Anchorage, Alaska
I am in here to send my mother off on her third Iditarod dog sled race and also have the exciting chance to ride in her sled during the ceremonial start.
The Millennium Hotel in Anchorage; Iditarod race headquarters and supporter of the Iditarod for the last two decades
Jet lagged but curious, I arrive at the Millennium hotel for the Iditarider pizza lunch. The place is straight out of a hunting magazine. In the lobby alone there is no less than three moose heads, two bearskin rugs, a stuffed musk ox in a glass case, a mountain goat, a yak head, four reindeer, five giant salmon, a wolf, a stuffed polar bear on a fake ice block, and a large collection of rifles in a glass case. The only missing is an antler chandelier.
Ok, I am in Alaska.
The lobby of the Millennium hotel (Photo courtesy of the Millennium Hotel)
Mushers and Idita-admirers flood in the front door. Everyone equipped in hiking shoes, fleeces, plaids… their REI finest.
Every year, one day before the Iditarod is the ceremonial start. This is mostly for publicity. A lot of big corporations sponsor the race and this ceremonial start brings a lot of tourism to Anchorage. Once the final sign up for the race is finished, a bidding process begins and anyone can bid to become an Iditarider and ride in the sled of a musher during the ceremonial start. This part of the race is not competitive. Its for the press to come out and talk to the mushers and for photo ops and the like and the money raised goes to support the race.
My wonderful mother pulled together the sponsors to win the bid to allow me to become her Iditarider this year. This will probably be her last Iditarod race and for me, to be able to be there, not only cheer her on, but to get a taste of what it is like for her to run, a taste of the “mushing,” is an incredible opportunity. The ceremonial course runs through the woods, over rivers, down and up hills, over eleven miles of terrain.
The ceremony is just two days away, and the Iditarod officially begins in 3.
I am excited!