Today
was not a dog-filled day but a rather uneventful drive up the Parks
Highway to Fairbanks. Many of the dog teams traveled up on Saturday
afternoon and night, after the ceremonial start, and some early
on Sunday morning. We only passed a few dog trucks but did pass
one unfortunate young fella who had swerved into the snow bank.
He must've been new to Alaska as he had no tow rope, no chains,
no shovel, no survival gear at all. Bill keeps all of these things
in our pickup truck so we stopped to help drag him out of the ditch.
We didn't even get his name nor he ours but I think he was glad
we stopped.
The weather was mostly good for the drive. We passed many rivers
that still had open water flowing. There was one section of the
highway where we encountered heavy snow and other sections where
there was NO snow at all. The temperature varied from +44 to about
+32.5F. There was black ice in areas. Having studded tires helped
and we had only one time of sliding before a stop.
We found our hotel in downtown Fairbanks and then set out to connect
with the Plettner Kennel gang as Bill brought her some waterproofing
spray for her mushing pants.They were in the dining room of the
Westmark Hotel. Finney, First Teacher on the Trail in 1999, and
her daughter were there. Lynda and Ellen Halverson both left the
table early to do last minute planning and turn in early. Our next
stop was the Pike's Riverfront Landing, Restart Headquarters, where
there were many fans and officials still out and about.
We found Kay Ramos and Marilyn [bottom photo on the left] who are
our on-the-trail photographers for Unalakleet and Nome.
There was a really neat ice carving of a dog team out in front
of the hospitality tent. It was raining as we left Headquarters
to get some rest. The entire town of Fairbanks seemed to be geared
up for the crowd and very happy to have the Iditarod Restat come
to their town!!
Top Headlines from the Anchorage Daily News
February
28, 2003
Start Position — Musher —
Hometown
1 — Howard and Julie Farley — honorary
2 — John Baker — Kotzebue
3 — Ted English — Willow
4 — Cali King — Denali Park
5 — Perry Solomonson — Whittier
6 — Jason Barron — Lincoln, Mont.
7 — Tyrell Seavey — Seward
8 — Jessie Royer — Fairbanks
9 — Ed Iten — Kotzebue
10 — Dexter Kancer — Nenana
11 — Blake Matray — Two Rivers
12 — Ben Stamm — Argyle, Wis.
13 — Jim Lanier — Chugiak
14 — Paul Gebhardt — Kasilof
15 — Martin Buser — Big Lake
16 — Karen Land — Sand Coulee, Mont.
17 — Cim Smyth — Big Lake
18 — Jeff King — Denali Park
19 — Vern Halter — Willow
20 — Lance Barve — Willow
21 — Frank Sihler — Wasilla
22 — Gerald Riley — Nenana
23 — Robert Sorlie — Hurdal, Norway
24 — Cindy Gallea — Seely Lake, Mont.
25 — Aaron Burmeister — Nome
26 — Lynda Plettner — Houston
27 — Charlie Boulding — Manley
28 — Ray Redington Jr. — Two Rivers
29 — Todd Capistrant — Emerald, Wis.
30 — DeeDee Jonrowe — Willow
31 — Jack Berry — Salcha
32 — Debbie Moderow — Anchorage
33 — Ramey Smyth — Big Lake
34 — Carla Kelly — Anchorage
35 — G.B. Jones — Wasilla
36 — Ken Anderson — Fairbanks
37 — Bruce Lee — Denali Park
38 — Karen Ramstead — Perryvale, Alberta
39 — Randy Chappel — Arlington, Texas
40 — Peter Bartlett — Willow
41 — Linwood Fiedler — Willow
42 — Ramy Brooks — Healy
43 — Mitch Seavey — Seward
44 — Sonny Lindner — Fairbanks
45 — Aliy Zirkle — Two Rivers
46 — Melanie Gould — Talkeetna
47 — Rick Swenson — Two Rivers
48 — Tim Osmar — Ninilchik
49 — Gerald Sousa — Talkeetna
50 — Ellen Halverson — Wasilla
51 — Mike Williams — Akiak
52 — Bill Pinkham — Glenwood Springs, Colo.
53 — Palmer Sagoonick — Shaktoolik
54 — Adam Scott Gibler — Chugiak
55 — Dean Osmar — Clam Gulch
56 — Jon Little — Kasilof
57 — Jim Gallea — Sterling
58 — Bob Hickel — Anchorage
59 — Keith Aili — Ray, Minn.
60 — Jessica Hendricks — Copper Center
61 — Russell Bybee — Willow
62 — Kelly LaMarre — Geneva, Ill.
63 — Lachlan Clarke — Colorado Springs, Colo.
64 — Robert Bundtzen — Anchorage
65 — Clint Warnke — Bonnie Lake, Wash
Today
was not a dog-filled day but a rather uneventful drive up the Parks
Highway to Fairbanks. Many of the dog teams traveled up on Saturday
afternoon and night, after the ceremonial start, and some early
on Sunday morning. We only passed a few dog trucks but did pass
one unfortunate young fella who had swerved into the snow bank.
He must've been new to Alaska as he had no tow rope, no chains,
no shovel, no survival gear at all. Bill keeps all of these things
in our pickup truck so we stopped to help drag him out of the ditch.
We didn't even get his name nor he ours but I think he was glad
we stopped. 
.
We found Kay Ramos and Marilyn [bottom photo on the left] who are
our on-the-trail photographers for Unalakleet and Nome.