Target Iditarod Teacher on the Trail^™ Finishers Banquet

by Jane Blaile

Only 3 mushers remain on the trail. Tomorrow the 36^th Iditarod will be over. There will be a red lantern winner. But many mushers and dogs won't be leaving here until later this week. There are many logistical considerations to getting dog teams flown out of Nome. It is expensive, there aren't a lot of airline options, and some airlines have specific requirements, such as crate size. Well, when you have 1,000s of dogs needing a ride home, it can get a little complicated.

This morning I attended the musher service at the Covenant Church just at the finish line on Front Street. What a moving experience to sit with my pilot, Danny, Jeff Schultz, Dee Dee Jonrowe, Aliy Zirkle, Ed Stilestra, and the Lanier family. Aliy and Dee Dee told some of their experiences on the trail and Jim Lanier and his family sang.

This afternoon was the finisher's banquet. It was packed into the rec center. The food was exquisite - provided by the Millenium Hotel in Anchorage. I couldn't believe I was sitting there actually participating in it; each year previous, I have eagerly waited for the pictures and news to come out on the website. I put out my quilt squares to have the mushers sign as they exited the stage after their award presentation and got all but the 3 mushers still on the trail. I will treasure the quilt those squares will become.

My journey here is ending; I'm OK with that. The race is ending, and I have been a part of it from start to finish, so I'm able to come to some closure on this. Tomorrow I will visit Nome Elementary School and Tuesday I go back to Anchorage to wrap things up with the Iditarod Education Department. Thursday I return to Phoenix, just in time for Easter weekend.

I am contemplating how I will continue to be part of Iditarod; it will always be a part of me.

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