One of my bucket list items is to go to Alaska to actually see the Iditarod in person. In lieu of that, I’m following along as best I can from Ohio. How about you – are you a big fan?
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Until next time,
Good day, and good dog!
Category Archives: Dog Activities
Iditarod Standings at 9:15 AM Eastern 3/10/18
All five of the top mushers on the leaderboard have cleared the checkpoint at Grayling.
After briefly losing his lead to Mitch Seavey yesterday, Nicolas Petit is back in front, leaving Grayling yesterday at 4:48 pm (Alaska time) with 14 dogs and an average speed of 6.35 mph. Continue reading Iditarod Standings at 9:15 AM Eastern 3/10/18
Iditarod Standings at 12:30 PM Eastern 3/9/18
Iditarod Standings at 8 AM Eastern 3/8/18
The majority of the top five are headed for the Iditarod checkpoint, trying to catch up with leader Joar Leifseth Ulsom, who checked in there at 8:28 (Alaska time) last night. He is apparently taking one of his rest breaks, as he spent the night there with all 16 of his dogs. Ulsom’s next objective after he leaves Iditarod is Shageluk, 55 miles away. His average speed has been 5.13 mph. Continue reading Iditarod Standings at 8 AM Eastern 3/8/18
Comfort Dogs in NYC Public Schools
Although this press release came out early in the school year, it seems timely with the concerns we all have over school violence after the events of the past month or so. Since the Parkland shooting, my county has had several schools receive threats, and I just received word that my son’s high school was hit with tainted candy today. Our kids are stressed, feeling the chaos all around them. Comfort dogs could go a long way in calming their nerves.
Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña is celebrating the expansion of the Department of Education (DOE) Comfort Dog program, now operating in nearly 40 schools across New York City. The program launched in seven schools last year and brings dogs into schools to work directly with students and staff to improve school climate and contribute to social-emotional learning. Chancellor Fariña visited a new program this morning at Lower Manhattan Community Middle School, where she met the school’s new comfort dog and visited an Algebra For All classroom. Continue reading Comfort Dogs in NYC Public Schools
Musher Hugh Neff comes up out of nowhere!
The race is one of strategy as much as of speed. How long can you go without giving your team any real rest, vs. how long do you spend in any one checkpoint.
Always exciting!
Iditarod Standings at 10 AM Eastern, 3/7/18
The remainder of the top five are resting a bit in Takotna, just 30 miles short of Ophir. Continue reading Iditarod Standings at 10 AM Eastern, 3/7/18
Iditarod Standings at 8 AM Eastern 3/6/18
Ryan Redington is in first place, having left Rohn at 7:08 last night (Alaska time). He dropped one dog in Rohn, leaving him with 13, and his average speed is 8.75 mph. Continue reading Iditarod Standings at 8 AM Eastern 3/6/18
Race Route
Good thing none of these dogs are running the Iditarod!
Until next time,
Good day, and good dog!
Getting Ready for the Iditarod
The ceremonial start is going on now, and actual racing starts Sunday at 2:00 pm, Eastern Time (10:00 am in Alaska). Typically the restart, as it is called, leaves from Willow, but poor conditions there have moved it to Fairbanks. The race lasts 9 – 12 days, ending when the last team makes it to the burled arch in Nome.
The mushers leave at 2-minute intervals in a staggered start that keeps the dogs and sleds from getting tangled with each other. The time is made up by adding time to the 24-hour mandatory rest period. Every musher has to add two minutes to the rest period for every person that left after him or her. The first of the 67 mushers to leave Nome, Cody Strathe wearing Bib # 2, adds 134 minutes to his required rest period because he gets to start 134 minutes before Hugh Neff wearing Bib # 68, who takes only the required 24-hour rest period. Continue reading Getting Ready for the Iditarod