Icewind's Ramblings

For something a little different . . . Iditarod 38 is ‘over’ with a champion crowned but there are still 16 teams on the trail heading for Nome .  After the excitement of the race to be first there are some other interesting stories and things beginning to show up that I think you will like.  These videos were provided by SP Kennel’s Aliy Zirkle (finished 16 th Team Red) & her husband musher Allen Moore (finished 35 th Team Black) on their website, from YouTube, and KTUU Channel 2 News.  These video clips will give you a sled’s eye view of what it is to run the Iditarod, the beauty of the countryside, the solitude and loneliness of no one around for miles except your dogs . . . and possibly the wild animals in the Alaskan wilderness.  Please take the time to Enjoy! This before the start of Iditarod 38 is a KTUU Channel 2 interview with Aliy Zirkle who has ran the Iditarod since 2001 when I first moved to Alaska .  She was the first woman to win the Y...

I’ve been fascinated with the Iditarod for many years now and spent some time around current and former mushers who over the years given me different insights into this crazy and wonderful sport. In the first days out from the Willow restart as you leave the relative flat terrain around the Parks Highway and start the climb into the Alaska Range and the white knuckle experience heading down the steps into Dalzell Gorge. The miles covered these days are very exciting.  Martin Buser has said, "It takes 2 days to climb to the top of the range and less than two hours to get down the other side."  I’ve wondered why these people endure the conditions found on the trail and what it takes for one to run in the Iditarod.  Courage would have to be toward the to of the list, the love of the outdoors and spending endless hours alone with the forces of mother nature . . . both good and bad.  Those traits with a love for dogs, and you have the makings for a musher. If yo...

It’s March again which means it is time again for “The Last Great Race” . . . The Iditarod, pitting men, women and their dogs against the extreme and many times harsh elements and terrain of the Alaskan wilderness.  Over a thousand mile distance to work out the rhythm of the dogs and one’s inner self in a place that sometimes defies description. From humble beginnings to a world class sporting event.   The Iditarod trail began as a sled dog trail to carry mail and supplies to and from coastal mining towns.  In 1925, a group of sled dog tag teams used the trail to deliver anti-diphtheria vaccine from a hospital in Anchorage to the then-isolated community of Nome .  Historian Dorothy Page and musher Joe Redington Sr. in 1967 organized a shorter race to commemorate the use of the trail.  The first long race from Anchorage to Nome was in 1973. What some have called the "ultimate marathon" but the distance is only part of what differentiates the Iditarod fro...

I’ve spent the last two days in an orientation class for job I recently started.  I was supposed to go to one in mid December but with the holidays it was cancelled until after the first of the year. I was able to start work for several weeks and as Monday approached I was starting to dread having to stop for two days to attend a class.  It had elements about the company and our mission.  There were lectures about the systems and the different divisions within our organization.  There were also several lectures (stories) about cultural differences within our staff and also our clients (patients/shareholders).  They were enlightening at times and showcased what makes this group of people somewhat unique in our fields of expertise. The class was filled with people from the four different divisions, some health care personnel with one doctor and six to eight nurses.  There were admin type people who worked in various clerical or billing type positions....

I was up late last night working on a couple of things for work and I had the television going in the background. I wasn’t really paying attention to it as it was on mainly to drown out the noise of the washer and dryer going behind me. Yes, I’m still writing from the laundry room . . . it’s great to have an office with peace and quiet so I can put all of my weird thoughts on paper. Sunday nights are usually a busy place in my ‘office’ as there are the final loads of laundry to be washed and dried. The constant folding of towels, underwear, and clothes along with the constant thumping sound of the washer drum as it needs a new belt and will bang the sides of the washer if things are slightly out of balance within the wash drum. It keeps me on my toes making sure it does not throw a belt. Anyway I am at a stopping point in one excel spreadsheet and was about to open another when I stopped to take a sip of my coffee. I will drink a cup or two late at night to he...

I had an interesting phone call from my daughter this afternoon. One I was not sure how I would react. She called today to let me know she is in the process of getting her orders for Iraq . She will probably do training to prepare for her Guard unit to deploy in a couple of months. Pride was my first reaction and then the thought of my daughter gaining a Life Experience only the few see first hand. Another briefly went through my mind was a daughter in combat . . . but I know she can handle anything put to her besides her training and attention to detail will carry her through. Its funny when she first joined I knew she understood what Duty, Honor, and Country meant and the sacrifices of leaving her husband and son during her times of deployment. Soon those will take on an added dimension to her life. One Friend Comes Home and another goes in to stand post. Cheers to both! Ice

Therapy is expensive . . . Popping bubble wrap is not . . . You choose! Ice

Or inside the Man’s brain. We’ve had a little fun with the elections lately and I’m sure there will be a little more in the next couple of weeks. We can move on to something a little different and give you maybe a laugh or two. I wanted to give the ladies a little insight into the makeup of the male being. Today, we’ll talk about how you can train your new hubby and possibly make him more obedient. Over the years I’ve observed or had some of these techniques used to make me into the man I am today. That may be good or bad depending on your perspective I guess. The key to your success in training your boyfriend or spouse is trying to understand how . . . and if . . . his mind works, and then incorporating that information with proven training techniques. Remember this . . . although your spouse likes treats, loves it when you rub his belly, and often chases the mailman down the street . . . he is not a dog and therefore does not think or react as a dog woul...