ID: AliyCam 2016 “Blueberry Hills”

I have carried a hand held video camera on the race for years now. Honestly, I don't always think "Gez, this is gorgeous… I need to take a video!" But, I really did try to capture some amazing portions of the Iditarod Trail this year.
There are 13 videos in the ID: AliyCam 2016 Series.


I look forward to the Blueberry Hills because it really grabs me with the realization that we have crossed the entire state of Alaska by dog team. It’s the first time that I can see the Bering Sea from my sled runners. That’s a far distance from the downtown streets of Anchorage. Thus, this spot is often a ‘Holy Cow’ moment.

This spot is also special because I stopped here - on the highest hill - in the year 2002. Back then, I left a small memento of a deceased friend who had introduced me to long distance racing. So every year since then, I speak to him when we mush by. I usually tell him how it's going: great, good, poor, so/so, etc. Over the years, I have told him a lot of different things!