Where does the Iditarod start? It depends on the weather

by Catherine Bodry on

You’d think a race that’s been taking place since 1973 would have a starting line that never changes, but that’s not the case for the Iditarod — it has several starts, and some of these change from year to year.

The National Historic Iditarod Trail begins right here in Seward (see photo). Originally a mail and supply route, the trail became, in 1925, “a life saving highway for epidemic-stricken Nome. Diphtheria threatened and serum had to be brought in . . . by intrepid dog mushers and their faithful hard-driving dogs.” This one trip inspired today’s Iditarod, or what is called “The Last Great Race.”

The ceremonial start of the race is 125 road miles north in downtown Anchorage, and this past Saturday mushers took off down 4th Avenue while an announcer introduced each musher and team. Snow is trucked in so sleds can roll along the road, and bundled-up crowds gather on both sides to cheer the mushers and their teams on.

Mushers ride to East Anchorage, where they load their teams in trucks and drive even farther north for the official start (or “restart”) of the race the next day. This location is what changes from year to year — usually the competitive start has been in Wasilla, a bedroom community of Anchorage. This year, however, the start was in Willow — 30 miles north of Wasilla. Msnbc reported in January that the move to Willow was due to urban sprawl and a warming climate — and is permanent.

The conditions have been so terrible that the race hasn’t restarted in Wasilla since 2002, and in 2003 the restart actually took place in Fairbanks — 200 miles north of Wasilla.

If Alaska continues to warm up, the Iditarod may be no more, but until then I imagine the competitive start will continue to be pushed north until there’s nowhere left to go.

Where on Earth? Week 48

by Catherine Bodry on


This backpacker paradise offers river tubing trips, the show “Friends” at every restaurant, and more banana pancake stands then you can ever hope to visit. Think you know where this is? Leave a comment below and tell us!

Tune in Friday for the answer.

When things fall from the sky too close for comfort

by Jamie Rhein on

Once when I was with my mom going past Newark, New Jersey on the highway, (I can’t remember which one) there an enormous CRASH!!! near my head accompanied by shattering glass. Someone threw something off the overpass–we think. It happened so fast that we’re not even sure if there was an overpass or if someone lobbed something from the side of the road. Regardless, something came from somewhere to pulverize the back passenger window. I was in the front passenger seat. Glass flew far enough to land in my lap and at my feet. Neither of us were hurt–shocked, but not hurt.

I thought of this incident after reading about what happened at the St. James Theater in New York City last night during the evening show of “Gypsy.” A metal plate fell out of the ceiling, hitting a young woman in the head and just missing the neck of the friend of the article’s writer,Tara Parker-Pope. Tara goes on to think about other things that fall on us unexpectedly when we are out in the world and what we can do about it.

People are responding in the comment section to share what has fallen too close for comfort–either on them, or next to them. Here are some of the mentions:

  • part of a ceiling (more than one mention)
  • an apple
  • a slab of ice
  • a quart of milk
  • a gargoyle
  • an air conditioner (more than one mention)
  • a flower pot

And to anyone who happened to be walking past Carew Tower in Cincinnati, Ohio a few years ago. . . if there was a pair of black sunglasses that fell on you. They are mine. I was leaning over to look at the view. Sorry. [via New York Times]

Where are the world’s best art museums?

by Grant Martin on

Reuter’s just published a list of the world’s top art museums and for once I actually agree with a top ten list. Their top pick is the Louvre, on the banks of the Parisian Seine. One can get lost in that museum for hours (and stand in line to get in for more), and the wealth of art and artifacts on display is truly astounding. And while their classical antiquity collection is not as strong as the British Museum (not ranked) or the Getty (4), their painting and drawing collections are arguably the best in the world. Other contenders?

  1. Musee du Louvre, Paris, France
  2. Vatican Museums, Vatican City, Rome, Italy
  3. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, New York
  4. J. Paul Getty Center, Los Angeles, California
  5. Musee d’Orsay, Paris, France
  6. Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy
  7. Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
  8. Tate Modern, London, England
  9. Prado Museum, Madrid, Spain
  10. National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

I was pleased to learn that I’ve been to seven of their top ten choices, including all of the top four. I’ll have to make sure I visit the Musee d’Orsay next time I’m in Paris, which I hear is a less touristy, debaucherous Louvre.

One museum I’d like to have seen? The British Museum. Hundreds of years of imperialism and looting have resulted in an impressive collection of artifacts from around the world centered around a beautiful atrium. And it’s free.

Magna Carta comes to the National Archives in DC

by Grant Martin on

If you were following the Sotheby’s auctions late last year (or listening to NPR the day of the sale), you probably heard that a rare copy of the Magna Carta, one of the most important documents in the history of democracy, was sold to a Mr. David Rubenstien, of the private equity company Carlyle Group.

Speculation on where that version of the document, originally commissioned by the King of England in 1297, would end up, ranged from lost somewhere into a private collection to some sort of public display.

Luckily, this one wont end up on Steven Spielburg’s wall. The generous Mr. Rubenstien announced today that his company was loaning the treasure to the National Archives in Washington DC, where it will soon be put on display for the public to see, along with the Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights and Constitution. How exciting.

The document is slated to go on display on the 12th of this month. Make sure you stop by and take a look if you’re in the neighborhood — admission is free!