging along...with miles to go

Winter is iffy in Alaska this year too. It's been very cold around Fairbanks but not lots of snow and even warmer/dryer farther south. The Solstice 100 Race went off a little late up at Two Rivers. SP Kennels did good; their new handler and trainee dog-driver did the full 100 miles with a team of mostly green young dogs and they did great. Aliy did the fifty mile only, just getting some of the Red Team into the race mode for this year. In less than a month the Yukon Quest will be ready to happen. I'd love to be there but it does not look like it is in my cards for this time. I'll be there in spirit at least. Down around Willow they are still training with ATVs--no dad-gum snow!

Although the Go Fund Me page does not reflect it, I did get a couple of very generous and special off-line direct donations during the holiday season and the savings account took a pretty nice jump. It's not enough to get me there yet but its growing! Now that there is a new calendar year, I will work extra hard on some grants and similar sources for further help. Most of them go on a yearly cycle and the earlier your request gets there the better your chances. I know this is still a long shot but I am going to give it all I can.

Here is 'sunny' New Mexico it is mostly dry but the weather is bouncing all over-and driving us nuts. One day it is 60+ and we can sit out soaking up sun and then all at once it is gray and a high in the lower 40s with hard freezes at night and no sun to speak of. It seems like everyone in town is sick with one or a combination of 'bugs' that are going around. I'm no exception--cough, stuffed sinuses, aches and mild fever--just totally yucko and it wants to hang around. If iron, zinc, L-lysine, echinacea and vitamin C won't kick this thing, I guess I'll just have to wait for summer. Curses! It is slowing but not stopping me.

Whenever I get a little bit down about this project, I read some more in the books I am collecting. Right now I'm in the middle of Joe Redington's story--what a guy! He was born three years before my Mom (1917). He grew up in the lower 48 in a very rough life, maybe good background for the future. Without him the Iditarod would never have happened and would never have continued to become the incredible event it is today.

The often zany and astounding things he did and the tireless way he worked to get it started and keep it going forward when there were a zillion obstacles in the way are really an inspiration. You just never say never and absolutely refuse to take no for an answer. That was the way he operated and bless him for that! So I've got to take a cue from him and from Libby Riddles who mushed on through a fierce blizzard to win and many others whose stories may not get fully told if I don't hang in there and make it happen!

Hike, hike, hike! Team, we've got a long way to go but we can do it!! Hang in there with me.