My grandparents began volunteering for the Iditarod in the early years of the race. I don't know the exact year. My grandmother started the obsession. She worked at the McGrath checkpoint a year or two before they decided to help take care of the Anchorage trail. That was back when the "Ceremonial Start" also meant something to the actual race. They would time the run to Eagle River. It was before Anchorage was so grown up that they were still somewhat safe to do so.
Our family has volunteered at the "Tudor Crossing" of the trail for more years than I've been alive (32). "Back then" there wasn't a footbridge for the teams to use to cross the busy street. My grandparents and their merry band of volunteers had to stop traffic, they had to move snow onto the street just to shovel it back off so that the cars could pass after the teams passed by. Our team now has it so much easier now than back in the "good ol' days".
Tudor Crossing is now "University Lake and Tudor Center". The teams run along a lake that is an off leash dog park before going through a tunnel (so as not to have to cross a side street) and then up and over a foot bridge as the busy traffic of Tudor goes by seemingly unaware of what's taking place above and around them.
As a very young child I must have been a part of the action, but I honestly do not remember. We moved to the Kenai Peninsula when I was almost 6 years old, so a lot of the "early day memories" I might have had are far gone in the recesses of my brain. We rarely went up for the Iditarod after that - it was always during important dates for school or dad's work. I didn't even know that my grandparents had a history with the race! It wasn't a topic of conversation that I paid attention to. I knew my grandparents knew several of the mushers, and had met my heros (Libby Riddles and Susan Butcher) but that was the extent of my knowledge.
I do remember a year when I got to go to the ReStart when it was still in Wasilla. It was terrifyingly crowded and I remember not enjoying it as I couldn't (or wouldn't) push through the crowd to see the action. I just remember being scared that I would get lost. I remember thinking this was a huge deal, but that I didn't see myself doing this again. I was 9 or 10 at the time (so 1994 or 95).
Then when I moved to Anchorage to attend college I managed to land a short term (read one weekend) internship with a photographer who was helping with the Iditarod. No, it wasn't Jeff Schultz (I wish!), but it was another photographer they'd tapped to take pictures for the Iditariders (fans who bid to ride in a particular musher's sled during the 11 mile Ceremonial Start). He wanted me to take photos halfway down the trail at - you guessed it - Tudor Crossing. I mentioned it to my grandfather and he showed me how and where would be the best place to set up.
That was 2005. I was only used that one year as a photographer, so I joined Grandpa's crew of trail guards the following year. I had a blast! I was hooked. In 2007 after Iditarod was over I was so hooked that I ended up applying to work for Ididaride. That's when the pride and obsession really grew. The more I learned about the behind the scenes stuff, the more I wanted to be a part of it.
After my grandmother's stroke in December of 2009, my grandfather was unsure and really unwilling to plan for another Iditarod. He took it seriously, and he was just too busy focused on her (as he should have been). I didn't want to see our family tradition die there, and my grandmother certainly didn't want to see that happen either. She LOVED Iditarod. So since she was on the road to recovery, I set about getting in touch with the coordinator of the Ceremonial Start Trail Guards asking if it would be alright if I was the "go between" for he and my grandfather with the understanding that in another year I would be fully ready to be "in charge" of our crew.
Since Iditarod 2010 I have been the "crew leader". That's 7 years, going to be 8 next March.
I know, some might find this shocking after all that's happened in the last month and a half. However, I feel very strongly about my family's tradition of being a part of The Last Great Race. I can disagree with how things are managed. I can demand certain things change. We all can. I see nothing wrong with having a disagreement with things. But the ITC is not the Iditarod (yeah, that quote was stolen from Dallas Seavey). The Iditarod is so much more than political back biting and butt protection. Iditarod is Alaska. Iditarod is dogs. Iditarod is Man and Animal coming together to do the "impossible". And I continue to want to be a part of that.
All organizations can improve. I work for a Non-Profit, and we're constantly scrutinizing what we do and how we can do it better. If you don't do that, you risk screwing up and not being able to recover. You risk losing the trust of your supporter and donors.
I don't want to see the Iditarod become the next fatality of a ridiculous campaign by the liars and hypocrites of PeTA and other "Animal Rights" groups. I will continue to support the race, while calling for transparency of ALL. Not just this latest issue.
So I will see you all at the Tudor Crossing as I have for over a decade now. It's still the most wonderful time of the year. The Race Season begins in just over a month. We've got a lot to celebrate and talk about!
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