It's pretty safe to say that most people don't have the same passion for long-distance dog sled races that I do. It shouldn't always surprise me when, the day after the Iditarod start, people ask me, "Is the race over?"
The Iditarod and Yukon Quest are both 1,000-mile races. They aren't accomplished overnight, and they don't conclude until the Red Lantern comes in. The Red Lantern is the honor given to the final musher who crosses the finish line, and it is a sign of a job well-done.
This year the race started in Fairbanks, Alaska, on March 9. As this is written, on March 21, the race continues. Seventy-nine mushers started. At this moment 39 of them have finished. A job well-done. They faced unimaginable conditions on their trek through Alaska's interior out to the Bering Sea coast.For some the race ended too soon, and I salute all of them, too.
Right now the Red Lantern position is held by Cindy Abbott of Irvine, CA. If you want to know how rough this race is, just look at Cindy. On her first attempt she conquered Mt. Everest. This is her third try at the Iditarod. She's one tough lady who has overcome odds that would throw the rest of us under the bus, including a serious illness, Wegner's Granulmatosis, that has affected every aspect of her life, including her eyesight. How she's run any part of this race is beyond belief. You rock, Cindy!.
As of this writing she sits in the native town of Koyuk with just three more runs to get her to Nome. If all goes well, she will cross the finish line sometime tomorrow.
There are so many stories that come out of each race, and some of them this year are too sad for words.
This is the first year since 2008, I think, that I didn't spend every spare waking moment glued to Facebook and the Iditarod GPS tracker; just didn't have the heart for it. I haven't seen a single musher finish, but I will be on board tomorrow to celebrate Cindy's success.
To celebrate Cindy and all the other mushers who have run the 2015 race, here's my favorite Hobo Jim Iditarod song:
