The number tells you the order they are listed which determines the order they draw for starting positions and bib numbers. We won’t know their bib numbers until the numbers are announced at the Musher Banquet before the start of the race. The musher’s last name is listed first. Click the musher’s last name to read more about the musher. The M or F before the name of the location stands for male or female. A veteran has finished the race before and a rookie has not finished the race. Some rookies have started the race before but others will be starting the race for the first time.

You can read this same chart at the 2009 Musher menu tab.

Hello Boys and Girls,

Libby was right! Saturday, June 28, was an exciting day at Iditarod Trail Headquarters. I couldn’t believe how many people joined together to share tales from the trail and celebrate the race.

Around 9:00 that morning, volunteers and mushers began arriving to celebrate the 2008 Iditarod.

The picnic is a time to thank volunteers for all of their dedication, support, and hard work which is so important to the race. Without their help, the race wouldn’t happen. Let me join in saying a big thanks to all of the volunteers. I know you are awesome!

It was fun to wander around through the crowd of volunteers and listen to the stories about what people did to help out during the race. Some of the volunteers worked in Anchorage, some at the restart in Wasilla, some along the trail at checkpoints, and some in Nome. Some volunteers worked before the race helping with the supply bags or doing other chores. Other volunteers helped after the race with the many cleaning up and organizing tasks that needed to be done. Some volunteers have been helping out for many years and some are new to volunteering.

Every volunteer job is an important job because every job plays a key role in making the race happen.

A favorite part for me that day was watching the volunteers meet up with each other just like they were at a family reunion. Why, come to think of it, it was a family reunion because we are all part of the Iditarod family!

The volunteers enjoyed talking to the mushers, too. I started counting all the mushers, but some were hard to recognize since they were wearing their summer clothes and not all their winter gear! Past champions, Iditarod veterans, and rookies gathered together, some sharing their own tales or advice from what they’d learned during the race.

The picnic is also an important day because it marks the start of the next Last Great Race, Iditarod. It is Sign Up Day! Mushers began turning in their paperwork and paying their fee so that they would be officially signed up for Iditarod 2009. You can view a list of the mushers who have signed up so far by clicking the 2009 Iditarod menu tab that is found at the home page of Iditarod’s website. (http://www.iditarod.com/race/musherlisting.html) Keep an eye on this list because as other mushers sign up for the race, their names will be added to the musher listing.

You can read about the fee and other race rules at the For Mushers menu tab found at the home page of Iditarod’s website. (http://www.iditarod.com/mushers)

After the picnic and the final mushers had signed up, drawings were announced for some prizes. As the picnic came to a close and the grounds cleared of people, I couldn’t help standing back and feeling so proud of all of the volunteers that work so hard all year long making Iditarod — the Last Great Race®.

Stay tuned, Boys and Girls, because the 2009 Iditarod is just around the trail. Get ready to read, write, learn, and follow the mushers from Anchorage to Nome.  Sanka W. Dog, Gypsy, Libby, and I will be posting lots of stories and articles for you to read, too!  Check back often!

Iditarod 2009 will begin on the first Saturday in March which this year will be on March 7, 2009.

How many mushers do you think will start the race? Make your prediction now and follow the action!

Lots of Tail Wags,

Zuma

I can’t wait for Saturday! Tons of people are going to be at Iditarod Headquarters because there is going to be a huge picnic. Many volunteers and mushers will be at the picnic so this is a time of Iditarod celebration!

Saturday also marks the start of the ‘next’ Iditarod season. Mushers who are at the picnic will be turning in their paper work and signing up for the next race.

Check back at the www.iditarod.com website soon and learn all about the picnic and the mushers who will be in the next race.

Just spinning some De’tails’!

Libby

It is summer time in Alaska. Mushers and dogs are planning for their next race.

Sign up for the next race begins on Saturday, June 28. Each year, on the last Saturday in June, there is a big celebration at Iditarod Headquarters. Race volunteers are invited to a delicious picnic at Iditarod Headquarters in Wasilla. Mushers come to the picnic, too. The entire parking lot fills up with dog trucks making the grounds of Iditarod Headquarters a very busy place.

The volunteers and race fans enjoy this day because it is a good time when they can talk to the mushers, get autographs, and even have pictures taken with mushers. This is a fun day that marks the start of the next race season.

The Iditarod Board also has a meeting that day. It is fun for volunteers to go to the meeting and share their thoughts with the board.

The most exciting part of the day is musher sign up!

The mushers have to fill out papers and pay a fee. The fee to run the race is $4000. Then they are officially signed up for the next race.

You can read about the rules of the race at the Iditarod website. Click on the tab that says, For Mushers.

Stay tune for more information about sign up day because your K-9 reporters are on the trail for news!
Just spinning some De’tails…

Libby

I know many of you, at least those of you in the northern hemisphere, are on summer vacation.  I hope that you are having a wonderful summer and that you are staying safe.  Summer is a great time to relax, but it is also a great time to read a book—  or to check Iditarod’s website to see what is going on.

It is tourist season here at Iditarod Headquarters.  Many motor coaches arrive each day, bringing people from all around the world to our museum and our store.  It is fun to watch the folks get out of the bus, take pictures, shop in our store, and go for cart rides.   People of all generations are enjoying their visit to headquarters.

Of course, one of the most fun parts about visiting is going for a cart ride.  Raymie Redington’s energetic sled dogs make many runs around the track each day.  My fur friends love getting their exercise this way.  They also enjoy all of the attention that they get from the visitors!

Did you know, Boys and Girls, that while you are enjoying the summer months, my fur friends are enjoying their summer, too.  But, they don’t get to go to the public swimming pool, go to the public library like you do, or go on a family vacation.  They don’t get to help with the summer chores that you help with, like helping to take care of the garden, mow the lawn, or other summer ‘human’ chores.   My fur friends don’t get to stay up late or sleep in like many of you do.  They don’t play baseball, soccer, or spend time on the Internet. My fur friends are busy and happy doing what they like best.

“What’s that?” you say.  They are busy and happy being sled dogs.  They eat healthy meals, exercise, and get plenty of rest.   They are in training for their next race.

Some of the sled dogs go to the glacier for the summer.  There, they meet lots of tourists and give rides.  This is all part of keeping the dogs in shape and healthy.

Other sled dogs stay at home at their kennel and although we don’t have snow in the summer, they pull wheeled carts.  Some of them give tourists rides.  Of course, many of them are on a less active training schedule, but it is important for athletes to stay in shape all year long.

Boys and Girls, now is a great time for you to explore Iditarod’s website.  There is a lot of information that you can read so that when the next race starts, you have all the information you need to enjoy following the race.

Watch for articles from Sanka W. Dog, Gypsy, Libby, and me over the next few months.  We’ve got lots of story ideas ready to share with you.  We can’t wait to start writing again!

Lots of Tail Wags,

Zuma

Wow! What interesting comments on the blog and email we got this year! We are always glad to hear from you and are now enjoying your letters and comments even more because it is so much fun to hear about the awesome projects that classrooms were involved in during the race. This email came to us from Michigan and we wanted to share it with all of our readers!

Hi Zuma,

We are the first graders at Pathfinder School and we are studying about Alaska and the Iditarod race and sled dogs. We ran our own Iditarod race around our school campus in the woods. We tied the race. Today we are having our musher’s and dog banquet. What is it like in Alaska when you are not at the Iditarod? Have you ever seen a moose? How many dog friends do you have? How did you get started being a reporter and why did it interest you? We wish you a Happy Spring!!!!

Love and Paw Prints to you,

From the Pathfinder School 1^st Grade in Traverse City, Michigan

Katia Arieanna Kathrine Cecilia Noah Isabella Madeline Lillian Jessica

Thanks for the letter, students!

I am sure your race was AWESOME and that you had a SLED BAG full of fun!

To answer your questions, when the race isn’t on, Alaska is as beautiful as during the race. There isn’t always snow, of course. In the spring and summer, our flowers are beautiful. I see moose often but I am always careful to stay far away from them. I have many, many, many, many fur friends. I’ve never counted how many but perhaps when I can’t fall asleep sometime, I’ll count my friends instead of sheep! Just like sled dogs are born runners, I think I was just born a reporter. I was always interested in writing and sharing thoughts and information with others.

I hope you have a great rest of the school year— boys and girls in Michigan and around the world!

Drop us ‘a line’ sometime and tell us about your end of the year Iditarod projects.

Lots of Tail Wags,

Zuma

Lots of the email that boys and girls sent us this year asked about what the dogs wore during the race. Here is a sample of one of our letters:

Dear K-9 Reporters,

Our class is following the race. We saw on the Insider Video that the mushers wear winter gear that keeps them very warm. We know that the dogs wear booties to protect their feet from getting cuts, but do the dogs wear any protective clothing?

Thanks,

Students in Mrs. Lockhart’s class
4^th Grade, Florida

Thanks for the question, students!

We all know that the dogs have natural coats that keep them warm. The dogs are used to the climate and weather conditions. Dogs that race in Iditarod are a northern breed, born and raised to be able to race in Alaska’s weather conditions.

But, sometimes, the dogs do wear coats to help keep a healthy body temperature. Sometimes at checkpoints when the dogs are resting on the straw, the musher cover them up with blankets, too.

Think about this, why would some dogs wear white coats and some dogs wear dark coats when they run? This would be a great question for a class discussion in science class.

Just spinning some de’tails’!

Libby

The race went so fast, didn’t it? It seems like it just gets started and suddenly it is all over!

Are you wondering what the dogs do once they get to Nome?

First, it is very exciting when a musher arrives in Nome. Fans line the street and take pictures of the musher and the team as they finish the race. There is a lot of cheering going on because everyone who finishes the race is a part of the race’s history and has met many important goals during the journey. In my book, any musher and team that finish the race is a ‘winner’!

Usually the musher’s family and the musher’s dog handlers meet the musher beneath the arch. All of the dogs get special pets and hugs. Usually, the dogs get special snacks, too. Sometimes, when the musher takes the dog’s booties off, the booties get tossed to the children who are standing along the fence and watching the finish of the race. The booties are great souvenirs from the race.

The officials who are in Nome greet the mushers and a required sled bag inspection is made while the media continues to take pictures. During this time, the dogs wag their tails and enjoy all of the attention.

Did you know that there are certain items that each musher has to carry in the sled bag? You can read about the list of required items by going to the For Musher’s link at www.iditarod.com and then, clicking on the ‘rules’ of the race.

Once the musher is declared as being an official finisher in the race, the press often interviews the musher. When all of the formality is over, the musher and the team are allowed to leave the area. The dogs go to the Nome dog lot, where veterinarians and dog handlers help the musher park the team. Before long, the dogs are having a delicious snack and resting comfortably at the dog lot. The veterinarians are always busy, examining the dogs and talking with the mushers.

When it is time to leave Nome, the dogs become passengers on airplanes. The musher makes the arrangements for his or her team to fly and off they go! Before long, the dogs are back at the musher’s kennel.

Just because Iditarod is over, doesn’t mean the race season is over. Some of the mushers enter other races. When the race season is over, the next training season will soon begin. The Iditarod dogs enjoy year round exercise to stay physically fit. My K-9 fur friends love to run!

Lots of Tail Wags,

Zuma

Now that the race is over- what’s next??? Many of you are busy writing the musher you followed in the race. I know you are really excited about that and many of you are hoping for a return letter and maybe even some goodies. Since the request for musher addresses has increased during the past week, I thought this would be a good time to go over some rules for writing.

First, if you ask for musher addresses, you will be emailed a form to fill out. This is fairly new. It will ask your name, school name (if your affiliated with a school), and email address. Please request the addresses by going to: djohnson@iditarod.com
You will not receive the addresses until you return the form.

There is not an address for every musher. Not all mushers are able to receive mail and/or are able to respond to mail. Please respect this. You can still write these mushers by sending their letters to Iditarod Headquarters at Letters for Mushers, Iditarod Trail Committee, PO BOX 870800, Wasilla, AK 99687-0800. Only send letters to Headquarters of the mushers who DO NOT have their addresses listed.  Each letter to a musher must be in an envelope with the musher’s name on it and postage on that envelope.  Send the envelopes in a larger envelope to the address above so that the letters can be mailed to mushers.  Mushers do not go to HQ for their mail, so if you do not follow those directions, letters will not be sent to mushers in a timely fashion.  The below tips should still be followed for these letters.

Here are a few tips when writing your letters.

• Make sure your letters are friendly and supportive.
• Don’t ask too many questions. First read the mushers bio on the Iditarod website and if the musher has a website, go there to see if you can find the answers to your questions. If you can’t, pick only one or two questions to ask.
• If you hope for a response you MUST send a self addressed stamped envelope with your letter. If your musher lives in another country (ie Canada, Norway etc), you must have the correct postage for that country.
• Don’t ask for booties, autographs, pictures or anything else. All these things cost the musher money to buy and send. It is unreasonable to expect the musher to send out these items. Some of them do, but don’t expect it.

Please remember that mushers receive hundreds of letters every year. It takes time for them to go through them and answer. Please be patient and realize the response may come during the summer.

I hope that helps everyone. Have fun writing to your favorite musher.

Gypsy