Tonight was one of the highlights of the conference, the mushers' banquet. This year's banquet also included a mushers' meet and greet. My mission was to connect with as many of the mushers that my students are going to be following throughout the race as possible. With a little help from my friends, I almost got autographs from them all. In some cases, there were big perks.
For instance, are you familiar with National Geographic's television show Life Below Zero? This documentary is about the daily challenges of people who live in remote corners of Alaska and stars musher Jessie Holmes. Placing 7th in his first Iditarod last year, Jessie earned the honor of Rookie of the Year. Kelly and I were honored to be sitting at his table alongside him and three students from Nenana that he's been teaching to mush. These kiddos will be serving as dog handlers and will be bringing his dogs to the starting line of the race. The mushers of the Iditarod are quick to tell us that, "It's all about the dogs," and I tend to agree, but in my line of work, I'd add, "It's all about the kids."
Speaking of kids...here's a "small world" story for you. One of my students kept insisting that her uncle was going to be at the Iditarod, too, and "maybe you'd see him there." Realizing this is an event where spectators from all across the world line virtually every street in downtown Anchorage, I simply brushed her kind assertions off. Well then, with the help of social media, can you guess who I met within minutes of walking into the banquet hall? Yep, that sweet little ginger's uncle! It's a small Iditarod world after all!
For instance, are you familiar with National Geographic's television show Life Below Zero? This documentary is about the daily challenges of people who live in remote corners of Alaska and stars musher Jessie Holmes. Placing 7th in his first Iditarod last year, Jessie earned the honor of Rookie of the Year. Kelly and I were honored to be sitting at his table alongside him and three students from Nenana that he's been teaching to mush. These kiddos will be serving as dog handlers and will be bringing his dogs to the starting line of the race. The mushers of the Iditarod are quick to tell us that, "It's all about the dogs," and I tend to agree, but in my line of work, I'd add, "It's all about the kids."
Speaking of kids...here's a "small world" story for you. One of my students kept insisting that her uncle was going to be at the Iditarod, too, and "maybe you'd see him there." Realizing this is an event where spectators from all across the world line virtually every street in downtown Anchorage, I simply brushed her kind assertions off. Well then, with the help of social media, can you guess who I met within minutes of walking into the banquet hall? Yep, that sweet little ginger's uncle! It's a small Iditarod world after all!