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Matt Anderson - Iditarod

Limb Chicken

Limb Chicken

Active Member
email from Smith...

Hallo from McGrath!

Matt safely navigated the extremely treacherous terrain of "The Steps" that also claimed Iditarod great Deedee Janroe. He's checked into Rhone and is currently running "The Burn". I flew over it early today and it is just that - 120 miles of burned trees and frozen swamp. The snow is low on this part of the trail this year, so Matt took running shoes to run and minimize the amount that the dogs would have to drag his weight over dirt. He's still running about 33rd.

While in McGrath, 4-Time Champ Martin Buser and Lance Mackey checked in, with Mackey blowing through the checkpoint. I heard Buser tell the Versus channel that The Burn is the worst its been since he's been racing. The moguls and frost-heaves along with dry dirt have made this route incredibly rough-riding and hard on the dogs' joints.

I'm hoping on seeing Matt in McGrath in either morning or early afternoon, and maybe have a quick laugh before I send him on his way. The temp is running between -20 to -30 degrees below F and good for running dogs (and pretty easy to get used to for people I might add). Keep the e-mails coming and I'll pass them on as best I can ( but be sure to CC Matt in on them too).

To Nome!
Jessman Smith
jessmansmith@iditarodiowan.com

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Don't be afraid to send well wishes to Matt he is reading his email when he gets time at the check points. He is doing well!
 
I saw something similar in the paper today. Limb, is this his first time trying or was that a few years ago?
 
Update from Smith...

All right Anderson Fans, you want updates. . . I got updates:

As some of you may have guessed, Matt is taking his mandatory 24 hour rest in Tokatna. He actually had a few minutes in between fixin' dogs and eating to call his dad Doug here in Willow, Alaska. Matt says he's getting ready for a big push, so keep your eyes on the screen (as much as you can without getting fired, but seriously, its just a job). He is going to be dropping two more dogs. He said "he'd rather drop 'em than drag 'em!"
Matt will be leaving Tokatna at 8:00 p.m. Alaska time (11 pm Iowa time and 10 pm Wyoming time) and is really excited about thee dogs that remain strong and focused. There are a couple of big runs ahead with Matt heading to Ophir (24 miles) but then heading into a big 90 mile run to Iditarod and another 65 miles to Shageluk. Big runs on fresh legs. Matt's dogs aren't sprinters, they're grinders - this is the part of the trail best suits them. Up to this point, the race has been an obstacle course, from here until th last checkpoint, its an endurance match.

Tyrant, who was dropped by the veterinarians, was taken to the vet here in Anchorage for "possible pneumonia". Matt's livid assertions about Tyrant were right, he was GOOD TO GO! as the x-rays revealed absolutely nothing wrong with Tyrant or his lungs! (We got hosed.)

I got news from an Iditarod veteran, Iowa Hawkeye and Iditarod Iowan fan, who lives in Nome , that the temperature in Nome is -25 degrees F (pretty reasonable) but that winds were gusting between 90 -104 mph. Anything that isn't tied down is getting blown away. Storms are supposedly heading into the North part of the trail, and things are about to get really interesting.

If you are going to send me an e-mail, it better end: To Nome!
 
I had forgot he was running this year.I had seen an article that he had moved out west for training himself and his dogs.
 
I heard them talking about him on the radio the other day. I'm pulling for him!
waytogo.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
"He isn't gonna win this race," Jane Potts said with a chuckle. She has been the Iditarod race director since 1983 and a volunteer since 1975.

[/ QUOTE ] Taken from Daily Iowan aritcle.

I'm sure Matt Anderson has the focus and drive to complete the Iditarod. I'm betting that statements like this only steel his resolve.
Burn, Baby, Burn!
waytogo.gif
 
More from Smith

Iditarod Iowan Fans-

Matt and his "Dirty Dozen" are currently on their way to Iditarod. We're hoping he rolls in this afternoon or evening. Although the race has been grueling on Matt, his dogs, and ourselves (the fans), the race is only half done and is really starting to heat up. Its difficult to know what's going on with Matt during this 90 mile stretch, so keep your fingers crossed. Meanwhile, I've been sent a picture of Matt's team at the ceremonial start in Anchorage from last Saturday (Yes, that's me riding Matt's second sled behind him). Check it out:

260_61_030407_iditarod1.jpg


To Nome!
Jessman Smith


Fox News Iditarod
 
Iditarod Iowan Fans-

Lance Mackey is less than 77 miles from Nome. He placed 36th as a rookie 6 years ago!


Matt left Kaltag around 4:30 a.m. Alaska time. The trip to Unalakleet takes most mushers between 14-18 hours. This is his first departure from the Yukon River since Anvik. The Yukon River, although flat, is known for its fierce winds. Dogs, very often, do not like to run in this wind, although Matt's dogs in Pinedale, Wyoming, endure winds of the same intensity. He is in the midst of the trip to Unalakleet, his last 90 mile trip between checkpoints. This portion of the race will be extremely windy as well. Unalakleet, however, is the make-you-or-break-checkpoint. This is the last location where mushers usually scratch, for fear of facing the winds and the vastness of the Gold Coast Run.

Matt's been resting the dogs well. I'd like to know how they've been eating. Iditarod Veterans say that is the difference between a dog in Nome and a dog sent to Anchorage.

Still working on getting pictures online and maybe t-shirts.


To Nome!
Jessman Smith
 
Saw this on the iditarodiowan.com site, looks like Matt finished about 40th place. Awesome job!

Friday, March 16, 2007
Nome. He did it!

Iditarod Veterans have said nearly the entire race that this trail was one of the toughest and nastiest yet. The numbers support that theory. This year set the record for the highest numbers of scratches with 24. Surprisingly, 17 of the 24 scratches were Iditarod veterans, including such big names as Doug Swingly and Deedee Jonrowe. Others are still mushing toward Nome. Before the start of this year's race, only 585 people had ever completed the Iditarod in its storied 35 year run (over 1,500 people have climbed Everest).

Matt rolled into Nome at 3:45 p.m Alaska time in a total of 12 days, 45 minutes for a finish of 41st finish of Iditarod #35. His finishing 9 dogs were Onion, Lonely, BFWP, Porkchop, Nacho, Sharkey and 3 Jason Barron dogs of Onyx, Hexagon, and Tea Tree. Matt's dropped dogs were Maddie, Salmon, Fir, Abel, Josey and Jason Barron dogs Tyrant and Argus. I spoke with Matt around 7:00 p.m. Alaska time he told me that the dogs were good but "tired, skinny and bruised".

Matt sounded well, but I saw on Iditarod Insider that he had a small frost bite lesion on his nose (so much for the nose job the University of Iowa paid to fix!). Matt claims to have faced one obstacle after another for the entire race. As an example, he detailed a terrible wreck between Ophir and Iditarod, in which he was sure that Maddie had died. "She was a block of ice, a nose, and a mouth. I was sure she was dead. When I got all of the ice off of her, she just started coughing and came back to life."

I relayed as many messages as I could and focused on the one most agreed upon "We're proud of you Matt."

Before he let me go to load dogs on a plane to Anchorage, Matt told me he had stories to tell all night long, but that's another e-mail. 'Til then . . .

Nome!
Jessman Smith
 
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