Icewind's Ramblings

Our world of global communication and almost instant access to anything you could imagine shows us once again how much has changes in the last 56 years since the earthquake in Alaska in 1964. The news captured almost everything except an undersea camera of the earthquake itself.   Within seconds there were videos of the shaking in many areas in Japan and shortly thereafter the incredible videos of the tsunami wave coming on shore and devouring everything in its path.   The push of the wave with the debris swirling carrying vehicles, boats, buildings, and anything else in its path inland.   One report said the wave went over six miles across the mainland before retreating back out into the ocean. There were sixty to 80 foot ships being pushed on their side and hitting a bridge along with twenty or thirty vehicles which looked like a Hollywood disaster movie.   This was real and the shot of all the houses and cars swept away with the water on fire from the natural...

The Race restarted Sunday afternoon at 2 PM Alaska Standard Time (AST) in Willow on the frozen lakebed with another throng of people waving, hollering, and wishing well their favorite musher on to Nome. They ran through the night and into the bright sun of an Alaskan spring morning as the leaders headed into the Alaska Range and climbed their way to Rainy Pass.   Several of the mushers are on a blistering pace to Rohn checkpoint an abandoned cabin which is about 200 miles into the 1,150 mile race to Nome.   Robert Bundtzen with his 16 dogs arrived in Rohn at 5:17 PM with defending champion Lance Mackey arriving just 18 minutes later but after his time check was off again and back on the trail headed to the Farewell Burn. Other events of the day . . . 5 time Iditarod champion Rick Swenson crashed on the Happy Valley River steps leading into Rainy Pass and is considering his options after it was confirmed he appears to have a broken collarbone.   He should decide sh...