Awards and Fun Along the Way

The first big award was given to Burmiester for being the first Team into McGrath. Then the halfway award was presented to Mackey in Iditarod.....gold nuggets, Lances favorite! The next big prize is $7,000 waiting for the Team to be the first to the Yukon in Anvik. Not sure who that will be yet. Then the final trail prize will be when the first Team reaches Unalakleet. This prize is called the Gold Coast Award and is more gold nuggets for reaching the Bering Sea. It's worthy to note other unofficial awards are given to mushers too. Buser reportedly was presented with a big fat envelope for being the first musher to a lake outside of Rohn. The envelope had $1,900 in it!! It has also been fun watching the children in McGrath rush up to each approaching musher just to get an autograph and sometimes scoring a dog bootie!! It must be a thrill to have the race come through your village....like having special access to rock stars in a way. As I watched the videos I wished I grew up in McGrath....how fun!!