Friday, March 15, 2013

There's Something About Nome...


There's Something About Nome...

by Kim Knudsen

I took the week off of work to spend time with the kids during their spring break.  Oh how I wish I didn't have to work... I would just be a full time Nomite.  There's so many wonderful things that go on in Nome and when I'm at work I feel like I'm missing it.  I like showing the rest of the world what a great place Nome is.  Nome has been in the media lately with the Bering Sea Gold show, Alaska State Trooper show, and various news reports.  I don't think the shows represent Nome very well so I felt incline to start a blog from a Nomite's perspective.  I was born and raised here... when I was a teenager I hated it here and dreamt of leaving, making it big, and never coming back.

Well that didn't turn out...  There's something about Nome and draws people back... ask anyone who has lived here. Coming back as an adult and making new good memories with my family has been enjoyable.

Since I had the week off which is also Iditarod week I took a lot of photos to share with you.

My daughter Addison at the Iditarod dog lot in Nome.  Photo taken by Kim Knudsen


My kids Addison and Reese at the Iditarod finish line.  Photo by Kim Knudsen

Angry Birds snow sculpture at Iditarod Fine Arts show.  Photo taken by Kim Knudsen

Musk Ox snow sculpture at Iditarod Fine Arts show.  Photo taken by Kim Knudsen

The twins Aiden and Reese at the Iditarod finish line. Photo by Kim Knudsen

My kids Aiden, Reese, Jeremy, and Addison at the finish line.  Photo taken by Kim Knudsen

Goofy kids.  Photo taken by Kim Knudsen

Addison, Kim, and Aiden at the Iditarod Fine Arts show.  Photo taken by Jeremy Knudsen

Addison

Aiden

Reese
Jessica Hendricks.  Photo taken by Kim Knudsen

Addison was so excited to see a musher Jessica Hendricks come in.

My mom Thu Lan selling her delicious food at the Iditarod craft fair.  Photo by Kim Knudsen

Musher Newton Marshall from Jamaica scratched from this years race because one of his dogs got loose named May.  After several days she was found and returned home to her owner Jim Lanier (another musher). May had travel 150 miles towards home.  Here's a picture of Addison with Newton... she was so excited to get a picture with a real live musher! Photo by Kim Knudsen
Here's a photo of my friend Dora Ahwinona-Smith selling her beaded crafts at the Iditarod Craft Fair.  She's also sporting her plaque that she won in the women's light weight arm wrestling competition.  Photo by Kim Knudsen

I took some scenic photos...
Icicles hanging from our roof.  Photo by Kim Knudsen
A crazy tourist who decided to camp out on the ice.  Photo by Kim Knudsen

Sun over the Bering Sea ice.  Photo by Kim Knudsen

Looking southeast out on the ice waiting for musher to come in.  Photo taken by Kim Knudsen

Looking west on the frozen Bering Sea.  Photo by Kim Knudsen


Raven flying in the sky just outside of our home.  Photo by Kim Knudsen

Sun Rise just outside of our home.  Photo by Kim Knudsen

On Beltz highway heading south towards town.  Martinsonville on the right.  Photo by Kim Knudsen

Finish line. Downtown Nome, Alaska.  Photo by Kim Knudsen

Quarantined dog lot.  Where they keep the Iditarod dog finishers for a couple of days before going home.  Photo by Kim Knudsen
 short video of dogs singing at the dog lot.

At the dog lot.  This dog is just begging to be kissed.  Photo taken by Kim Knudsen

Close up photo.  Photo by Kim Knudsen
Addison with 2013 Iditarod Champion Mitch Seavey.  She was so excited to meet him.  Photo by Kim Knudsen


Night life happenings.  Ian Foster from Bering Sea Gold season 1 performing at open mic night at Bering Sea Bar.  Photo by Kim Knudsen
Morning sunrise on First street.  Neighborhood where I grew up.  Photo by Kim Knudsen
Mike Williams, Sr. bib #35 coming off the ice and into Nome in 45th place.  Photo by Kim Knudsen

Mike Williams Sr.  Photo taken by Kim Knudsen

Mike Williams Sr. and his dogs.  Photo by Kim Knudsen

Mike Williams, Sr. lead dogs.  Photo by Kim Knudsen

We went to the Mushers Signing at Iditarod headquarters it was packed with long lines and huge crowds.


Travis Beals (the guy who proposed to his girlfriend under the burled arch at the finish line), Addison, and 4 times Iditarod Champion Lance Mackey

My favorite musher and future Iditarod Champion, Aaron Burmeister

Addison with Dallas Seavey 2012 Iditarod Champion

Addison with Dee Dee Jonrowe.  Breast cancer survivor who has run multiple Iditarods

Jeff King (4 times Iditarod Champion) came in 3rd this year.

Aliy Zirkle came in 2nd this year

Mitch Seavey 2013 Iditarod Champion
When I asked Addison who was her favorite musher out of all of the ones she met today she said "Mitch"






2013 Iditarod Champion- Mitch Seavey


Wow it was a crazy Iditarod finish this year.  Mitch Seavey came in first but close behind him was Aliy Zirkle.  I love a new feature that Iditarod.com offered this year was an insider subscription for the GPS tracker for $19.95.  I love it and could watch real time on the progress of how mushers were doing.  Unfortunately I did not witness Mitch or Aliy's finishI think I should have ditched my date with my husband and walked down to front street ;-).
Mitch Seavey became the oldest winner, a two-time Iditarod champion, when he drove his dog team under the burled arch in Nome on Tuesday evening, March 12, 2013. Race marshal Mark Nordman is at right.  (AP Photo/The Anchorage Daily News, Bill Roth)
Mitch Seavey became the oldest winner, a two-time Iditarod champion, when he drove his dog team under the burled arch in Nome on Tuesday evening, March 12, 2013. Race marshal Mark Nordman is at right. (AP Photo/The Anchorage Daily News, Bill Roth)
Mitch Seavey beneath the Burled Arch in Nome with his lead dogs, Tanner and Taurus. AP Photo/Anchorage Daily News, Bill Roth

Mitch Seavey congratulates second place finisher Aliy Zirkle after she arrived in Nome. (AP Photo/The Anchorage Daily News, Bill Roth)
Aliy Zirkle finished second in the Iditarod for the second consecutive year when her dog team crossed under the burled arch in Nome on Tuesday evening, March 12, 2013. (AP Photo/The Anchorage Daily News, Bill Roth)
I was bummed about missing the finish because I wanted to take my own awesome photos of the finish. Plus my daughter, Addison really wanted to see them.  She woke up the next morning crying that she had missed them because she had fallen asleep.

On thursday I took the kids out to lunch at a local restaurant called Milanos where they have Italian, American, and Asian/Korean cusine and soft served ice cream! 

Reese, Aiden, and Jeremy
I'm a Zombie!
Mmm ice cream

 But that's not all.  Mitch Seavey was in the house!!!  One of the workers there recognized him and he was sitting in the booth right behind Addison.  She was so excited to see him.  She kept popping her head over the booth.  This photo is much better than anything I could have taken at the finish line with large crowds.  Congratulations Mitch!  By the way I think he ordered a milk shake.

Addison with Mitch Seavey 2013 Iditarod Champion photo by Kim Knudsen
My favorite musher is Nome grown Aaron Burmeister who came in 11th this year... I missed this one too (slept through it).  I failed as one of his biggest fans.  For more info on Aaron see the blog post below.http://nomemade-nomealaska.blogspot.com/2013/03/aaron-burmeister-future-iditarod-first.html

Here are some other photos I took of Iditarod finishers...
Jessica Hendricks bib #54 coming off the ice and into Nome photo by Kim Knudsen
Jessica Hendricks lead dog photo by Kim Knudsen


Jessica Hendricks photo by Kim Knudsen

Travis Beals bib #22 coming into Nome from off the ice in 37th place.  Short afterwards under the finish line he proposed to his girlfriend.  She said "yes".  Photo taken by Kim Knudsen
Justin Savidis bib #34 coming off the ice and into Nome in 38th place.  Photo taken by Kim Knudsen
Matt Giblin bib #64 coming off the ice and into Nome 39th place.  Photo taken by Kim Knudsen