Ken Anderson's 2008 Iditarod Journals

[sarida]

Hi Folks,

Yesterday Ken posted a note on the Iditarod forums that his journals were now available at his website. A reply was posted that was beyond rude and completely uncalled for, I felt terrible for him. If you want to weigh in on this discussion or show Ken some love from the fan base go to:

http://www.iditarodforums.com/viewtopic ... 6196#p6196

I want to encourage all of y'all to check out Windy Creek Kennels:

http://www.windycreekkennel.com/

I'm sending my order for his 2008 Journals as soon as next payday gets here. Oh, and check out the new Mushing magazine for a review and excerpts. I got mine in yesterday's mail.

Mush Y'all,

[MotorWerk]

There's a very good reason that I'm staying away from the official forum. People there are rude as heck and will go to great lenghts to taunt, flame and harass others.

As for Ken's journal; I've emailed my sister that this would be a great gift...

[nosnow tx]

Hey, Sarida
Greetings from another Texan. This is my very first post on this forum.

Yes, I am so glad I found this forum. I became really fed up with that other forum. Very rude and inflammatory. I couldn't believe comments about Ken Anderson Journal. I got mad and posted an essay and then I saw a link to this website ( I think it was your link, not sure) and came right over. It's unbelievable that someone could comment that way about one of their own. Ken deserves alot of respect for what he has done, and I am looking forward to watch IditaQuest play out. He's on my list of favorite mushers.

Some of the posters on the other forum would fit right in with some of our "Red Necks" Well, there are actually 2 types of Red Necks, the proud ones, indicating their pride in the State and heritage, and then there are the others. If you live in Texas you know who the "others" are.

Anyway, I'm glad to be here and soooooooo looking forward to the comming race season. Is it here yet ? !!!!!

nosnow tx

[Moose]

Hi nosnow tx! Glad you decided to join us. This is a good group of race fans, a good group of folks--period. Wait until you see what John, Damon, and the kids come up with during the race. This year, not only did they set up the site and invite us over after Cabela's "evicted" us, but they got out and filmed the teams, interviewed the drivers, provided links to cool maps and historic/educational stuff. And they walked us through our own little computer/program glitches. I think you'll like it here.

[sarida]

Howdy Nosnow!

Y'all come on in, take off your shoes and sit a spell. I'm in San Antonio, but hail from the East Texas piney woods. Where abouts are y'all? When I saw "east Texas" on your locale, I thought, "wow, maybe a red dirt musher back in the deep woods?"

I know what you mean about Good Rednecks vs Bad Rednecks. A few years back I was driving Highway 21 from Alto through Douglas on my way to Nacogdoches. It was just twilight after a day of hard rain and red mud had slid out onto low spots on the paved road. I hit one of those mudslides on a curve in the road and as I steered left my suv went straight on and off the pavement into a slick muddy shoulder. I tried to ease out but, as you can imagine, this just sank me down to the axils.

I had two options; call my folks and have them send my cousin, (a good redneck) with his truck and a chain, or wait thirty minutes for any redneck passing by in a truck. I decided to wait and make the call in half an hour. Right at twenty minutes a big blue dually, four wheel drive with extended cab pulled up and asked if I needed help. Before I had “yes” out of my mouth he was backing up to get into position. I got out to show him where to hook the chain, but he had it secured to his custom welded front bumper, before I had stepped through the mud. He hooked the chain to my tow hitch and waved me back into my car. I was eased back onto the blacktop in a few seconds and before I could get out again to thank him he’d unhitched his chain and was gone down the road. Another Good Redneck, who just lived for moments like this.

They are a special breed of folk and they can be found in every state and every country. In Minnesota, they are guys in parkas and pick-ups that pull you out of snow banks. In Florida and Louisiana, they pull you out of swampy sink holes. You’ll find them in Alaska, Norway, Alberta, California, Michigan, Maine,…… Heck, I’ll bet some of them are even mushers.

I’m glad I’m not the only one who was irritated at Red Stone for his remarks, I’m very disappointed in the forums at the “official Iditarod” site. I really missed the old Cabela’s site this past year. Its reporting was better, more thorough, and strategy oriented. Happily the old Cabela’s forums are resurrected here at the BSSD hosting. We sure love these kids and their faculty / administrators. They created this checkpoint for us to drop hooks and rest our teams. Glad you found your way here.

Mush y’all,

Southpaw Sarida

[nosnow tx]

Yep,Sarida, pretty deep woods. Tyler,Texas home of the annual Rose Festival and East Texas Football. I don't know how long you have been in San Antonio, but if you you haven't been away too long, you will remember in East Texas High School Football is KING. Sooo, just about the time football is over, and all the playoff games have been played and everyone has established bragging rights, we move right into the Quest and Iditarod.

I have my whole neighboorhood asking me "when does that dog race start"?
Last year I peeked their interest a little and now they are all over it. Good Heavens, my whole neighboorhood is strategizing.
It amazing how these races,mushers and especially the dogs just work their way into our lives. I say that realizing I have one dog in my lap, one sharing my chair and one laying on my feet as I type. None however that pull a sled, they can pick up their food bowl and bring it to me. That has to count for something.

Thanks for the welcome. This is a really good site----love it.

Talk to you later,
nosnow tx

[flowerpower]

Welcome, Nosnow, there are a few Texans around the site. I am in Austin, CynCyn is out west in SanAngelo, and Heidi is down on the coast. All we need is an El Pasoen and a Panhandle person, and we would pretty well have the state covered! I know-I work at a small charter school and had the whole school participating last year! It actually was a great way to feed my addiction under the guise of working. We actually had several kids from Alaska and had a contest for which class could pick the top 5. Of course, the class with the AK kids won, hands down!
Anyway, this site is MUCH MUCH friendlier than that other place. We have wonderful moderators who make sure everyone stays under control, even though we rarely get trolls. Thank goodness! and John C and the kids at BSSD are the BEST!

[Sady]

Hi Nosnow!

Welcome to the forum! This has been an absolutely great place to gather not only for the race(s), but to visit with other mushing and dog addicts. John, the kids of BSSD and others have set up the most wonderful place for us. I'm in the Dallas area. With my family roots in east Texas, I know where Tyler is! Once again, welcome!

[flowerpower]

And Dustmusher in San Antonio area also! I'm getting old! what other denizens of the lone star state have I forgotten?

[tanglefoot]

hey nosnow, good to have you here, im in the uk , england where everything is green it always rains and we speak all proper like the queen hahahaha, not really....we did get some sun last week haha.

you picked a good place to set your snow hook and pull off the trail! we all a little mad but always friendly and all big fans of the sport not just the irod, some of us are mushers, some are fans and some just love dogs..and lance.

hope you stay for a while!

tangles
(matt)