There are three things I must take care of when I arrive at a checkpoint; check in, get the books, and find a place to sleep.  Today in White Mountain the first two were easy, but the checkpoint looked a little crowded, so I thought I’d wait to find a place to sleep.

After landing by bush plane on the White River (which was very cool!), I checked in with the Iditarod communications folks, picked up the books and headed up White Mountain to make my delivery.  The Anchorage Municipal Library mails a box of books to each school along the Iditarod Trail.  It is a wonderful gesture and it is my privilege to deliver the books.  The principal of White Mountain School, Andy Haviland, introduced me to each classroom.  When we arrived at Cheryl Silcox’s combined first and second grade they were in the middle of writing a song about the Iditarod.  The artist in residence, Ellen Frankenstein, allowed me to jump right in and sing a couple of songs with the children from my Idita-Tunes.  Ellen specializes in videography, so she filmed the teacher, students, and I singing and moving to, Iditarod, Iditarod, A Dog Sled Race.  We had a blast!

As I was walking back to the checkpoint I started thinking about where I should sleep tonight.  On the trail it’s best to work these things out long before bedtime.  My sleeping arrangements are pretty special tonight; I have deluxe accommodations right beside the checkpoint.  I have a mattress on a platform bed in my own room…behind bars!  I’m spending the night in the town jail and all I can say is, “The Jailhouse Rocks!”

P.S.  The jail has been offered to the Iditarod for guests staying in White Mountain.