Good Evening Team Kaiser!!
Iditarod 2023 lived up to the expectation of drama, competition, and excitement that fans have come to expect year after year. Though Pete and the Team did not arrive under the famed burled arches in first position, Pete was very happy with the performance of the Team. The dedication to competition, but also to fantastic dog care was exemplified by many officials and fans that commented as such as I spoke with them after the finish. “That’s one heck of great dog man!” one told me. “I have a great respect for him and his program.”
Pete arrived to the Iditarod Finish line to complete the 2023 Iditarod in second place at 13:36:40 with 8 dogs in harness. Team Kaiser posted a second best of his career elapsed time of 8 days 22 hours 36 minutes and 40 seconds.
The run into Nome from White Mountain was uneventful until approaching Safety. The area is known for “Blow Holes” that come out of nowhere with extreme winds and poor visibility. Several times over the years as fans waited at the finish line, just 20 miles away, the weather was just crazy windy. Pete described the experience later as we gathered to hear a few stories. He related that he could see the winds moving out of the hills toward the beach that they traveled. “One minute it’s 15-25 mph wind and the next moment you go through this almost wall of violent wind of 50-60mph and blowing snow. You’ll be traveling through it and then just like another wall the team will pass through and it’s over. Sometimes the leaders will be out of the wind while the sled is still in the wind. It’s crazy!”
Richie Diehl described it as well, “It’s the first time I’ve had to use my headlamp to see the trail markers in broad daylight!”
Amazing that White Mountain can be fine and Nome can be fine, but somewhere in the middle the weather is out of control. Pete said it was probably the most challenging portion of the race.
Both Pete and Richie had nothing but good things to say about the race and the fact that a Redington musher had won the race that grandfather Joe Redington had put together 51 years ago. They also related how good this is for the mushing community to have Rural Alaskan Mushers and Alaska Native Mushers at the forefront of this race.
There will be more photos and video coming, but here’s a taste of the action from Pete and the Team’s awesome run into Nome.
Go Team Kaiser!
