Iditarod 39: Taking Twenty-four

Sunday to now has been non-stop action and surprise in this year's iditarod. Teams that were deemed the strongest quickly fell to the back of the pack, with some favorites to win suggesting they might end up scratching. Mitch Seavey was reportedly planning to scratch on Monday, but thankfully decided against it. He's in Takotna sitting in tenth place and apparently taking his 24 hour layover.

Reader (and blogger) favorite Dallas Seavey is currently in 13th after a slow start. He made a jump several checkpoints back, but hasn't truly caught the leaders yet.

The surprising leader is four time champion Martin Buser. Once again, the Happy Trails Kennel is benefitting from the warmer temps, and hard packed, fast trail. It also helps that Martin's team was far away from the Yukon Quest where, apparently, many teams have picked up a strain of kennel cough which has slowed their teams considerably.

After announcing he was going to push for five, Lance has backed off of that statement saying he'll be lucky to stay top ten this year. He's having issues with his team being lethargic. But, I seem to recall him feeling worried about a sickly team about this time last year. Granted, he didn't drop as many last year as he has here (at the moment he's reading at 12 dogs, but is reportedly planning to drop more by the time he leaves the checkpoint tonight after taking his 24 hour layover).

Rick Swenson is likely to see his five time championship record tied by either Buser or Mackey, and it looks like there's very little chance of him increasing his record to six as he suffered a broken collar bone going through the Dalzell Gorge earlier this week. He decided against scratching as, all things considered, he's feeling pretty good. Rick was quoted as saying that as long as he keeps his arm low and doesn't extend it too far out he doesn't feel pain.

Not all of the teams have decided to take their layover in Takotna (a favorite among mushers because of the food - famous for their Iditarod pies and hospitality, who wouldn't want to stay there!) and several have pushed on to Ophir and the halfway point of Iditarod.

We're just minutes away from Martin Buser leaving Takotna (it took me a while to focus on this apparently)! Let the real race begin! Mush on!

(for more updates follow me on twitter! http://www.twitter.com/tonichelleak )

Bib Numbers Released

With the "small" number of 62 mushers in this years race, it looks like the bib selection went quicker than in years past. In fact, ITC has already posted the official numbers of each team on the website! I don't recall that happening so fast before. The Iditarod has been in competition with the Yukon Quest for the last few years now for fans/popularity. The ITC has been criticized for not utilizing the media (all forms) correctly. Being traditional and proud of the Iditarod I disagree. They work hard and are doing a fantastic job. The whiners would still complain even if the ITC did everything just like the Quest.

But, I digress.

The bib listing is as follows:

Bib #	Last Name	First Name	Sex	City	State	Country	Status
2	Jonrowe	DeeDee	F	Willow	AK	USA	Veteran
3	Redington Jr	Ray	M	Wasilla	AK	USA	Veteran
4	Herbst	Trent	M	Ketchum	ID	USA	Veteran
5	Moore	Allen	M	Two Rivers	AK	USA	Veteran
6	Marshall	Newton	M	St. Anne		JAMAICA	Veteran
7	Berington	Kristy	F	Kasilof	AK	USA	Veteran
8	Hoffman	Kris	M	Steamboat Springs	CO	USA	Rookie
9	DeNure	Zoya	F	Gakona	AK	USA	Veteran
10	Bundtzen	Robert	M	Anchorage	AK	USA	Veteran
11	Buser	Martin	M	Big Lake	AK	USA	Veteran
12	Owens	Melissa	F	Nome	AK	USA	Veteran
13	Linton	Bruce	M	Kasilof	AK	USA	Veteran
14	Petit	Nicolas	M	Girdwood	AK		Rookie
15	Storey	Bob	M	Aukland		NEW ZEALAND	Rookie
16	Bailey	Jodi	F	Chatanika	AK	USA	Rookie
17	Mackey	Lance	M	Fairbanks	AK	USA	Veteran
18	Zirkle	Aliy	F	Two Rivers	AK	USA	Veteran
19	Taggart	Angie	F	Ketchkan	AK	USA	Rookie
20	Griffin	Kelley	F	Wasilla	AK	USA	Veteran
21	Seavey	Dallas	M	Willow	AK	USA	Veteran
22	Kaltenborn	Magnus	M	Lillehammer		NORWAY	Rookie
23	Gatt	Hans	M	Whitehorse	YT	CANADA	Veteran
24	Snodgrass	Billy	M	DuBois	WY	USA	Veteran
25	Thurston	Tom	M	Oak Creek	CO	USA	Veteran
26	Halverson	Ellen	F	Wasilla	AK	USA	Veteran
27	Santos	Mike	M	Cantwell	AK	USA	Rookie
28	Seavey	Mitch	M	Seward	AK	USA	Veteran
29	Currier	Judy	F	Fairbanks	AK	USA	Veteran
30	Smyth	Ramey	M	Willow	AK	USA	Veteran
31	Schnuelle	Sebastian	M	Whitehorse	YT	CANADA	Veteran
32	Janssen	Scott	M	Anchorage	AK	USA	Rookie
33	Willomitzer	Gerry	M	Whitehorse	YT	CANADA	Veteran
34	Gebhardt	Paul	M	Kasilof	AK	USA	Veteran
35	Neff	Hugh	M	Tok	AK	USA	Veteran
36	Hendricks	Jessica	F	Two Rivers	AK	USA	Veteran
37	Hendrickson	Karin	F	Willow	AK	USA	Veteran
38	McDonald	Wattie	M	Stonehaven	Scotland	UK	Veteran
39	Phillips	Michelle	F	Tagish	YT	CANADA	Veteran
40	Jones	G.B.	M	Wasilla	AK	USA	Veteran
41	Williams, Jr.	Michael	M	Akiak	AK	USA	Veteran
42	Clarke	Lachlan	M	Buena Vista	CO	USA	Veteran
43	Anderson	Ken	M	Fairbanks	AK	USA	Veteran
44	Norden	Brennan	M	Kasilof	AK	USA	Rookie
45	Haltmann	Sven	M	Fairbanks	AK	USA	Veteran
46	Johnson	Paul	M	Unalakleet	AK	USA	Veteran
47	Barnum	Kirk	M	Grangeville	ID	USA	Veteran
48	Carter	Cain	M	Fairbanks	AK	USA	Rookie
49	Swenson	Rick	M	Two Rivers	AK	USA	Veteran
50	Siirtola	Heather	F	Talkeetna	AK	USA	Veteran
51	Nelson	Robert	M	Kotzebue	AK	USA	Veteran
52	Lindner	Sonny	M	Two Rivers	AK	USA	Veteran
53	Baker	John	M	Kotzebue	AK	USA	Veteran
54	Kaiser	Peter	M	Bethel	AK	USA	Veteran
55	Maixner	Kelly	M	Big Lake	AK	USA	Rookie
56	Stielstra	Ed	M	McMillan	MI	USA	Veteran
57	Bardoner	James	M	Signal Mountain	TN	USA	Rookie
58	Royer	Jessie	F	Fairbanks	AK	USA	Veteran
59	Smyth	Cim	M	Big Lake	AK	USA	Veteran
60	Giblin	Matt	M	Juneau	AK	USA	Veteran
61	Hayashida	Matt	M	Willow	AK	USA	Veteran
62	Sousa	Gerald	M	Talkeetna	AK	USA	Veteran
63	Savidis	Justin	M	Willow	AK	USA	Rookie

30 Days of Disney: Day Nineteen

Day 19: Least Favorite Pixar Film
Bug's Life. Like I said, this is easier than picking my favorite. I don't know what it is about Bug's Life that doesn't appeal to me. It's cute, there are some great lines and scenes, but over all it's just blah. But put me in teh parks and one of the first things I look for is It's Tough to Be a Bug. Go figure.

30 Days of Disney: Day Eighteen

Day 18: Favorite Pixar Film
Oooo, this is tough. it's easier for me to pick my least favorite. I'd have to go with... well... maybe... I don't know... ummmmmm... Toy Story 2. It's an amazing sequel, and the only reason I don't choose #3, which is the most brilliant of the trilogy, is because it made me cry and I hate that. I don't like the ending because it's so real to life. It's just wrong. I like to escape in a Pixar or Disney film, not be reminded I'm an adult and I have to let go. It is almost an Anti-Disney film! haha!

Toy Story was very much a part of my childhood. I remember watching the first one and loving it, and by the time the second came out I was bursting to see it. Granted they both came out during the Baptist Boycott against Disney, so I didn't see either in theatres, but I did see them when friends would bring them over (hey none of our money went to the Mouse at that time, so it counts.)

Thankfully that boycott is done and over with, and I happily own the entire Pixar collection (and I'm slowly but surely making up for lost time Disney Animation wise).

So for today, Toy Story 2 is my favorite. Tomorrow it will probably be Cars or Up or Finding Nemo... or Monsters Inc... or Wall-E... oy.

30 Days of Disney: Day Seventeen

Day 17: Least Favorite Classic.

I'm not a fan of the Little Mermaid, I love teh music and Prince Eric is a decent prince, but over all I just can't get into teh storyline and find the animation to be.... well... not up to par with the princess movies then or since (though Aladdin has it's moments of shoddy animation as well. Stupid computers).

Mainly, though, I don't like the Princess Ariel. She's a spoiled brat who is defiant in a very wrong way. It's not like her father is some evil stepfather who locks her away, and his concern is very much real. But what do I know. I'm a Daddy's Girl who can't stand disappointing her best friend.

But, as I said, I LOVE the music. Under The Sea, Kiss the Girl, Le Poisons... so much fun!

30 Days of Disney: Day Sixteen

Day 16: Favorite Classic

If you haven't figured it out by now, well, you haven't been paying attention. From the time I can remember my favorite Disney movie of all time is, of course, Sleeping Beauty. I love everything about the film (except the fact that it forever placed Aurora in a pink dress when she wore BLUE for almost the entire movie) and I always will. Prince Phillip, Maleficent, Merryweather, Aurora will forever be with me.

Iditarod 39: Toni's top 10 to watch!

We're a week away from the beginning of the latest Iditarod. Back are some familiar favorites to the race - at least two who said they were going to sit this one out are back - and all are knocking on the door ready to make history. I was originally going to just do a run down of the key players, and that's basically what this will be, but instead of looking at it clinically I will just go with gut feelings and personal opinion. Mainly because now that there are actual mushers reading this blog, well, I just don't feel qualified to make anything more than that. I don't know what I'm talking about, just know my fansense.

1. Mackey. Lance Mackey, to be exact. He's the reigning four time (consecutively at that, a first in Iditarod history) Iditarod champion. He ran last year's race without using his pain killing meds in order to prove a point - that his drug use was not giving him an advantage - I personally felt it also should have sent him a message that he didn't truly need the drugs, but he disagrees. There's been no big press release explaning what he will do this season, but considering the Iditarod was forthcoming last year saying he would not be affected by the new rules, I assume he's taking them with him this time. He's been battling knee problems, after all. Lance had suggested at the end of the race last year that he wasn't going to run this year, but when it came time to sign up last summer, Mackey was among the few who put their name down. Why should he? He's dominated this sport like no other in recent history. The only thing that will keep this team from winning the fifth consecutive title is Mackey's physical health.

2. Hans Gatt was second place last year, and has been knocking on the door for several years. He had a rough time on the Quest (didn't finish) but that might be a good thing going into the Iditarod. His team will have had just a few more days to recoop from their time on the Yukon. It could also hurt because it could be showing the team's weaknesses. With the random weather we've had again this year, who knows what to expect (the Iron Dog race which starts out following the Iditarod Trail had to stop and restart several times due to weather). Hopefully Gatt and his team still have confidence going into the Iditarod and continue their quest for the championship.

3. Dallas Seavey just won his first major race EVER. While he's been named as the one to watch for several years, he's just now starting to see major wins (or, rather one major win). Dallas is a third generation musher, and knows his stuff. He broke top ten two years ago with a sixth place finish, and last year placed two spots higher than his Iditarod Champion father. He is competitive, has set his goals high (he wants to break Rick Swenson's record of being the youngest champion, and he has three years to accomplish that). He went into the Yukon Quest as a rookie looking for it to be a training run for the Iditarod and ended up winning the whole thing after freak storms and accidents took out the main players. The question now is, can Dallas' team keep that momentum going into the Iditarod and are they capable of winning both (a feat only Lance Mackey has accomplished), or will they be too tired to be competitive for the last great race on earth?

4. Hugh Neff was supposed to with the Quest, but after losing one of his dogs during the Quest and scratching because of it, one has to wonder if Neff will be mentally ready to go up against another formidable race. Last year, the Iditarod accomplished a feat it's been trying for all along - no deaths on the trail. This should come as a comfort to Neff, but at teh same time - it's not a sure thing that it won't happen again. Will Neff be willing to push his team to be competitive or will he be gun shy?

5. Mitch Seavey won the Iditarod in 2004 and has stayed in the top ten ever since. He saw his son pass him and head into Nome ahead of him last year, and he's seeing quite a few new strategies pass him by. I wouldn't count Mitch out yet, though. He's one of those silent types who, at any moment, could come around and surprise us. But it seems that he relies heavily on sticking to his plan, and having others follow it. That's not to say he won't be in the mix or even win the thing again.

6. Paul Gebhardt has been one of the top contenders in the race for years. I honestly can't remember a time when I haven't heard Gebhardt and the Iditarod. He's one of those gotta pull fors because you really do feel that he should win it at least once. Just because he's a great guy, great musher, his dogs are awesome... But something always gets in the way of victory. Still, he's always one of those teams that strong up to the end, and you cannot count him out.

7. Sebastian Schnuelle was supposedly pulling a Jeff King and retiring after last year. Well, the retirement was short lived. He ran a great Quest, though was fouled up when helping other mushers out of the Yukon River, and gave Dallas a run for his money coming in very close behind Dallas (Dallas' team was just out of the finish line chute when Schnuelle's came in). My mom likes him just because of his hair. Go Figure. With King out of the way I see Schnuelle being the team that challenges Mackey's more than anyone else.

8. Dee Dee Jonrowe has an outside shot at a win. She is all over the map in finishes. She was supposed to take over for Susan Butcher as the next lady champion and it hasn't ever happened. Still, she's tough as nails running the Iditarod shortly after battling (and beating!) breast cancer - though afterwards she said it was too soon to come back. Her mom's been foremost in her mind the last couple of years as she battles her own bout of cancer (recurring). Look for her to be top fifteen, but she might get lucky and finally hold off the big boys.

9. Martin Buser hasn't won an Iditarod in a while, but still holds the record for fastest win. He's dedicated to his dogs first, sport second. Happy dogs are the goal for Martin, and he's a fan favorite because of it. But don't think he isn't competitive, he always manages to stay in the thick of things. Martin just has to be willing to push just a little bit harder. This isn't the 90s anymore, he's gotta be willing to play the game a bit differently now.

10. Rick Swenson is looking to see Mackey tie his record five wins. This might be the year that lights a fire under his butt as his "king of the Iditarod" title is now completely in jeopardy (if it wasn't already surpassed after Mackey's history making win last year). It'd be great to see this long ago champion take a whack at a sixth title, but I'm not sure his team is built for the new generation of racing. It's still a team to watch, though, if for no other reason than history.

So who do YOU think/want to win? Be sure to vote in the poll on my blog! (It's to the left of the blog entries)

What celebrity would you most like to meet in person?

Steven Spielberg. No question there. Other heros I've met, all I've ever done with Spielberg is stick my hands in his handprints outside the Chinese Theatre (which was pretty stinkin cool).

Ask me anything

30 Days of Disney: Day Fifteen

Day 15: First Movie

I don't know what the first Disney movie it was that I saw at home, but I remember the first one I saw in theatres. It was in 1988 and Disney's newest feature animated film was Oliver and Company. I became obsessed with it very quickly.





Dodger rocks.

30 Days of Disney: Day Fourteen

Day 14: Favorite Kiss

True Love's Kiss - Phillip & Aurora. I love how after all he's been through, Phillip races up the stairs to save the beautiful princess and when he reaches the top of the stairs and the side of her bed he stops and just looks at her for a moment before gently kneeling and giving her, her first kiss. It's just a really well animated and touching part of the film.





So sweet, I want a Phillip... and a dragon.