Mackey Wins Again!!

So by now everyone should now that Lance Mackey won the Iditarod again, that makes it three straight years in a row that Lance has won the Iditarod and let me tell ya he just dominated this race. The big news was a big storm outside of Shaktown where it held up the mushers from 3-8 place except Schnuelle. So the story goes the weather turned in to a blizzard and Mackey and schnuelle arleady made it through and all the other mushers had to camp at a shelter cabin. But John Baker made it through the blizzard and was in a battle with Sebastian for 2nd and ended up third. Wow that is totally ala. Libby Riddles :)

The Champ!!

Ah the Madness!!

Anyways Iditarod festivities is over and this year was alright, didn't seem as much people but nonetheless it was fun. Shanna and I volunteered at the NEST shelter one night and that was quite fulfilling. As goes for Basketball I played one game and lost, so long story short um we sucked :) It was nice to see old friends again and make new ones along the way. My snowmachine finally got fixed and it saved from me having to have Shanna pick me up and drop my off places which was convenient for both of us. If you don't know Shanna lives out in Martinsville which is outside of Nome like a 5 minute drive but 20 0r so minute walk. As of now i am currently back at work and would rather still be out and about but I guess life doesn't work like that.
The Ski-jorers!!

Also Shanna and Spalding did a Ski-joring race and they won in first place!! No they didn't but they had a good time and I being the good BF went out and cheered them on and took some pictures.

Also we went to the iditarod banquet and they had wonderful food and most of all really good chocolate cake!! so we got to see all the famous musher and not so famous mushers. We got to rub elbows with Lance and Jeff and also hear all the wonderful stories and BS :) So Shanna also bought Robert Nelson's Wine bottle in the silent auction and had him signed it. Total Collectors item!! Anyways my time is up and hope all is well with everyone.

Iditarod has taken over!

So the buzz around Alaska right now is the one the only Iditaord sled dog race, the race of endurance, of timing and just plain ol tough people. Right now look as if local boy Aaron Burmeister is in the top 3 and Melissa owens is managing the top 20. Both teams i hope for great finishes i just dont' expect either of them to win the whole thing. This years race is filled with so many good teams where its impossible to predict whose going to win the whole thing. I think you could put your top ten mushers on a dart baord and throw it and who ever it lands on thats whose going to win. But i have finally decided on who i think is going to win. Lance? No i think he has a great chance but two years in a row! Adee hope he doesn't win he has enough trucks and enough whatever he does. Schnuelle? I seriously don't think he could win it with his team, i'll go more in to that later so my pick is Hugh Neff, with all the reports about how he ran in the Quest i think he could do it!!! He had a two hour penalty and still lost by 4 minutes to Schnuelle. So there you have it, my pick!!! Neff is said to be very strong and some how i just get this vibe from saying Neff :) maybe its because i use to mush...ya know its a very close circle :)

Mush On Neff Mush on!!

So life right now for me is quite routine as said in my profile that i work up here at the Mine so i don't leave here till Monday the 16 th. When up here its a routine get up go to work, hang out and go to bed. Nothing much really to do but play call of duty, the internet and talk to loved ones especially one in particular l...the week off is nice but who really wants to spend 2 weeks away from family and friends...theres a give and take on this relationship i call my life and so far its been taking alot as i have so much stuff i want to do but unable to do so due to my responsibilites. Who knows whats in the future for me by the way of my professional side. BTW i work in Hr so i dont have to get dirty any more or fly coach :) sike i still fly coach but rarely get dirty :) For Basketball at the Iditarod this ol man is playing A league this year due to the fact that none of our open team is showing up and that i am not in ball shape. Anyways i look forward to spending time with Shanna and my friends during iditarod as you know there is a lot of activites going on. The wet buns contest and wet t-shirt contest :) Some maybe wondering if i am going to enter the buns contest this year but these buns don't need to get wet and these buns aren't buns there more like loaves of bread :) Plus this day and age i would most likely see my buns on the internet, such as youtube or facebook...i can't have any more stalkers already so i'll be on the down low :) Also the wet t shirt contest, ie see the wet buns theory :) haha i also look forward to the coverage of KNOM!! Listening to the show " On the trail with Laureli" it has to be up for a oscar!! Anyways up at work and there really is nothing else to talk about besides work and me being on the internet ! So Have a great week and go Neff!!!

Me and leslie working hard!!

Shanna's dog Spalding wishes he could mush in the Iditarod!

THE STORMS SEEM TO NEVER END!

We have had the worst storms lately!! It started early this morning. I woke up to a HUGE storm in Nome, and Sam finally got it at Red Dog Mine around 5pm. The storm has kept me stuck in my house all day. I finally had to go outside in the afternoon for a bathroom relief for my dog. So while I was out I took some pics to share. The snow drifts are in an abundance in our drive...and they are as tall as our house. I can't get out of my main door b/c the snow is completely drifted up. My second door is getting there, but it is much lower than my main door. The storm is still blowing like crazy and is supposed to last till 6am or so. We will see though! :) Maybe I will get a "snow-day" on Monday!!!??? yay!! :)

SHANNA IN STEBBINS

This is how I got to "ride" to the airport from the school in Stebbins. That would be all of the luggage of the people who traveled with me. I had my bag on my back and the little green bag is my "hand-carry"!!! ---my first time ever, riding on a sled like that! Maybe next time I will have some dogs to pull me vs. a snowmachine!

STEBBINS, ALASKA---Shanna went here for work on Wednesday, March 4 and was stuck here till Friday due to the worst storm that I have ever seen. I couldn't see past 20 feet when I was looking out of the window. People had to lock their arms to walk home and some had to stay at the school with us b/c it was too bad to go home!!

A first for everything

The blog has cometh upon me as this is my first post, not sure how Shanna and I are going to be doing this so without further ado i have decided to complete my first post. As everyone knows its March now a time for March Madness, a time where every village and hard core basketball fan cheers on there home teams for a birth to state and vying for the state glory. If your a little older like um....me :) Its time for city league tournaments such as the ever popular Iditarod or the North American. This year will be the Iditarod for me and every year its a wonderful experience in its own right. Also starting up is the Iditarod race where every tourist from places over sea's to the lower 48's anticipate Lance Mackey and Jeff king's run to Nome....i remember when i was a kid as the Iditarod went through Unalakleet and got to watch them come in and I especially liked it when i was able to stay up late or head up river and see all the front runners as people from Unalakleet made them snacks for their break at old woman cabin. I still remember eating Dried apricots from Susan Butcher :) Also back then i was really in to dog mushing and would go around collecting dog booties for my Uncle Junie, running around house to house and being ever so happy that i got Rick Swenson and Susan Butchers dog booties :) Who knows whose going to win the race this year as it seams there are quite a number of good racers again this year. Is it possible that Lance can pull a three peat? or is one of the Hardened veterans such as Buser, King or Seavey going to succeed. Then theres the second group of guys who continually place in the top 10, guys such as Iten, Baker, Smyth, or girls Jonrowe. I have no pick but the over sea's musher Kjetil Backen is always dangerous. As for what i am doing i am back at work at the Mine for another week till i get my much needed break from this place. But I guess i could write about that later. Hope everyone is enjoying the storms and spring time weather and be careful as it is icy out there. I have included some pics of Shanna and I around Nome from last week, one is Me on my snowmachine on a Nome mountain and the other is Shanna snowshoeing with her Dog Spalding in the back ground running around.

Our Blog begins March 2009

Welcome to the life and times of Samuel Towarak and Shanna Moeder. Sam and I have started our blog b/c we have been inspired by many of our friends and family up here in Alaska who have great blogs themselves. We also have done so many amazing things together since we started dating back in October 2007 that we finally decided it was time to share our adventures.
Sam and I originally met back in the summer of 2005 in Nome Alaska when I was in Nome working for the hospital. We didn't keep in contact or much less remember each other until we meet again at Iditarod 2007! Despite the happenings at that Iditarod, I accepted Sam's invitation to Unalakleet (his village that he grew up in) for a weekend of fishing silver salmon with him and his friends/cousins! It was that weekend that everything began for us. Following then, the crazy-giddy feelings for each other that lead to the many nights of 1-2 hour phone calls, the spontaneous weekend trip to Red Dog Mine to see Sam, and the invitation to his sister's wedding in Anchorage. After two months we finally started dating and well, here we are today....
I still live and work in Nome. Sam is currently still working at Red Dog Mine and has an apartment in Anchorage.
We hope between the two of us that we can keep this up-to-date and enjoyable for all. We are destined to share some fun pics and stories for Sam's 30th birthday is coming up in May, Iditarod is around the corner and Sam just shipped his snowmachine up here to Nome. braap, braap :)