Alaskan M(oo)sings: Iditarod: Mushers Meet and Greet & Banquet Gala (03-02-2023)

We are interested in the Iditarod, the Last Great Race! We learn there is a Mushers Meet and Greet and a Mushers Banquet Gala. Go we must!

The evening starts at 4:00 with the Meet and Greet. We are handed Iditarod 2023 posters of a photo by Jeff Schultz as we walk in the door at the Dena’ina Civic and Convention Center. All the mushers are here. Each is stationed at a table ready to greet fans and autograph posters. Fans, this includes us, hope to get the posters signed by all 33 mushers. Fans line up in front of each of the tables. Lines for the more well known mushers are very long. I notice the lines in front of the lessor known mushers are much shorter and hope their feelings aren't hurt. It becomes hard to keep track of which signatures I do and do not have. I tell one musher that they are just like doctors because I can't read the signatures. BB and I join forces to obtain as many signatures as we can. One of us stands in a longer line while the other takes the 2 posters and stands in a shorter line. This works well for us. We end up with about 22 signatures. The mushers seem to enjoy interacting with the fans and each other. The Berrington twins and the father/son Vitellos push their tables together so fans can meet both family members at the same time. It is interesting hearing the mushers' stories and talking with other fans.

We head to the Banquet Gala at 5:30. There is opportunity to participate in a silent auction that benefits the Iditarod. The item we want is way out of our budget; like $8,000! The item is a camping/sled dog trip with Jeff King and his dogs. That would be an experience! At dinner we are seated at a table for 10. Musher Nicolas Petit is at our table with 2 of his crew. I enjoy talking with them. I ask the crew members whether retired sled dogs make good pets and I am told they do. Now I want one. Hunter Keefe's name comes up. Nick's crew told us he worked with them for a while. They spoke highly of Nick and Hunter. We decide to root for Nick and Hunter. Dinner is steak, asparagus and potatoes and tastes great! (It's been a while since I had steak). Activities continue during the meal. There is a moving tribute to Lance Mackey, 4 time winner of the Iditarod and the Yukon Quest who died last September. When it is time for the Bib Draw the mushers draw for their official start order. Nick draws start position 8 and Hunter start position #11.

Our Autographed Poster.