Nome week

Team Ralph on the way to the starting line in Willow.

As Iditarod 42 got close to it's end, I got on a plane and flew up to Nome. Jeff was expected to cross the finish line around midnight (if I remember correctly), so I went to town to get some pizza and wait for the champion to cross the finish line. As we eat our pizza, a rumour start spreading through the resturant. "Jeff King has stopped". Confusion is filling the room. Is the tracker not functioning? Is he just snacking the dogs? The wind too strong? As we check the gps tracker we can confirm, he has been stopped for a long time, and Alie Zirkle is still moving. Not long after a new word i spreading from table to table. "Alie Zirkle is stopped at Safety". Now this Iditarod finish is sure getting crazy! We watch the GPS as Dallas passes through Safety and takes lead of the race. Alie follows. I figure I have time for a quick nap. Not long after I get awoken by the fire siren that screams everytime a musher is aproaching the finish line. We jump on the atv and race down to front street. Dallas Seavey is Already across the finish line, congratulating his dogs on the good race. Just a minute later, we see a headlamp coming up from behind, Alie Zirkle finnishes just 2 minutes later to big cheers from the crowd.

Scouting for dogs

Team Ralph Johannessen at the cermonial start in Anchorage.

Team Ralph Johannessen flew me up to Nome, so I was up there to take care of his dogs. After every team crosses the finish line, they open up the back of the schute, and run em some hundred feet to behind the Iditarod HQ, where a dog lot is to be found. Long chains stretched out, with big containers fillew with straw and drop bags for all the teams. While being down there, I made sure to take a good look at all the different dogs. All finishers of one of the toughest Iditarod's yet. As we are planing 3 puppy litters for this spring, I was fully focused on getting a breeding female for one of those litters. What team looks the best? What dogs do i personally like the best? How did they look at the finish line coming in? Nome is definately a good place to buy dogs. Just right there in that dog lot, being able to look at hundred dogs at the same time, that just finished in the top 20 of Iditarod, and talk with all the different mushers. We are very excited for the tiny puppies coming this spring, it will be a bussy puppy summer here at Bacons Acres! 2 out of 3 planned litters is already bred, expect puppies early May.

The Finish line and burled arch in Nome.

Iditarod week at Bacon's Acres

In honor of our missing Sweetie Queens, Norma and Cyndy, we served lunch on the river Sunday afternoon.

Although we are not competing in this year's Iditarod, our lives are fully intertwined with race logistics, as well as watching in suspense as our friends work their way up the trail toward Nome. Kristin spent Saturday through Wednesday in Skwentna volunteering as a Skwentna Sweetie at the checkpoint (cleaning, cooking, waking up mushers, helping with drop dogs, etc). Starting Saturday, the Delia's cabin in Skwentna begins to fill up in anticipation of the mushers arrival: Darlings (river crew from the lower 48, vets, Iditarod Comms, media, etc).  Mushers arrive between about 9 pm Sunday night and 6 am Monday morning.  After cleaning and prepping the checkpoint for next year, everyone is gone by Tuesday at noon (unless they get snowed in like we did this year). Volunteering at a checkpoint definitely gives a glimpse into how much is involved in putting on a race like this.

While down on the river in Skwentna, Kristin enjoys the opportunity to quietly watch as the mushers pass through the checkpoint, some of them stopping to eat, care for their dogs and rest, while others grab what they need from their drop bags and continue on.   As mushers anticipated a rough, icy trail with little snow this year, it was interesting to see the adaptations many mushers had made to their sleds. 

Markus heads to Nome tomorrow to help Ralph Johannessen with his dogs after he finishes. 

Arriving to Skwentna

The checkpoint is on the riverbank on the right

Sweeties enjoying the sunshine

Salad for 75

A team arriving in Skwentna

Holding back a team

As the river was quite icy, some mushers had a hard time stopping their teams when they arrived.

Lisbet caring for her dogs

Joar's team parked in Skwentna

The morning after...

Iditarod obsessing from home

Enjoying the view

Dogs enjoying the view of the valley below.

After sending off Ralph Johannessen at the re-start of Iditarod 2014, I jumped back in the truck and headed for the Talkeetna Mountains. 

The clock showed 5.30 pm before I was ready to leave the truck. With the sled packed with reindeer skins, sleeping bag, straw, RedPaw, fish and cooker, we took off up into the mountains as the sun was starting to set. 

Running dogs in the mountains isn't a daily thing here in Alaska, as we usually run on swamps and rivers. As we got out of the trees, the most amazing 360 degree panoramic view appeared and I had to let out a big cheer, what an amazing view! 

We ended up camping on the other side of this lake. Setting the snow hook in one of the small trees for better grip.

The snow was pretty crusty after some warm weather and rain (!) in the area, so we didn't go too far. With June and Felon in lead we left the trails and went exploring around on different mountain tops before we settled for a beautiful camping spot near a lake. Dogs got fish and kibble for supper before we all settled down to enjoy a pipe and a wonderful show of northern lights and millions upon millions of bright stars. Truly magical!

Hope you can enjoy the pictures as much as we enjoyed the view!

Ikidarod 2014

We had a fabulous day on the park strip downtown Anchorage at Ikidarod. This event was a combined effort between High Country Kennels, Ikidarod and Kidability Physical Therapy, LLC.

This was our second annual Ikidarod Fur Rondy Fun Rides.  Ikidarod is an event where children with special needs get to go for a free dog sled ride. We do everything we can to give the kids a fun and safe experience with the dogs. For many kids, this is their first opportunity to be in a dog sled.  Just seeing the smiles on all their faces is thank you enough.

Bob Sexton and Christina Rose of High Country Kennels bring their dogs to provide the rides, and Kristin Bacon uses her experience as a pediatric physical therapist and musher to try to ensure the kids have a safe and enjoyable adventure. 

Thank you to everyone that showed up for the fun!

Video: Running in the sunshine

Bacon's Acres and Kristin in Alaska Magazine

This month's (March 2014) Alaska Magazine includes a 4 page article about Kristin's dream to run Iditarod. You can buy the magazine in Alaska, or buy it digitally on your Apple device here.

Video: Winter Joy 2014

Markus cut together a short video from mushing and skiing this winter. The mushing clips are from a February adventure in Big Lake. The warm weather had packed the snow rock hard, so we could go wherever we wanted, staying on top of the snow. The skiing is from our weekend in Hatcher Pass.

We got snow again!

After a long month of almost no snow in the Big Lake area, we finally got close to 5 inches of fresh powder yesterday. Dogs and humans alike are cheering! 

A new 300 mile qualifier?

As the Northern Lights 300 was cancelled in January due to lack of snow, we are in need of a new 300 miler this winter. Kristin still needs two 300 mile races to qualify after finishing her first qualifier this winter, the Knik 200. So far, there is no word that the Northern Lights 300 will be rescheduled....  but, we're keeping our fingers crossed.