Iditarod Crazy: CheckItOut Event A
AN Event showcasing Three of The Many Venues to experience thE Iditarod 2013 anchorage Ceremonial START
Saturday March 2, 2013
This is a multi-point Geocaching event. A special Iditarod Challenge card will be available at all 3 stages. There will be 10 minutes to sign in at each location, receive an Iditarod Challenge card (if you don’t already have one) and take a photo. The more locations you visit, the more spaces you will be able to accrue toward the finish line and geocaching and Iditarod-themed awards. In a way, there will be twists and turns to the challenge to make a game that simulates a board game such as chutes and ladders.
When the Iditarod Sled Dog Race begins with the Ceremonial Start on the first Saturday in March, I’m about as ready to run from viewing area to viewing area as the pups are to pull those sleds from Willow to Nome. The official start is 10AM.
Give yourself plenty of time to arrive at the beginning coordinates, as you will need to find parking somewhere other than 4th Avenue, which will be a snowy road turned trail roped off for the racers. Many cross streets between 3rd and 4th will also be unavailable from Cordova through H Street, as contestants and their dogs and equipment will be utilizing those areas.
The times for this multi Geo-event are:
#1 Bird’s Eye View
8:15AM – 8:25AM
Join me at the posted coordinates on the 2nd level of this Parking Garage and you will see a favorite Iditarod Ceremonial Start viewing area for many.
#2 Meet the Dogs
9:00AM – 9:10AM
This is waypoint Stage 2 on this cache page. On your way to join me here, you will likely have viewed the rows of dogs in their boxes. You’ll experience one facet of the energy as you hear the yips and yaps and watch the mushers and handlers prepare their teams. On the way to Stage 3, you can pick your favorites.
#3 Starting Line
9:30AM – 9:40AM
Join me near the statue that commemorates the first Iditarod run. Event awards will be given and we’ll be part of the enthusiastic crowd as we hear the announcer preparing us for the first sled to leave at 10AM. Afterwards, choose your viewing spot and stay as long as you wish watching the varied moods of the dogs (some standing still and focused and others bouncing over and tangling their lines) as they await the countdown in 5-minute intervals that will say it is their time to run.
If you as crazy as I am about the Iditarod, then check out these events too.
Iditarod Crazy: CheckItOut Event B 11:00 AM GC463R5 Thru the Tunnel
Iditarod Crazy: CheckItOut Event C 12:30 PM GC43J4K The Final Turn