Iditarod Obsession
Team Petit at the 2019 Iditarod Ceremonial Start (Anchorage, AK)
It all started with our first sled dog. My husband and I travelled from South Florida to Alaska to get married on a glacier by a dog sled musher. The musher had some puppies that were up for “adoption” and we brought Dario, named after the musher, back to Florida. From that moment, we dreamed of seeing the start of the Iditarod and made it happen a number of years later.
The first thing to know about travelling to Anchorage, Alaska in late-February/early-March for the start of the race is that there is daylight, plenty of it. While the sun sets earlier than in the lower 48, you can take advantage of a full day of activities before you tuck into a local bar or restaurant for some delicious food (yes, eat the wild salmon or halibut).
It is also important to know that the weather is not that bad, really. Trust me, I was born and raised in South Florida and with proper layers and boots, it can be down right pleasant that time of year. Just pack properly, wear a warm hat (or hood) and you will be pretty comfortable. Don’t get me wrong, there are times I have been cold but more often than not I am not.
Giving yourself enough time to enjoy all Anchorage and the Iditarod festivities have to offer is critical! The Meet and Greet and Banquet with the Iditarod mushers (usually the Thursday night before the race) is a real treat. The mushers are extremely friendly and welcoming. The Ceremonial Start to the race is in downtown Anchorage at 4th and D street the first Saturday in March and, for many years we’ve been able to catch the Fur Rondy’s “Running of the Reindeer” later that afternoon in the same area where you can watch some nutty folks run down the street in various arrays of dress try to make it to the finish line before the reindeer! The “real” start is a little bit north in Willow on Sunday afternoon and well worth getting a ticket on the shuttle to see the teams off in a more rural setting. These athletic dogs act the same for both starts, they don’t really know the difference other than they get to go for a super fun run. For all the in-between times, there are wonderful shops and restaurants throughout Anchorage where it is easy to spend some time warming up, if needed, and meeting some of the locals.
Since the first race we attended, I’ve only missed one and always look forward to watching these amazing athletes embark on their journey across the state.
