MAR 2, 13 .. THE FIRST SATURDAY IN MARCH !

Today .. Saturday .. March 2, 2013 .. is the FIRST Saturday in March ..

SO?

In the United States .. way up Northwest of Canada in the State of Alaska .. the first Saturday in March is a special day!

In Alaska .. the first Saturday in March is the beginning of ..

The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race !

I have to giggle about my friends in India .. they have no clue as to what a sled dog is .. let alone a sled dog race .. let alone one that is 1,049 miles in length (1,690 Kms) and that has quite a history dating back to the early 1970s!  You all can ‘google’ it and learn more at the website .. iditarod.com.  There  you can  follow the race as it progresses!

Fifteen years ago .. in 1998 .. March 7^th was the first Saturday in March .. I was a volunteer associated with the race.   During January and February of 1998, I worked the pre-race in Anchorage, Alaska.  In early March I went to Nome, Alaska, for the conclusion of the 1998 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog race.  Jeff King won the race in 1998 and I met many friends that I still am friends with today, including my Doctor!  .. Robert W. Bundtzen MD .. who starts today’s race in position number 23.  Now you all can root for Dr. Bundtzen who has raced the Iditarod twelve times finishing all twelve races he started.

A lot of youngsters (and young-at-heart Adults too)  follow the Iditarod through a feature called .. Teacher on the Trail.  

Go to .. iditarod.com .. and toward the top and left of the home page ‘click’ onto Education (between Videos and Insider) .. a drop down box will take you to the Education Portal and there you will find the Teacher on the Trail .. in 2013 . . Linda Fenton.

Speaking of youngsters .. back in 1998 in Nome Alaska, I was in charge of the telephone room that answers telephone calls about the race.   I desperately needed some ‘volunteers’ because I was running out of people who were willing to answer the incoming telephone calls.  So out I went into the crowd at the finish line.  I spotted a couple with a young son in tow.  Putting my hands on the shoulders of the gentleman and his wife .. I said to these total strangers! ..

“How would you all like to be part of the race?  I need people to answer the telephones!” .. looking back at me the two of them  sort of stammered and said in reply .. “Could our 12-year old son assist?” .. I said “Sure!  He would be perfect to talk to other children who call us!”

And into the office we four trotted .. me with three ‘volunteers’ (hostages?).

Have you heard of .. Mister Paul Harvey?

Paul Harvey (who passed away on February 28, 2009) was a famous radio broadcaster in the United States!  On his radio shows .. Paul Harvey had a feature that he called .. “The Rest of the Story!” .. in which he held you on the edge-of-your-seat with stories about people and outcomes in their lives.

SO?

 

Would YOU like to hear .. “The Rest of the Story!” ?

WELL HERE IS .. ‘THE REST OF THE STORY!’ ..

Four (4) years after I put my hands onto their shoulders and ‘invited’ the above three to volunteer ‘in’ the 1998 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race .. 

The gentleman ENTERED! .. and FINISHED! ..  The 2002 Iditarod as a first-time-rookie in the race!

The next time you are in Kennesaw, Georgia, look at the city limit signs as you enter town .. the last time I was in Kennesaw there was a green sign that PROCLAIMED! ..

Kennesaw Georgia .. Home of Bill Borden .. the only man from Georgia to enter and finish the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.

BILL AND BRENDA AND JORDAN! .. What a joy you have been in my life!

 All in all .. at least in Alaska! .. The Iditarod is a big deal!

Signing Off From Pondicherry India .. Far Away From The Snow Of Alaska .. 

THANKING YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST HERE! .. Cap ..