Race_Updates |
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Iditarod 2001 Updates for Jerome Longo 
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Monday, March 19, 2001
***CONGRATULATIONS***CONGRATULATIONS***CONGRATULATIONS*** Jerome and the Team Complete 5th Consecutive Iditarod! I'm pleased to announce that Jerome and the Team have arrived in Nome completing the 1161 mile 2001 Iditarod Sled Dog Race in 12 Days, 16 hours and 42 minutes! Congratulations on their 5th consecutive finish. Jerome and the team finished in 32nd place out of 68 teams with 8 Dogs! I spoke to Jerome briefly, (he was pretty tired!), and he was elated to be in Nome and was extremely proud of his team. He said he had never seen rougher trail and weather conditions, especially in the second half of the race. The 150 mile run along the Yukon river was in his words "brutal". The wind was relentless and the usually marked trail was nonexistent, requiring the team to make new trail, (called breaking trail), as they went. "Everything took twice as long to do", he said. He also said that he had never seen his dogs work harder. No one expected the conditions to be that bad and he said he missed the bad weather by about 10 hours. I'm planning to talk with him again today after he's had some well deserved rest and some hot food! I'll keep you posted!
A big welcome and hello to our latest Team 2001 Sponsors. We are so grateful to have you on the team this year! We truly could not do the race without your generous help and support! Welcome 2001 Starting Line Sponsor: The Squatrito Family of Manchester, CT - Their second year as a Starting Line Sponsor! Dominic, Carla, Sandro and Sergio, a great family! From my family to yours, thank you so very much! Welcome 2001 Checkpoint Sponsors: Ed Pontacoloni of Windsor, CT - A fisherman extraordinaire and a new member to the team. Thank you Ed for your generous support of this years team! Bill and Carolyn Chaney of Clinton, CT - True friends of the four legged and owners of Rosie the ! Our very best and most sincere thanks for your help this year! The D"Eramo Family of Avon, CT - Their fifth year as a Checkpoint Sponsor! Thank you very much for your continued support of Jerome and the team! A special hello to Freckles! Welcome 2001 Dog Adoption Sponsors: The Herlihy Family of Cheshire, CT - Sponsoring Spaz this year! Thank you very much for your help! Bettina Bronisz and daughter Siobhan of Manchester, CT - Sponsoring Laura this year. A five time sponsor, thank you so much! The Kall Family of Kensington, CT - Sponsoring Monster this year! Another 5 time sponsor Thank you so much for all your help! Hi Matt and Ben!!!! Welcome 2001 Booty and Jacket Sponsors: The Bradley Family of West Hartford, CT - Five time Sponsors! Thank you all for your help again this year! Bill and Mary Grazen of East Granby, CT - Another 5th year sponsor! Real dog lovers! Thank you both for your help! Arthur House of Simsbury, CT - A fellow Silk City native, (Manchester, CT) and a fifth year sponsor! Thank you Arthur! Jeanine McConnell of Manchester, CT - Sponsoring Rascal this year! Did she know when she was babysitting Jerome that he'd someday run the Iditarod? Thanks Jeanine! The Verbridge Family, Scott, Roxanne and daughter Taylor Marie of Granby, CT - Welcome to the team and thank you very much for your help. Scott and Jerome went to school together. In Scott's yearbook Jerome wrote, "Alaska here I come" Welcome 2001 Mile Sponsors: Bob and Betty Russell of Kennebunkport, Maine - Sponsoring miles 1151 to 1161! Probably the hardest 100 miles! Thank you both for your help. See you this summer! The Daigle Family of Burlington, CT - Another 5 time race sponsor! Thank you very much for all your help! John and Marcia Murphy of Lyme, CT - Thank you very much for your help. We're so pleased you're on the team! Mrs. Jean Hanor of Essex, CT - Thank you Jean for your help this year. Welcome to the team! Eddy Vandenberghe of Hoevenen, Belgium - Eddy found Jerome on the Internet! Thank you Eddy for your help this year and welcome to the team. Welcome 2001 Junior Husky Sponsors!! - A Very Special Husky Welcome to all of You! Aaron Daigle of Burlington, CT - Rascal. Thank you Aaron! Erika Daigle of Burlington, CT - Sweetie Pi. A perfect name for you! Alexander Daigle of Burlington, CT - Monster. Thank you Alexander! Taylor Marie Verbridge of Granby, CT - Willow. Thank You Taylor Marie! Siobhan McIhoney of Manchester, CT - Laura. Thank you Siobhan! Brock Alosky of Coventry, CT - Rascal. Thanks Brock! You Rascal you! Reid Alosky of Coventry, CT - Spaz. Thanks Reid! Your Mom picked it! Maxwell Alosky of Coventry, CT - Monster. Thanks Max! Just perfect! Matt Kall of Kensington, CT - Monster! Thanks Matt! Ben Kall of Kensington, CT - Monster! Thanks Ben Thank You All So Very Much!!!! John R. Longo President & CEO On-Site Support Services Corporation 2096 Silas Deane Highway Rocky Hill, CT 06067-2347 USA 860.563.3906 Office 860.563.0623 Facsimile 860-305-4734 Mobile jlongo@on-site-support.com Thursday, March 15, 2001
Good Morning Race Fans! Well another exciting and nail biting day, (and evening) yesterday waiting for Jerome and the team to do the 90 mile run from Kaltag to Unalakleet and then Shatoolik to Koyuk, (58 miles). It's a particularly difficult run because the previous two checkpoints were also long distances, 60 miles (Grayling to Eagle Island) and 70 miles, (Eagle Island to Kaltag). In addition, the weather has been just about as brutal as it can get. High winds, (20-30MPH) with drifting snow and temperatures in the minus 10-15 region. Frostbite is a real concern and can occur within 30 seconds of exposure to bare skin. Running on the frozen sea ice of the Norton Sound offers no place to hide from the weather. This traditionally is where the teams are the most tired and the race tends to slow a bit. Jerome's team has experience with these conditions and continues to mush on to Nome. At this writing, there is more snow in the forecast but the winds have died down a bit. I'm sure the team will be relieved to leave the sea ice and move inland to the Elim checkpoint. I'm also certain that the dogs are aware they are close to Nome and once inland should speed up a bit. IditaGlance as of 8:15Am EST March 15, 2001 Jerome and the team are resting in the Koyuk Checkpoint and is currently in 29th place out of 57 teams still running, (9 teams have scratched and 2 have withdrawn). Team Strength: 10 Dogs The Team has completed 990 miles with 171 miles to go! The Team will take their last mandatory 8 hour rest at the White Mountain Checkpoint. Distance to next Checkpoint, (Elim): 48 Miles Weather: Snow expected today with a high of 15 degrees and a low of 3. Winds are currently at 8MPH. IditaGear: The Parka With weather conditions ranging from 40 degrees to minus 40 degrees, your parka is a particularly important piece of gear. It is designed to protect you from the wind, and keep you warm and dry. The hand made parka has hood and sleeves lined with Wolf fur as it will not freeze even when wet. Large pockets both inside and out, allow Jerome to keep a plethora of gear close at hand like the battery pack for his headlamp, snacks for the dogs, gloves, goggles, and matches. I've put Jerome's parka on and the first thing you notice is how thick and heavy it is. It also tends to restrict your movement a bit as it comes down to your knees. But when it's cold and your sleeping outside in some of the coldest weather anywhere, I'm sure its your best friend! IditaQuestions: Q: Can the teams use a Global Positioning Satellite device, (GPS), to keep track of their location? A: No, the use of GPS devices is forbidden. A compass however is allowed. Q: What are the dogs booties made of? A: There are many different materials used to make booties. Most are made with a heavy nylon to protect the dogs feet and secured using stretch velcro. Jerome will use about 1400 booties during the race. Q: How much sleep does Jerome get? A: Not much! Most mushers suffer from sleep deprivation. After pulling over for a rest, the team is unhitched from the sled, hay is spread for them to sleep on, depending on the weather either blankets or dog jackets are used, liniment oil is rubbed on their feet and legs, leg warmers are put on, and then food preparation begins. This entails putting together the cooker and starting a fire to boil snow for water. Once the dogs are watered, their food is prepared and served. When they're finished, the dog bowls need to be washed and stowed. Then Jerome gets to make his own food, eat, and cleanup everything and get the sled repacked. On the average, for every 6 hours of rest the team gets, Jerome gets 2 hours of sleep! Stay Tuned for More!!!! Tuesday, March 13, 2001
As you know, Jerome gets to the race each year because of your generosity. Without your help we simply couldn't do it. I'm pleased and very grateful to announce our latest sponsors of the 2001 Iditarod Team: Yesterday we received a donation of $1500.00 from this years "Team 2001 Top Dog Sponsor", Stanley J. Swierzewski III, MD, CEO of Healthcommunities.com, Inc. Healthcommunities.com®, Inc., a privately held company founded in 1998, provides innovative online resources for health care consumers and professionals. Healthcommunities.com has 15 medical specialty Web channels, including UrologyChannel.com™, WomensHealthChannel.com™, and AlternativeMedicineChannel.com™. The content for each channel is developed and monitored by medical specialists, and provides information and resources that help patients learn more about their conditions. Visitors to the site can chat online with board-certified physician specialists, as well as with others who may share the same health concerns. Visit us today at www.healthcommunities.com to take part in our Physician Developed and Monitored™ online community providing medical information and resources in a trusted environment. They are featured in the Inc. Magazine Technology Issue, available at newsstands now! To Dr. Swierzewski and all the staff at Healthcommunities.com, a 16 dog Husky salute for your generosity!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We can't thank you enough! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Welcome Starting Line Sponsors! A big hello and welcome to all our friends at Camilleri & Clarke Associates of Wethersfield, CT, specializing in Risk Management and Insurance Services for Attorneys, Accountants, Engineers, and Architects, www.camillericlarke.com. Thank you all very much and welcome to the team! We received another Starting Line Sponsorship from our good friend Barbara Wolak. This is Barbara's 5th year as a Starting Line Sponsor. She has been to Alaska to see the race several times and rode in Jerome's sled for the IditaRider program in 2000. She's a huge sled dog racing enthusiast and dog lover. A true fan of the Iditarod, Barbara doesn't get much sleep until she knows Jerome arrives in Nome! Thank you Barbara, you're the best !!!!!!!!!!! Welcome Checkpoint Sponsors! Ed & Diane O'Reilly - As I reported earlier Ed's firm, Basic Innovations, www.basici.com is hosting Jerome's website free of charge. If that wasn't enough the O'Reilly's are also a 5 time checkpoint sponsor. See you both at the parade and thank you very much for all you do. John Nussbaum - This is John's 3rd year as a checkpoint sponsor and we're so pleased to have you on the team again this year. Thank you very much for your continued support of Jerome and Team 2001! Jim and Anne Schoff - Our friends from the great state of Ohio and two time checkpoint sponsor! It's great to have you aboard again this year. Thank you very much! Welcome Dog Adoption Sponsors! Dave, Dominique, Matt (my godson!) and Ben Kall - 5 time Dog Adoption Sponsors! And their pick this year.......Monster! Thank you so much for your help again this year! Dave is also my official race mathematician! Christine Anderson - Christine is a 5 time Dog Adoption Sponsor. And her pick......Sweetie Pi! Christine has a personal connection to the team. Her dog Lobo (who can actually say his name!) lives with Jerome in Alaska. Thanks Christine!! Welcome Dog Jacket and Booty Sponsors! Bob and Elizabeth Russell of Kennebunkport, Maine. This is the Russell's second year on the team! Thank you both very much! See you this summer! The Bradley Family, Rohan, Debbie, and sons Trevor, Colin and Conor of West Hartford, CT - 5 time sponsors of the team, thank you so much! Welcome Mile Sponsors! Don and Wendy Brunelle of Burlington, CT, a 5th year sponsor! Thank you so much for your help again this year! For more information on how you can help the team please visit Jerome's website at www.jeromelongo.com.com and click on the Sponsorships button, or feel free to contact me by email phone or fax! To all of you our most heartfelt thanks! John R. Longo President & CEO On-Site Support Services Corporation 2096 Silas Deane Highway Rocky Hill, CT 06067-2347 USA 860.563.3906 Office 860.563.0623 Facsimile 860-305-4734 Mobile jlongo@on-site-support.com
Hello fellow mushing fans! Bad weather, bad weather and more bad weather is the crux of today's update. It was described by one musher as a fine snow in heavy gusty winds stinging your face like sand. And this is fun? This section of the trail is 62 miles of solid ice on the Yukon River, some of which is over 5 feet thick. It's relatively open with not many barriers to block the wind and snow. Add to this that most teams will be running in the dark makes for keeping on the trail that more difficult for both the driver and the dogs. Regardless, the team continues to push on to Nome. There is one good piece of news. Jerome is an extreme weather, cold weather camping expert. He has spent many a -50 degree night in a tent. Along the trail he sleeps outside with no tent! His dogs are also no strangers to the cold. With their thick coats, they are engineered for cold weather. For added comfort, Jerome has custom made polar fleece and nylon dog jackets. Combined with leg warmers used while resting and a bed of fresh hay and booties, these athletes are kept quite comfortable. I'd like to dedicate this Race Update to the Iditarod Volunteer Army Corps, Sewing, Knitting and Baking Battalion, Fort Longo, Connecticut. What is it you ask? Let's take a closer look at some of these brave soldiers and their valuable contribution to the race: Special Forces Baking, Company 1: JAN ALOSKY - MAGIC COOKIE BARS, CHEWY WALNUT BARS PETE ALOSKY - CHICKEN & BEEF JERKY JEANINE ALOSKY - SUGAR COOKIES JUDY O'CONNELL MOTT - PUMPKIN CAKES MOM - TOMATO SOUP CAKES, CHOCOLATE MARBLE CAKES, DEVIL'S FOOD CAKES PAM & JIM LONGO - TONS OF BROWNIES, BANANA BREADS LORI ANASTASIA - AUNT DAISY'S POUND CAKE KYRSTEN MILIOS - BANANA BREAD Special Forces Sewing and Knitting, Company 1: Sewing: RUTH ANASTASIA - HAND MITTS MOM - HAND MITTS, DOG JACKETS, DOG LEG WARMERS, ARM WARMERS, DOG BLANKETS, DROP BAGS VARIOUS SIZES JAN ALOSKY - HAND MITTS, DOG LEG WARMERS Knitting: SYLVIA EWING - WRIST CUFFS FOR ARM WARMERS PAT BURNS - WRIST CUFFS FOR ARM WARMERS All joking aside, thank you all very much! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- IditaGlance as of 11:08PM March 12, 2001: Jerome left the Eagle Island checkpoint and is listed in 30th place out of 58 teams. (9 teams have scratched and one has withdrawn). Team Strength: 11 Dogs The team has completed 732 miles with 429 miles to go! Distance to next checkpoint, (Kaltag): 70 miles. Weather, Snow. Temperature 15 degrees, with winds gusting 10-20MPH. Stay Tuned!!!! Monday, March 12, 2001
jlongo@on-site-support.com wrote on 3/11/01 11:40 pm: Hello Racing Fans! It's been very exciting since I wrote you last. In a nutshell, the trail has been extremely difficult. Jerome and the team have endured knee deep overflow, (that's where running water flows on top of a frozen river!), 40 mile head winds on the Yukon river, and a couple of ground blizzards! This the second half of the race, is where the endurance of both the team and it's driver are tested to the extreme. Since the last update Jerome and the team have been reported from 21st to 41st position. And just when I thought he was slowing down, they ran a 90 mile section faster than any other team putting him in 21st. His strategy has been very focused on keeping the team happy and healthy by providing rest before the long runs between checkpoints. This should serve him well. The team has completed 260 miles since the last update, approximately the distance between Hartford, CT and Atlantic City, NJ.! And you think that's a long car ride! The skill and stamina necessary to run in this type of race is remarkable...truly the Last Great Race on Earth! IditaGlance as of 10:40PM EST, March 11, 2001: Jerome left the Grayling checkpoint and is listed in 30th place out of 59 teams, (8 teams have scratched and one has withdrawn). Team Strength: 11 Dogs The team has completed 672 miles with 489 miles to go! The team has completed both the mandatory 24 and 8 hour rests. Distance to next checkpoint, (Eagle Island): 60 miles Weather: -5 degrees Fahrenheit, snow forecasted until late Tuesday. Winds gusting to 13 MPH. IditaGear: The Sled Jerome picked up his coastal sled at the McGrath checkpoint. This sled differs from his starting sled in that it is shorter, thinner and lighter. It also has a bike seat which allows Jerome to sit on the longer runs. He's somehow learned to nap while sitting and not fall off the sled! The sled also includes a brake pedal important in slowing the team down around hairpin turns, while going downhill, and pulling into checkpoints. There is also a snow hook, and anchor of sorts. It's a claw shaped 3-5 lb double hook designed to anchor the sled when the team stops. Jerome has also used it to throw it around a tree as a last resort to stop an out of control sled. Lastly is the sled bag, chock full of gear, food, booties, clothes and the mandatory gear. IditaQuestions: Can the musher get help caring for the dogs at the checkpoint? No. Other than assistance by the race veterinarians present at each checkpoint, no outside assistance of any kind can be provided. What is a wheel dog? A Wheel dog is a team member whose position is closest to the sled. They are usually very strong legged and hipped dogs as they are required to slow down the team around corners in order to prevent the sled from flying off the trail. We've posted all the photographs of Jerome and the team on the web site, www.jeromelongo.com. We're also planning to have a live chat with Jerome sometime after his arrival back in Talkeetna. I guess we'll let him catch up on his sleep first! Stay tuned for more. HIKE! Sunday, March 11, 2001
jlongo@on-site-support.com wrote on 3/8/01 11:10 am: Well for any of you who are following the race you have to be wondering....... has Jerome stopped? The answer is a simple one, he's decided to take his 24 hour mandatory rest. Otherwise known as the Iditarod Time Warp! All mushers in the race are required to take a 24 rest at any checkpoint they choose. Most decide to take it at the McGrath checkpoint. It's a relatively well equipped village with a grocery store, restaurant, and public telephone! It's as close to a metropolis as your going to find on the trail. As a result Jerome will fall back in the standings. His actual 24 hour rest will be adjusted to about 22 hours because an adjustment is made as a result of him leaving 51st from the starting line. There may be another issue as well. It took the team 12 hours to go 48 miles from Nikolai to McGrath. He could have a broken sled, dog problems, a run in with a moose just to name a few! Reports from the trail between Rohn and Nikolai were pretty bad. 50 miles of the 93 mile run was on dirt, mud and glare ice. Several mushers broke their sleds and one got lost! We received some new pictures courtesy of Jane Fern in Alaska of Jerome at the starting line. They should be posted on his web site, www.jeromelongo.com sometime today. IditaGlance as of 9:40AM EST March 8, 2001 Jerome is resting at the McGrath checkpoint and is currently listed in 39th place out of 64 teams, (3 teams have scratched and one team has withdrawn from the race). Team Strength: 13 dogs The team has completed 413 mile with 748 miles to go! Distance to next checkpoint, (Takotna) is 23 miles. Weather: Cloudy with light snow. Visibility 9 miles. Calm winds. Temperature +28 F. IditaGear: Today I'd like to focus on what's in Jerome's sled. The Iditarod Trail Committee requires the following items be in the sled at all times: Proper cold weather sleeping bag weighing a minimum of 5 lbs. Axe, head to weigh a minimum of 5 lbs., handle to be at least 22" long. One pair of snowshoes with bindings, each snowshoe to be at least 252 square inches in size. Any promotional material provided by the Iditarod Trail Committee, (his official bib and musher mail). Eight booties for each dog in the sled or in use. One operational cooker and pot capable of boiling at least three gallons of water. Veterinarian notebook, to be presented to the veterinarian at each checkpoint. In addition, Jerome carries: Additional clothing such as gloves, hats, socks and boot liners. Dog food, about two pounds of food per dog, and snacks for the dogs, (frozen tuna fish brownies, beaver meat squares, turkey skins, frozen salmon....yummie!) Food and snacks for Jerome! Extra set of batteries for his headlamp. Dog jackets in the event of cold weather. Cooking fuel for his cooker. All in all, with Jerome on the sled, it can way 200-300 pounds! More IditaLinks: http://www.jeromelongo.com/Sponsorship/sponsorship.html - A direct link to Jerome's sponsorship information, how to donate, etc. http://www.jeromelongo.com/Sponsors/sponsors.html - A list of current sponsors and volunteers. http://www.jeromelongo.com/Shop___Support/shop___support.html - A list of shopping sites like Amazon.com. and Priceline.com where a portion of what you buy goes to Jerome at no additional cost to you. http://www.adn.com/iditarod/ - Alaska Daily News Iditarod site If time permits I plan on providing a quick Iditarod Time Warp update once he completes his 24 hour rest. Stay tuned! Wednesday, March 07, 2001
Well it was a long evening waiting for Jerome and the team to complete the 93 mile run from Rohn to Nikolai. With the prescribed 6 hour run and 6 hour rest schedule, he left Nikolai at 10:00PM EST last night on his way to McGrath after a one hour rest. IditaGlance as of 8:40AM EST March 7th: Jerome has left the Nikolai checkpoint and is currently in 22nd place out of 66 teams, traveling an average of 5.89 miles per hour including rest! Team Strength: 13 Dogs The team has completed 365 miles with 796 miles to go! Distance to next Checkpoint, (McGrath) - 48 Miles Weather Conditions: Cloudy with flurries. Visibility 8 miles. East wind at 5 mph. Temperature +25 F I've compiled a list below of helpful sites if you'd like more information on the race. www.jeromelongo.com Jerome's official website packed with photos, dog information, race updates, sponsorship info and lots more! www.iditarod.com The official web site for the race. http://www.iditarod.com/currentprintversion.shtml Quick link to current standings from the Iditarod official web site. www.dogsled.com A great web site with a ton of information. www.cabelasiditarod.com Another good site with a large photo and video album and the best maps of any site. www.aprn.org Alaska Public Radio News with daily audio updates and a more local angle on the race. IditaGear: As you can imagine, the race requires very specialized gear. This is a new section where I will explain some of the different pieces of equipment Jerome and the team require. Headlamps: Most teams, including Jerome prefer to race when it's dark. The wind is usually less active, the trail tends to be harder and therefore faster, the temperature is cooler, and the dogs are less distracted. At the same time Jerome needs to keep the trail in sight to avoid danger thus making the headlight one of the most critical pieces of equipment used on the trail.This year Jerome is sporting headlamps made right here in Connecticut. These headlamps are designed and manufactured by The Easter Seals Greater Hartford Rehabilitation Center using disabled workers. They are capable of providing almost 20 hours of continuous light, (300 candle power for you techies) on just 4 lithium batteries. Traditional headlamps made by any other company provide almost half the light and burn time. The Headlight Company not only provides headlamps for Jerome, they are also used by many fire departments across the country, the U.S. Forest Service, and the Australian Navy to name a few! A big team salute to all our friends at the Headlight Company for their hard work! Have a question about the race? Send me an email at jlongo@on-site-support.com. In the next race update I will be answering your questions. Go Jerome Go!!!! Tuesday, March 06, 2001
Hello everyone! Welcome to the start of this years coverage of the Iditarod 2001 race. Brother Jerome and his 2001 team of 16 dogs left this past Saturday from Willow en route to Nome. The goal is for a top twenty finish this year and he says he has the best dog team he's ever had. First and foremost, many, many thanks to all of you who have so generously sponsored Jerome and the team to date. As you know, without your help we simply couldn't do it. We have sponsorships at every level and we urgently need your help. My goal is to raise $15,000 (about half what it costs to run the race!), by the time Jerome arrives in Nome. Some interesting "IditaFacts" about this year's race: Jerome is running in his fifth consecutive Iditarod and is the only Connecticut native ever to run the Iditarod. Since 1997 he's logged over 5,500 Iditarod miles. (Does anyone know anything that is 5500 miles long? It would sure make for some interesting trivia.) We've got a new website, www.jeromelongo.com. There you can find dog information, race updates, maps, sponsorship information and photos from the race to name just a few. Total team training hours preparing for the race is more than the last two races combined. This update is being e-mailed to over 400 people and 30 schools from around the country, and faxed to over 80 people. The Iditarod is a bit longer this year at 1,161 miles along the "Southern Route". You'll also see a couple of new young dogs on this years team. All in all it should be a very exciting race and as usual, I will be up for most of the next ten days trying give you the latest from the trail, the team and Jerome. Here's today's update: IditaGlance as of 5:17Pm EST: Position: 29th place out of 68 teams. Traveling an average of 10.47 miles per hour! Jerome is on his way from the Rohn checkpoint to Nikolai a distance of 93 miles. This is the longest distance between any two checkpoints along the course. He's completed 272 miles with 889 miles to Nome. The current team strength is 13 dogs. My guess is that the 3 rookie dogs have been dropped. Weather: Mostly Cloudy, Visibility 10 miles, North wind at 10 mph, Temperature 28 F. This is pretty good mushing weather, a bit colder would be better. Most mushers will tell you there team runs better at zero degrees! Welcome 2001 IditaSponsors! The Kelly Family for their Fifth Year as a Finishing Line Sponsor! The Armenia Family for their Second Year as a Finishing Line Sponsor! Jack and Laurie Heflin for their Second Year as a Finishing Line Sponsor! The Perna Family, 2001 Iditarod Finishing Line Sponsors! Nick Roach and everyone at The Chemical Company, for their Fifth Year as a Starting Line Sponsor! Larry Timmerman, 2001 Starting Line Sponsor! The Jamestown School, Jamestown Rhode Island, 2001 Checkpoint Sponsor, courtesy of Nick Roach of The Chemical Company! Ernie Strom, 2001 Iditarod Checkpoint Sponsor! Thank You all very much for your generosity! That's it for now but I'll keep you posted! |