Banquets, Tourists, Sarah Palin...Oh my!

They say all good things must come to an end…

After an amazing sunset sled ride, the team and I headed to Anchorage for the last part of our Iditarod adventure. Pictures of the ride below...videos to come later!

 We arrived in Anchorage pretty late on Wednesday night and decided that we would just go to the hotel sleep, and explore the city on Thursday. Thursday was so fun, for the first time in Alaska I felt like an actual tourist! We headed down to 4^th Ave in downtown Anchorage where the ceremonial start is for the race. There are many cool shops, museums, and plenty of tourists! We ventured downtown with the Iditarod volunteers along with a few mushers before the musher banquet later that evening. Pictures below! My favorite little shop was one where a man sold sculptures and carvings out of walrus ivory and whale baleen.

Another cool event happening in Anchorage before the Iditarod is the “Fur Rendevous” AKA the “Fur Rondy”. The Fur Rondy is a 10 day, 79 year old tradition celebrating way of life in Alaska! They have many events going on like ice sculpting contests, fur bikini contests, a carnival, a reindeer run (where reindeer run down the streets of Anchorage while you run with them…its like the Cheddar Chase, except you’re running with actual reindeer) and a sprint dog sled race. Upon MANY more.  Check out the website for more details if interested… furrondy.net.

Musher Wade Marrs can't escape the school teachers flocking for autographs for the classroom!

This was a tourist who came to the Iditarod from Poland. He was so hilarious and taking pictures of everything and everyone! People go crazy here around Iditarod time!

Crazy Poland tourist posing with Newton Marshall, musher from Jamaica with other Iditarod volunteers!

Musher Newton Marshall posing as Balto.

Just being goofy!

Later that night we headed to the musher banquet. Dinner is served, the mushers get recognized, people talk, they show videos, talk about prizes and the mushers pick their starting #s for the race out of a hat. The banquet was a lot of socializing, looking around, and spotting people we recognized from our time here! Oh and celebrating!

The banquet stage

Myself and two other technicians I worked with...one from Alaska and the other from Massachusetts

So many people!

Took this picture for all you Seavey fans back home! Dallas going up to pick his bib # for race start.

 

Earlier out in the lobby I noticed a big swarm of people and some security guards coming through the door, at the time I just ignored it…not sure why? Later that night I swore I saw Sarah Palin, I asked a musher I recognized if Sarah Palin was here. He said yes, and I said something like “Oh cool, I’ll have to sneak a picture of her.” He replied with, “ How about we don’t sneak a picture and all go talk to her!” So we did, and that is how I met and talked with Sarah Palin. Who was a very sweet lady and who wanted to talk to me more than I thought she would! 

Chatting with Sarah about Wisconsin, Alaska, and her daughter Bristol.

I loved her outfit. Nothing fancy just a USA shirt, green cargo pants, and boots :)

LESSON: If you never open the door, you can’t walk through it! I have had so many unforgettable experiences here in Alaska and it drives me crazy thinking I even pondered the idea of not going. Everyone is capable of doing great things; don’t wait around for your opportunity…find it! 

Tomorrow is the day! Ceremonial race start! Have to be up early! I leave for back home on Sunday morning. Hopefully I'll get another blog post in about the day before I head out!

Mush on,

Sophie