Musher Banquet

The annual Musher Banquet was somewhat shorter! last night, but full of interesting people and anecdotes, intro's by sponsors, and finally the Musher Bib Draw. (possibly no one else will agree it was shorter , but it was most enjoyable, however Allen WAS 2nd last to choose his bib and our loyal table cheered him as he went up to draw his Rookie Year Bib. ) The dogs are ready, Aliy and Allen look very fit and great! and happy!
Go Aliy and Allen!! Aliy will be Bib 16 and Allen is Bib 71.

We enjoyed being a part of the with all of their family/friends. ... Mickey and Doug, Kaz and Ray, Jeanne Reilly , Uncles Toebe and Bob, Mike and me.

The most poignant , solemn part of the evening was the honoring of Susan Butcher as the Honorary Musher and listening to David, her husband, accept the honor. Tekla and Chisana will be in sled number one as it leaves the chute on Saturday, after which David and Tekla will take teams from Manley to Nome. It was my honor to be able to have a short visit with David on the way out of the arena. I am grateful to Susan for my dogs over the years and for her wonderful mentoring, as I've said before.

I am equally grateful now to Aliy for her dogs and her mentoring. What a lucky kennel we !are to have been included in this world.

Also, we had great visits with Bennie and Alice Stamm, who will retire this year and in this small, small world to learn that young Kevin Neher , whom we've known since he first got into mushing, has bought Bennie's team. Bennie is Bib 15.

I did get a nice opportunity to speak with Sonny Lindner about his wonderful dogs from Susan's kennel, with Ramy Brooks , a wonderful young man, with Ray Redington and Julia (and to meet baby Ellen, who is the spitting image of her Great Grandma Vi Redington!). There were many other conversations , just drawing us all together in such a great spirit of this dog inspired world.
Of course, our Iditarod family, Gwen and her daughter, Karin and husband Varin are especially fun to see, if only once a year.