Look out Nome! I'm coming back for more!!

Oh Nome...you historic hub of craziness! Be it gold miners looking for gold...mushers looking for the win...or fans, families, handlers and news crews waiting for their their musher in this not so little city in the arctic. 

The last time I was in Nome for the finish of Iditarod was 2011, the year John Baker had his record setting win. That was a very exciting year to be in Nome. In 2011 I went to Nome with another person who wasn't "doggie." Although we had fun, it was somewhat of a drag when it came to the actual race and wanting to see all the mushers finish and pour over stats at the mini convention center. 

This year I am going as a handler for our friend, Michelle Phillips. If you have been following us on Facebook, you know that Michelle (and Ed) are more than friends. We are family. I was bummed not to bet at the start this year for her, like I a usually am. I am super excited to be waiting for her smiling face as Michelle comes screaming across the finish line in Nome, under the burled arch. 

Once Michelle arrives, I will take over the care and feeding of the team, allowing Michelle to catch up on some much needed sleep and eat some yummy hot food!

I will have some down time as I wait for Michelle's arrival in Nome. This will give me an opportunity to visit with other "doggie" people, talk strategies and watch the winner come down Front Street.

Last time I was in Nome, Airport Pizza was my favorite hang out. Not only do they have great beer and food, it was a great place to just be inside and visit with people.

Miles and miles and miles of frozen ocean was perfect for nice long walks. It was also a great viewing point for incoming teams. We could see them way off in the distance.

Here is Ramey Smith, who came in 2nd in 2011. It was fun to watch his spunky, well moving team tear up the ice and down Front Street.

We decided to take the snow cat out to the final checkpoint of Safety.

If we had more money, a helicopter would have been a much better way to get out there.

Safety is a bar. On the ride out we passed fish camps lined along the shore. Many camps were nicer than most houses I have seen in Alaska. It would be fun to come back in the summer to see these camps humming with activity.

 

Inside "Safety" has the look and feel of so many remote lodges/bars. The group that was crammed in the snow cat with me took the time we had out there to throw a few back. I took the time to wander around, snap some pics, and visit with Rick Swenson when he came through. He was pretty surprised to see me in Safety. His reaction was pretty funny. "Heidi! What the hell are you doing here?" After a brief chat and getting his team to go on by, and not follow this adorable elderly couple who was there from the lower 48, off he went.  

I am looking forward to being in Nome again this year. I hope to get out to Safety, but NOT by snow cat, again and watching teams come through. 

I should be able to post pics while in Nome. Check out our Faceook page to see what I am up to in Nome.