An Amazing Day

A bit of news I have been paying close attention to...What is really going on? Thinking maybe it is gonna get a bit noisy in Anchorage, and I am wondering why I have to travel to a national paper to hear about the "training" going on between Alaska and Korea for the next twelve day? Why does my local paper not report that information so those of us that live here at least know why the increase in air traffic raid sirens...those go off at 3am and do not shut up it makes one feel they are living in Germany in World War II....and I dont have a bomb shelter! Do I need one? Ok so on the the good stuff, I like it better.....Been many years since I have seen this... And despite many hang ups and a few snags we made it to Willow this year on a family outing. Traffic was a bit heavy but not bad and parking was ten bucks but the event is free and the money goes to the prize pot...so I would do it again. Well the adventure began at the out house, after three hours in the car of course everyone needed to go...so we stopped at the first out houses we saw, thinking it was probably one of just a few...so did everyong else...and up the trail were six more and about every 200 feet two or three more....guess that is a hint that only dogs are allowed to pee on the ground? A children park is by the lake and the kids spent most of the day with Eric chaperoning it playing there...he probably had a better view there than Britt and I had down on the race way amongst thousands of eager spectators. Now this picture was taken toward the end of the lake and the people you see are on the wrong side of the marker...that is when Britt and I realized we could get there with just a bit of tracking in the snow...and from there we could get to the fence the mushers were getting ready behind...now common what is better watching them all take off from their trucks....after loading their sleds and being checked by the Judges...man the only thing better would have been to slip through the whole we found and be on their side of the fence....think next year I am going to volunteer for the start...maybe someday I will make it to the finish where front row seating is the best place. Many people made little camps on the lake...fires and BBQS burring...others were pulling sleighs of hot chocolate and candy for the kids...yet others were peddling their wares...and well Girl Scout Cookies would be much more fun to sell off the back of a sleigh, and go well with the free coffee and cocoa....(hint hint hint) This little guy could not wait to tell us all about his previous adventures in this race...he and his buddies were very excited to start and this team was the only team that had to have several people on the sled at the start line to hold them back....yes these dogs could NOT wait to hit that trail and it was most obviouse that they all recognized what they were about to do...a very happy team that greatly love the man that feeds them... Lance Mackey walking to the start line while his kennel people guide the dogs, his sled was ridden to the start by a friend of his from Jamaica...a neat thing and the sled was piled with people to weigh it down...I am serious his dogs were trying to pull the Dodge to Nome they were so excited to go... Lance and Tanya Mackey with a good friend and the man who was riding in the musher spot of the sled to the start line.... So this was an amazing day, there are many reasons I have followed this mans career but the biggest one of all was confirmed to me yesterday...he IS in this sport for the dogs and his love of Alaska. His wife, kids and dogs are his priority and the love you felt near his handlers and team was amazing...he even took the last ten minutes before he began to step away and spend some time with his wife...a family and a man with good morals, plus a team of dogs that are eager to please them and their eyes just light up when they see them...it was an amazing experience to be witnessing...