Previous experiences do not necessarily prepare you for what’s next
Perseverance pays off
The superpower of “PAUSE”. You CAN make the train of life, even a dog race, stop in order to rest before continuing on.
Some of our hardest moments in time deliver the clearest messages
There are too many reasons to list regarding why I refer to this Iditarod experience as “a special kind of miserable” … time will tell if we decide to race again in the future. Zero predictions to offer today.
We all pay the same amount of money to enter this race, regardless of how long it takes.
Rain. Be prepared for wet conditions — top to bottom / head to toe
If we race again, we need to do some serious preparation / training for water crossings.
I will never take “Agent Orange” (sled) on another Iditarod. It’s time for a new GATT taildragger. I bought my original GATT sled used from Jake Berkowitz. She did all my qualifiers, many of Tara’s qualifiers, my 1st Iditarod, Tara’s Iditarod… had many tough adventures, had many parts replaced. She’s still my favorite sled to drive, but no longer has sufficient durability for another Iditarod.