Iditarod and Snowhook: This Says It All

From Rebecca late last night:

The Plunderers did it!  They made it to Nome with AJ and the dogs!

We just got in from tending to the dogs for the second time since the team crossed the finish line; it is half past midnight and AJ just passed out into a well deserved slumber.

Did Whitey-Lance cross the finish line? Yes. And, Annabelle?  Also yes. Our dear girl retired at the finish line. AJ thanked her for a career well run by picking her up over her head and touching her paw to the burled arch just as he did with Whitey-Lance last year.

We will wake in a couple of hours to tend to the dogs, ship them back home, go to a breakfast held for mushers, then get AJ to the finishers meeting. AJs final must-do tomorrow is a three hour autograph signing session at the community center. There is no rest for the weary.

A special thank you to the Plunderers for making the race possible for us.  I am so proud of AJ and the dogs and beyond grateful for the support and kindness shown by the Plunderers.

Welcome Bear.

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This entry was posted on Saturday, March 17th, 2012 at 7:26 am and is filed under Chet The Dog. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

104 Responses to “Iditarod and Snowhook: This Says It All”

  1. OleyHowlers
    7:37 am on March 17th, 2012

    No words here…just tears of happiness. Except…Thank you AJ and Rebecca for allowing us a glimpse into your special world. Thank you Siber and Rio for driving us all to take this incredible journey.

    Time for Spring farm chores now.

  2. bluecat
    7:55 am on March 17th, 2012

    Good morning all. Tears here, also, while I watched the finish line video from last night.

    And thanks to A.J. and Rebecca and the doggies for trusting us to share their lives.

    Will we be bored now? No more refreshing a certain green flag. Hmm. Time to re-read Chet & Bernie, waiting for September…

  3. Wookie of Chevy Chase
    8:02 am on March 17th, 2012

    No boredom here. We need to start our preparations for Iditarod 2013 early. Auction, auction, auction! And Annabelle, you are my hero. Way to go, and enjoy your retirement.
    The excitement has been great. And with the Iditarod now in the history books for the year, we can turn our attention to Opening Day of the baseball season — now only about three weeks away. Isn’t that right, Commander Rio? Wookie

  4. Princess Sam
    8:21 am on March 17th, 2012

    Happy happy happy.

  5. Barb & Maggie
    8:56 am on March 17th, 2012

    What an experience. Thank you for all who have let us experience the Iditarod 2012. Rebecca and AJ their fantastic team, Rio and Siber, all the Plunderers, and special thanks to Amalia and Leonard for their uniting prayers each night. This has been truly a connecting experience and one we will long remember.

  6. Tupper and Gilly
    8:57 am on March 17th, 2012

    It was a great video, but our very favorite part – when AJ said that is was a fun ride. He was smiling, and he obviously did have a good time. That is what makes it all worth it for us – we worried and fretted and chewed our toenails thinking about how hard this was. And all the time, our AJ, our Gentle Giant, had fun!
    Now we are even happier.

  7. B.Stover
    9:10 am on March 17th, 2012

    I enjoyed every minute of it. I’m glad AJ and the team enjoyed it also. Annabelle: Retirement is great and you deserve it!

    Good morning all.

  8. Barb & Maggie
    9:13 am on March 17th, 2012

    That was expecially touching that Annabelle made it across the finish line and got a special tribute from AJ.

    There were 302 posts last night, isn’t that our new record?

    Masquers, You mentioned O’Douls Amber last night. That is what we drink here. It is excellent. Barb has one every night for her cocktail hour.

    Rose, Tried to get a shot of the donkey foal last Tuesday, but mama did not cooperate. She kept the baby – a girl I think- up in the shed, and she could not be persuaded to come to the fence.

  9. Mollypop's Mom
    9:14 am on March 17th, 2012

    What a Great Race that was!

  10. BearSpiritDog
    9:22 am on March 17th, 2012

    The very First thing we did this morning was read Rebeccaa’s post of late last night…also Chet’s morning’s post above.
    Second: We flew over to the videos to watch our Heroes, the Giant and his Team cross the Finish line into SnowBella’s arms (5 times and counting. Heh)
    Third: Launched Gypsy to check on the remaining mushers and teams still on the Trail.
    We went to sleep sobbing and woke up doing the same.
    Tears of Joy.

    Happy Day to All.

  11. Siber-H
    9:47 am on March 17th, 2012

    Tears here too…I have been wondering all morning about Whitey-Lance and Annabelle. They made it! What a fine team of doggies!

    Fellow Sibers, to answer your question from last night, the Insider should leave those videos up for a year or longer. Before they re-designed their website, the videos from the races were always there.

    In case any of you are feeling a bit strange this morning…It is called iditawithdrawal.

  12. Masquers
    9:57 am on March 17th, 2012

    Siber: It’s not over until the last doggie howls!

    Looks like Karen has a new(?) tracker…as of last night. She has reached Safety and beyond. There was talk on facebookie last night about her coming into Nome holding up a sign saying Wayward. lol.
    Next in will be Jaimee Kanzer. Siren will be going off soon.

    We here are definitely buying the DVD of this historic race!

  13. Siber-H
    10:02 am on March 17th, 2012

    I remember Martin Bueser once saying, “It isn’t over till the fat lady sings”.

    The Sibers will make it!

    That is such a great video of AJ, Rebecca, and Annabelle.
    We are buying the dvd also. The Iditarod will probably email us when it is ready, but it will be awhile.

  14. Wolfie Wigglebutt
    10:09 am on March 17th, 2012

    The entry fee of 2013 is due on June 30th!

    Wouldn’t it be swell if Snowhook also ran the Yukon Quest next year? I know that it is on their radar!

  15. Melanie
    10:24 am on March 17th, 2012

    Will read later. Have my CNA nephew here.

  16. Riö – The Evil Pug
    10:33 am on March 17th, 2012

    WOOOOOOO!….Snowhook! What a ride!…heh!heh!…They are all my heroes!…wow!

    Onward!…Now onto Baseball!…snort!snort!…This season is starting out with Big Bang! My friend received two tickets to a Rockies game next month…wheeze!…Get this – 7 rows up from first base!…WOOOOOOOOOO!….She is definitely going to get smacked with a baseball this time…heh!heh!

  17. Riö – The Evil Pug
    10:36 am on March 17th, 2012

    Busy!…Day! Busy weekend!…grunt!…Taxes to do plus my friend has gotten herself in a Pickle again… snort!…She has to make 3 projects and have them mailed out by Monday after next…wheeze!…This gives her 2 weekends to work on them in between errands and messing around with me and Beau…heh!…She’ll never get them all done. Just youse watch…chuffle!

  18. Wolfie Wigglebutt
    10:47 am on March 17th, 2012

    Rio, be sure to show us your friend’s projects!

    And yes, I think we did have a record number of posts last night.

    Seven pages, into the land of the northern lights!

  19. C. Harris
    10:58 am on March 17th, 2012

    And kudos to the Chet Blog for keeping up with the record number of posts. There were a couple of moments when it took so long to refresh that I thought it would crash at the most critical moment. It was so cool that we were intent on staying together until the end.

    Natasha: how are you doing today? I have a feeling that you are flirting rather than resting. You are incorrigible…no, I take that back…you are incredible.

  20. Masquers
    11:08 am on March 17th, 2012

    Two comments to remember:

    The Royals: Gentle Giant
    Siber-H: Iditawithdrawal

  21. dawson
    11:10 am on March 17th, 2012

    Hoorah for Annabella (retired) and the Snowhook Team!
    Hoorah for the Plunderers and the Blog!
    We did it! We Plundered on – on the Iditarod Trail.

    Last night before sleep I read a bit of Winterdance. Oh did I laugh! I’m surprised the guy is still alive…and that’s all before he gets on the Iditarod Trail!

  22. Wolfie Wigglebutt
    11:19 am on March 17th, 2012

    Yep, I imagine that Nattie is having a grand time flirting with the remaining doggies!

    Hopefully she was able to purchase a set og uggley boots!

    Iditawithdrawal, ha ha ha. That’s priceless!

  23. Siber-H
    11:30 am on March 17th, 2012

    The guy that wrote Winterdance lived for awhile in southwestern New Mexico. It is wild country down there and I don’t know if he still lives there Two or three years ago he entered the Iditarod, but withdrew before the race started. I don’t know why.

    Maybe Natasha could help the Sibers on into Nome. I mean, after all…

  24. Masquers
    11:40 am on March 17th, 2012

    After Failor, the next 2 teams in will be the Sibes.
    Karen stopped at Safety…Hank closing in.
    Will it be a race to the finish?

    p.s. no iditawithdrawal here. heh.

  25. Masquers
    11:41 am on March 17th, 2012

    ……yet

  26. Natasha the Nefarious Borzoi
    11:46 am on March 17th, 2012

    Siber – is true ve love you. But if you think Natasha vants to run MORE trail – you are very crazy doggie.
    Ve vill be spending day in von and only pedicure spa in Nome.
    Oh….the poor feet…..

  27. Siber-H
    11:47 am on March 17th, 2012

    Gary Paulsen has also writen some well received childrens books.
    Another book he wrote is about all the dogs he has “owned” in his life. I read reviews of it on Amazon and at the end of every chapter, the dog dies. (old age?) I decided I didn’t want to read that book. I cannot take it.

  28. Siber-H
    11:49 am on March 17th, 2012

    That’s okay, Natasha, the Sibers will make it. Next time, I suggest, you don’t wear any stupid high heels for the Iditarod.

  29. BearSpiritDog
    11:51 am on March 17th, 2012

    For the O.Howlers and Siber-H

  30. B.Stover
    11:53 am on March 17th, 2012

    What is the “blow hole” that the mushers are referring to?

  31. Siber-H
    11:53 am on March 17th, 2012

    Bear, Thanks! That is adorable!

    BBL

  32. BearSpiritDog
    12:01 pm on March 17th, 2012

    B: Yes, we would like to know that too.
    Also “the burn”…the Nome Cape after Safety? or coming down into Safety??

    Can’t wait to hear what happened on Norton Sound.

  33. Siber-H
    12:02 pm on March 17th, 2012

    Stover, It is wind that funnels out of a canyon…wind much stronger than if you were away from the blow hole. Think what happens when you put a lot of pressure and squeeze water through a garden hose.
    The water comes out at a much higher rate of speed under the pressure.
    A canyon does the same thing to wind…compresses it and speeds it up.
    We have a big canyon just east of Albuquerque that does the same thing to wind and if the conditions are right, funnels that strong wind into Albuquerque. Thank dog, we live away from what they call the east canyon winds.

  34. Siber-H
    12:06 pm on March 17th, 2012

    The Burn is an area on the Iditarod trail that was ravaged by a big forest fire quite some time ago. From the photos I have seen of it, it seems to be recovering very slowly. It has always been a nasty part of the Iditrod trail for the mushers and teams.

  35. B.Stover
    12:09 pm on March 17th, 2012

    Thanks SH.

  36. Siber-H
    12:09 pm on March 17th, 2012

    The Nome Cape looks like it is just a big hill…very different from Cape Cod.

  37. Wolfie Wigglebutt
    12:10 pm on March 17th, 2012

    Howlers – thank you for the photos! Awe……..

  38. Siber-H
    12:11 pm on March 17th, 2012

    again…BBL

  39. Masquers
    12:16 pm on March 17th, 2012

    Is it me or does that look like Siber and the Hot One in the photo?

  40. Gus & BooBear
    12:18 pm on March 17th, 2012

    We made it last night to see AJ’s flag make it to Nome but Mom had to eat ALOT of Werther’s Original Hard Candies to stay awake. What a sacrifice. No wonder she’s fluffy.

    Loved the video of AJ, Rebecca and the dogs at the finish line. We wonder if the problems that AJ had to face this time in the race are normal for all racers (suddenly having dogs not able to race, sleds having to be repaired) or was this an unusually tough year for Snowhook? What a testament to them that AJ just looked on it as a fun but challenging race!

    We just LOVE those guys!

    G&BB

  41. Wolfie Wigglebutt
    12:32 pm on March 17th, 2012

    Oops, the photos came from BSD, not The Howlers!

  42. OleyHowlers
    12:42 pm on March 17th, 2012

    We only have time for a quick Hello while we eat lunch. Then back to garden, pastures, hay…whew! We are tired already.
    We love the term iditaWithdrawal, but we won’t have that until our Sibe teams are thru the Burled Arch.

    T&G, we forgot to thank your mama and dad this morning. Their prayers for the Gentle Giant really did bring all of us together in an almost mystical way. This has truly npbeen a very special time for all of us, especially that we were all together last night waiting for Our Team to go thru the Arch.

    Bear, thanks for posting the great SibeIrish pictures. It just so happens that all 4 of us really are Irish (or so Mom tells us during N.D. Football season).

    We are having an amazingly beautiful Spring day here. It makes our Iditarod adventure seem almost surreal.

  43. Barb & Maggie
    1:45 pm on March 17th, 2012

    Oley, You had asked for more details about the HBO movie Luck and the horse incidents. We just read another article. They said the first two horses that had to be destroyed had stress fractures from the racing scenes. In the article they described Thoroughbreds as “high strung, accident prone, skittish and fragile”. What do you think of that? I don’t think they are accident prone or fragile, it’s just that they race them before they are mature. Sure horses run, but their legs are not meant for the pounding that they get in a horse race.

  44. Masquers
    2:29 pm on March 17th, 2012

    Karen is going over the Cape!
    Hank is ahead of her!
    Go Sibes!!!

  45. Masquers
    2:39 pm on March 17th, 2012

    Karen spent 3 hours at the Safety checkpoint.
    5 teams remain on the Trail:

    Out of Safety:
    Hank DeBruin
    Karen Ramstead

    Out of Elim:
    Dan Seavey

    Out of Koyuk
    Jan Steves
    Bob Chlupach

  46. Masquers
    2:50 pm on March 17th, 2012

    Funny thing…I swear Karen left the Safety checkpoint once this morning, but when we checked again she was back in…wonder what happened?

    These Tales from the Trail are going to be very interesting.

  47. Macy the Min-pin
    2:57 pm on March 17th, 2012

    Siber-H, Gary Paulson has heart disease and his doc said no more Iditarod. Period.

    And finally –

  48. Masquers
    3:11 pm on March 17th, 2012

    On another note…Rio will appreciate this:

  49. BearSpiritDog
    3:15 pm on March 17th, 2012

    Macy! Good one!

  50. Masquers
    3:20 pm on March 17th, 2012

    Hope Karen is okay…
    Still on the Cape..
    Now stopped.

  51. Snowhook Bella
    3:25 pm on March 17th, 2012

    Just a quick check-in. Today is a busy day in Nome. We started with shipping the dogs home, and then a breakfast for mushers and volunteers. AJ has a meeting today and shortly I will be kicked out of the community center so they can set up for the autograph signing.

    AJ was able to get a few hours of sleep last night, I got a bit less, but it is good to be together again.

    Annabelle mentioned that her first action as a retired dog is to become an official FOC. I did put my foot down when she requested her own email account.

    Thanks again to each of you.

  52. Melanie
    3:33 pm on March 17th, 2012

    Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

  53. Melanie
    3:34 pm on March 17th, 2012

    Whew WHAT A KISS! (After this posing I will be retreating under the quilt)

  54. B.Stover
    3:37 pm on March 17th, 2012

    I think Annabelle should have her own email account.

  55. OleyHowlers
    3:38 pm on March 17th, 2012

    Hi Rebecca! Get more sleep.

    Barb and Maggie, we absolutely think they start racing thoroughbreds too early. Most people would not dream of getting on a horse before they are 2 (for Arabs we wait until they are 3). But they start racing thoroughbreds at 2 we think. That means they must be getting on them at 1!!! Also, any animal raced at top speed without a warmup risks injury, and they do that too, a horse, just like a person or a dog, needs to be warmed up first.

    We are worried about Karen’s Sibes.

  56. OleyHowlers
    3:40 pm on March 17th, 2012

    What a great picture, Melanie! Whew! We are warmed up now.

    We like the Irish spotted Newfie too.

  57. BearSpiritDog
    3:49 pm on March 17th, 2012

    SnowBella! What a Great Picture!!!

    Melanie: Another Fab Card!!!

    I’m supposed to tell you guys that want to watch Hank and Karen come into Nome here is a link to a Great web cam (where were these guys last night!!!)
    http://www.kaiserracing.com/nomecam/kaiser-kam-controllable/

  58. BearSpiritDog
    3:53 pm on March 17th, 2012

    O.Howlers: Don’t worry…we found out what happened to Karen…it’s all Good.
    Will be back in a few.
    Going to the web cam.

  59. Riö – The Evil Pug
    3:57 pm on March 17th, 2012

    Wow!…Right on the Kisser!….wooooowheee!

  60. Masquers
    4:03 pm on March 17th, 2012

    Can’t believe the speed of the kaiser kam!!!
    Why oh Why wasn’t it up last night!

  61. OleyHowlers
    4:07 pm on March 17th, 2012

    The Kaiser cam does not work on our iPaw.

    What did you find out about Karen?

  62. Masquers
    4:14 pm on March 17th, 2012

    The first Sibe team just crossed under the burled arch!!!

  63. Barb & Maggie
    4:24 pm on March 17th, 2012

    We are going to do our corned beef and cabbage tomorrow, only because Barb is working outside and is too lazy, I mean tired, to make it tonight. Have hauled 10 5-gal buckets of compost to the gardens. Today planted onions, Argula, and Mesclun mix.

    Oley, Yes they start the TBs as 2 yr. olds. They try to have them born in Jan. so they will be 2 1/2 by the racing season and a little more develped. Then they race them again as 3 yr. olds. Too big and/or beat to hell to race after that. They lucky ones get adopted, like the racing Greyhounds.

    I believe, but not positive, that they don’t start the harness horses, Standardbreds, till they are older. They can keep racing them for years, because the sport is not as hard on them.

    I think AJ looks like he was glad to see Rebecca! Is their banquet tonight?

  64. Barb & Maggie
    4:26 pm on March 17th, 2012

    After we posted that we thought the banquest could not be tonight, because there are still teams out who haven’t finished. Oops!

  65. Masquers
    4:29 pm on March 17th, 2012

    Oh, No! Howlers, I’m sorry it doesn’t work on your iPaw. Here is what happened:
    Karen stopped at the Cape to pay her respects to some special friends who watched over her during the race.
    This posted by Ron Pearson on facebookie: Karen has stopped at Cape Nome to visit with friends. Candle lit here at Husky Howllow for Snickers & company.

  66. Siber-H
    4:43 pm on March 17th, 2012

    Macy, After all this time, now I know why Gary Paulsen withdrew from the Iditarod. I was disappointed when he did.

    Gus&Boobear, I think this was an unusually tough year for Snowhook, but mushers all have their share of problems. It is difficult just getting to the starting line and a very challenging Race. The mushers with the money to get these problems fixed quickly are a very small minority.

    Masquers, That is not me and The Hot One. I wish.
    She is a red Siber girl.

  67. Siber-H
    5:03 pm on March 17th, 2012

    Barb, The Awards Banquet is tomorrow night. If we are lucky, the Insider will put up a few video clips of the awards being presented.

    I am so proud of the Sibers. (whispering) They didn’t come in last. I want video of both Siber teams at the finish line.

  68. Wolfie Wigglebutt
    5:19 pm on March 17th, 2012

    Okay, THANKS to the MG’s who so very generously bought a raffle ticket for Snowhook, our favorite mushers have chances to win new vehicles.

    Let’s keep our paws crossed, folks!

  69. OleyHowlers
    5:27 pm on March 17th, 2012

    Masquers, we can watch the Kaiserkam on Mom’s p.c. If she lets us. She is so busy working on outdoors stuff that we don’t know if she will bring it up on time for us to see Karen come in. We missed Hank.
    Siber, we also want to see the video of the Sibe teams! Here is our theory, and what we should have answered old Mushmouth on the boards. While the Sibes are not bred for speed, they were racing back when a dropped dog had no airplane to get him out of the race, and so each dropped dog meant extra weight in the sled. Sibes were bred for enduance and steady strength. We are awful glad there were two teams running the classic Sibes in this year’s Iditarod. Mom says she is always glad for how sturdy and reliable we all are.

  70. OleyHowlers
    5:29 pm on March 17th, 2012

    Hank’s video is up !

  71. Barb & Maggie
    5:37 pm on March 17th, 2012

    Wolfie, Any good news on the boys?

  72. Masquers
    5:51 pm on March 17th, 2012

    Howlers: Watch if you can. This web kam is really kool.
    1 mile siren.

  73. Rose
    5:52 pm on March 17th, 2012

    I am so thrilled for AJ, Rebecca, and the team!!!! I’ve cried, lost sleep, and twirled. I am so honored to have been on AJ’s sled with the rest of youse guys.
    Thank you Amalia and Leonard for your lovely, inspiring prayers. Thank you SiberH, Rio, Masquers, OH, and all the rest for your wonderful reporting.
    Thanks for all the great pictures!

    And all I have to say about that kiss is it better be on next’s year’s Snowhook calendar!!

    I love you Snowhook!!

  74. Masquers
    5:56 pm on March 17th, 2012

    Thank you Rose.

  75. Siber-H
    5:59 pm on March 17th, 2012

    Fellow Sibers, Very said about us!

    Rose, Great idea about the kiss on the calendar.
    That photo of the kiss reminds me of the very famous picture taken at the end of WWII of a kiss celebrating the end of the war and the return of the soldiers.

  76. Siber-H
    6:04 pm on March 17th, 2012

    Hank’s Sibers look very proud of themselves, as they should be.
    They look a lot more rested than Hank.

  77. Wolfie Wigglebutt
    6:16 pm on March 17th, 2012

    Melanie, what a wonderful photograph!

    Just wondering……was that sent to you by a certain Russian spy with sore feet!

  78. Melanie
    6:20 pm on March 17th, 2012

    (Peaking out from under the quilt, not seeing any family)

    Hi All! What a great day for The Plunderers! And for (hmmm what’s their names …) Rebecca and AJ.

    Lovely. I am now officially tired of being an Auntie. Maybe I will feel differently tomorrow.

  79. Barb & Maggie
    6:21 pm on March 17th, 2012

    Siber, I remember that picture that you are talking about. I think it was a sailor and a nurse, maybe. She was dressed in white wasn’t she, with one leg bent?

  80. Masquers
    6:24 pm on March 17th, 2012

    She’s in and I’m out.

  81. Rose
    6:27 pm on March 17th, 2012

    B&M: You are correct about the picture. I love that picture. I think it may have been the cover of LIFE magazine….

  82. Melanie
    6:39 pm on March 17th, 2012

    Mattie worked her darnedest on the computer, found some interesting information, and sent out Franklin to check it.

    He has just blurred back home. He has found NATTIE! She was here …

  83. Siber-H
    6:54 pm on March 17th, 2012

    tee hee

  84. Rose
    7:15 pm on March 17th, 2012

    Lol!

  85. Alice M. Johnson
    7:17 pm on March 17th, 2012

    Strange we had tears here this morning too. I guess finishing this race meant a lot to us. Thanks for everything Snowhook. We appreciate the ‘ride’. Glad AJ had fun. I knew those twins were having fun, but that’s because they were on a Sister trip.

    When I am with one or more of my sisters we always have fun. Even if we are doing nothing at all.

  86. Wolfie Wigglebutt
    7:48 pm on March 17th, 2012

    Some cautiously good news regarding my boy Chad.

    He is at the top of the list for Teen Challenge! The first phase is what they refer to as induction. It is highly structured and there is no contact with the outside world for one month. Then they enter the program and again, they are dark for one month. After that, contact with family is allowed.

    They told Chad that he should be there by Wednesday.

    This last week has been really difficult for him because he has worn out his welcome with everyone. I hate to say it, but he needed to be humbled and brought to his knees. It is only by being broken open that the healing process can begin.

    Cody’s landlady has not paid any rent, so they are all being evicted. His gf is working at the Chinese restaurant that Cody is, but she is not getting paid.
    This is wrong, but they won’t listen. I keep telling her that she needs to be bringing in income, but she feels that it is only a matter of time before she is hired. She refuses to let Cody out of her sight, which is so unhealthy.

    So, they have no money, and now they are looking for a new apartment. I can’t and won’t support them, although I do way too much. I’m not sure what is going to happen in the next week or so. I am not completely convinced that they are clean and sober, much as I would like to believe so.

  87. Riö – The Evil Pug
    8:38 pm on March 17th, 2012

    Finally!… We are finally sitting down to watch some March Madness!….Woooooo!….I wonder if Wookie’s Paw picked Colorado over Baylor or not…heh!… I would really love to see Baylor go down for a change…snort!snort!…And Colorado go onto the 4th round..sniff!

  88. Riö – The Evil Pug
    8:56 pm on March 17th, 2012

    Annabelle!… heh!snort!….I love how Annabella wanted to lead the team in for the last 15 miles….snort!… What a gal! I hope she enjoys her retirement….sniff!

    A-Word!… Did I hear another “A” word besides Annabelle????…sniff!….I could have sworn someone, meaning Wookie, mentioned the Auction!Auction!Auction!….chuffle!… He is right! It’s never too soon to start thinking about what you will make, bake, buy or steal to donate to the Grand Ole Auction House….sneeze!….The June entrance fee comes up really quick. Just ask Rebeccer…sniff!… If you can pull her away from AJ’s lips that is…heh!heh! snort!

  89. Natasha the Nefarious Borzoi
    9:12 pm on March 17th, 2012

    Ahhhhh….
    Has been very good day. Natasha has been pampered, massaged and wrapped vith vet kelp.
    Ve are now ready to go to big banquet of Mushers and dance night avay.
    Ve are not vearing usual heels, but is ok.v Everyvon else is vearing Uggly boots too, so no von vill notice Natasha – vhen did you think you vould ever hear THAT statement?

  90. Riö – The Evil Pug
    9:20 pm on March 17th, 2012

    Nattie!….Nice job on the Iditarod Trail missy!…snort!…Here’s the real challenge; sneak a dance with AJ tonight without Rebecca finding out..woooooo!wheeee!

  91. Riö – The Evil Pug
    9:31 pm on March 17th, 2012

    Wow!…Neck and Neck are CU and Baylor….WooooooWOOOOO!…This is very exciting stuff!…wheeze!

  92. Barb & Maggie
    9:55 pm on March 17th, 2012

    Wolfie, that you for the update on the boys. Hope Chad actually goes in on Wednesday. It wooks promising for him. You are right, that is not healthy for Cody’s gf to be shadowing him. She obviously has issues. I know your heart is breaking, but you can’t let them move in there. Maybe once Chad takes the big step Cody will follow.

    I think we are all tired after the race, even Natasha!

  93. Natasha the Nefarious Borzoi
    10:08 pm on March 17th, 2012

    Rio – ve vould never try to keep AJ from Rebecca for even minute. Beside – there vas very handsome Huskie that led team in today. Ve are thinking he may vant to boogie to balalykas.

  94. BearSpiritDog
    10:19 pm on March 17th, 2012

    Wolfie’s Boys are always in our Prayers as is their mom who does so much.

    Like the others, we are missing the Evening Prayer Time that the Storyteller and Amalia lead so beautifully throughout the running of the Race. It was a very special joining of the Hearts.

    Yes, Barb&Magpie, tired here too, but so very very proud.

    Thank you Gentle Giant, SnowBella and all the team members of Snowhook Kennel. You are the Conquerors of the Iditarod Trail.

    Good Night – Bear

  95. Princess Sam
    10:24 pm on March 17th, 2012

    Wolfie, your boys seem to still be doing okay so that means they haven’t hit bottom yet. No need to change. Not yet. I hope soon it happens because that’s the sooner they go on with their new life.

  96. Riö – The Evil Pug
    10:26 pm on March 17th, 2012

    Boogie!…To balalykas…heh!…Nattie put yer paws up, rest tonight. Tomorrow is a big day for Bogaring Down…snort!…Please let us all know what the menu is at the Banquet…wuffle!…I bet its not Vegan.

  97. Wolfie Wigglebutt
    10:35 pm on March 17th, 2012

    Today was a good day. We had the most delightful storm, the first of the season. Rain and wind and hail, a warm fire glowing, and a pot roast in the crockpot. Peace.

    But something is missing. That little green flag, that’s what.

    I hope that AJ and Rebecca came find some down time. There must be so much to catch up on! And so much to do!

  98. Natasha the Nefarious Borzoi
    10:38 pm on March 17th, 2012

    Ve heard rumor of Moose Marsala, Stuffed Mooseshrooms, and for dessert – Chocolate Moose

  99. Riö – The Evil Pug
    10:45 pm on March 17th, 2012

    Nome!…If I remember right and I sometimes do, Rebecca and AJ had a Mini-Vacation last year in Nome before going home to work and chores…sniff!… I sure hope they can have a bit more free time this year cuz they deserve it by golly…gruffle!

  100. Wolfie Wigglebutt
    10:56 pm on March 17th, 2012

    Ha ha, I heard that they were also having Baked Alaska!

  101. Alice M. Johnson
    11:49 pm on March 17th, 2012

    Going to bed now. I had a lovely short nap this afternoon but it wasn’t enough. I think we are all emotionally wrung out after our 1000 mile trek through the wilds of Alaska. I know I am.
    Night all.

  102. C.Harris
    12:06 am on March 18th, 2012

    BSD, Masquers and Anon: Thank you!

  103. Macy the Min-pin
    12:34 am on March 18th, 2012

    Also Mushed Potatoes

  104. Macy the Min-pin
    12:36 am on March 18th, 2012

    But we doubt AJ will want any ICE tea.

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