2008 Iditarod Sled Dog Race
MCK Race Teams:

Jen and Blake Have Finished The Race!!
Setting a New Siberian Record!
11 Days, 21 Hours, 40 Minutes, and 36 Seconds!
Previous Siberian team Iditarod record was 12 days and 8 minutes, set by Shawn Sidelinger in 1998

Jen Voted Most Inspirational Musher!
Click here to download her acceptance speech (.mp3 file)
A great honor for a tough rookie race handled with dignity and grace. We're all proud of you, Dr. Jen.

Freking posts fastest run for Siberians
Jon Little March 14, 2008 at 2:33 pm

Thank you to everyone who has sent condolences,
encouragement, and support to Jen and Blake!
Click here to view the "Guestbook"

Tragedy near Nulato: At 10pm Sunday night, Jen and Blake were parked, snacking the dogs on the river between Galena and Nulato when a snomachine drove into their team going about 40mph.
Lorne is dead and Aries is badly injured. We're grief stricken for the loss of sweet, loving, hardworking Lorne and praying for the healing of sweet Aries.
Aries is being flown to Wasilla Vet Clinic.

Beautiful shot of Jen and Gonzo by Jeff Schultz - click here.

Jen and Blake arriving in McGrath at 7pm on 3/5/08.
From web cam at http://www.borealisbroadband.net/vid-iditarodmega.htm

Jen's Team:
Jen hit the trail with Gonzo, Telly, Kimber, Chester, Capri, Lena, Muski, Lorne,
Mongo, Frog, Apollo, Wat, Punto, Roland, Remi and Aries.

These two beautiful images of Jen's Team found on a webphoto site.	If you're the photograpther, please email me!
Kimber and Chester in Swing position - photo by Bonz	Jen's ready to go - photo by Bonz.
Jen's Team photo by Liz	Telly waits expectantly.
Jen Booties Gonzo and Chester	Apollo and Aries get booties too.
Jen gets packed.	Jen & her sled.

Blake's Team
Blake hit the trail with Jodi, Baldy, Trekkie, Trouble, Pepper, Ziggy, Altoid, Mac,
Taku, Takhini, Bodo, Steer, Nemo, Domita, Tagish and Peso.

Blake and his wheel dogs - by Steve Lee	Blake's team heads to the start - photo by Bonz.
Blake's ready to go. photo by Bonz	Blake's team is waiting.
Blake & Dad by Harry Banks	Harry Banks catches Jen & Blake nonverbally communicating ;-D
Blake gets help tying his number on. photo by Harry Banks	Jen and Blake pack last minute items.

Volunteers, Friends and Family!

ITC Dog Handling Volunteers with Jen's Team - photo by Bonz	Jason helps get Blake's team to the Starting line - photo by Bonz
Bonnie & Liz ready to take pictures	Diane Freking, Handler Erin, and George Bailey photo by Liz
Dogs Resting before race - photo by Liz	George and George put harnesses on.
Susan hugs the huskies that are anxious to go.	Blake and Jen with Joanne Potts photo by Bonnie
Blake and Jen pose with Karen Ramstead photo by Bonz	Bonnie helps Jen Bootie Apollo and Aries
Handler Erin looks startled by all the photos.	Handler Jason comforts Frog.
Shelia and Walter Herman from Louisiana - photo by Bonz	John, Siri & Joe Cooper - "Kipmik" is where Jen and Blake get all their booties - photo by Bonz
Jen and Bonnie Lundberg - photo by Liz	Jen and Rich Freking - photo by Bonz
Is Rich ready to send his son and daughter-in-law into the wild?	Susan Eagan, Liz Busa, Cindy Elkins, and Jen - photo by Bonz
Pam Vaughn helped at the starts and as a dog drop volunteer during the race. - photo by Bonz	Pat Ellinger and Pat Bach helped handle at the starts. - photo by Bonz

Blake's Team
Trekkie, Baldy, Trouble, Kenzie, Pepper, Ziggy, Taku, Takhini, Nemo, Oscar, Tagish and Bodo pulled
Blake, Iditirider Al, and Jason on the 2nd sled through Anchorage.

And They're Off! photo by Bonz	Blakes team waits the signal. photo by Bonz
Jason drove Blake's second sled. photo by Bonz	Blake and his Iditirider - photo by Bonz
Blakes team signals to stop on the way to the starting line. photo by Bonz	Blake's team is hot before they even start running. photo by Bonz
Dad takes Blake's sled to the starting line. photo by Bonz	Al is all smiles as the Iditirider. photo by Bonz
Blake gets his hat on in the starting chute. photo by Bonz	Two local fellows give Blake a lucky dollar to take to Nome

Jen's Team:
Capri, Lena, Coho, Muski, Kimber, Frog, Kyat, Lira, Apollo, Wat, Aries and Roland pulled
Jen, Iditirider Forrest Sheppard, and Cindy on the 2nd sled through the streets of Anchorage.

Story on Jen's Iditirider with his photos - click here!

Jen's Dogs - Wat and Aries - and waving Iditirider - Forrest - Make the Front Page of Alaska Daily News.	Cindy bravely rides Jen's second sled. photo by Bonz
Jen runs aheady of her team to the Starting line - photo by Bonz	Jen's team waits for the signal in the chute. photo by Bonz
Jen's Iditarider, Dr. Forrest Sheppard, gets last minute instructions.	Jen meets the Press - Interview viewable at iditarodinsider.com "Mr. & Mrs Freking" - photo by Bonz.

Volunteers, Friends and Family!

Jason, Blake Jen and Erin	The huskies are ready to get out of the trailer. photo by Bonz
Cindy leads a husky out. photo by Bonz	Susan Hugs a Husky named Muski.
Cindy and Jason offer soup before the start	The Huskies prefer beaver chunks from Blake before the start.
Bonnie caught taking a shot by Cindy	Jamie West among the well-wishers stopping by the truck. photo by Bonz
	Soup at the airport at the end of a short 11 mile Ceremonial Start on a warm sunny day.

Jen and Blake By Pat Ellinger

George and George Make all the Rigging for the Ceremonial Start - by Pat Ellinger

Dogs hanging out to greet the fans - by Pat Ellinger

Bonnie Lundberg in the dog trailer - by Pat Ellinger

Scenes from the trip north:

Jen and Blake have shipped off their drop bags of supplies
to be flown into each checkpoint along the Iditarod Trail!

Race Start - Anchorage - Saturday, March 1
- Live on KTUU-TV Channel 2 for Alaskan viewers
- Streamed live on iditarodinsider.com for fans everywhere
- Pre-race coverage begins at 9:30 am and will last approximately 3 hours

Duluth News Tribune: Iditarod Begins

Jen's Dogs - Wat and Aries - and her waving Iditirider, Forrest, are featured on the front page of the 3-2-08 Alaska Daily News!

On Iditarodinsider.com : In the Ceremonial Start Archive, Blake is in part 15 of 25 and Jen's is in part 16 of 25.
And in the restart archives, Blake is in part 9 and Jen in part 10.

Finland's Frekings stick together in Iditarod
Duluth News Tribune
Published Tuesday, March 04, 2008

Finland couple stays close together in Iditarod; Duluth musher close behind
Duluth News Tribune
Published Wednesday, March 05, 2008

Northlanders run close together in Iditarod; Finland couple 'having a ball'
John Schandelmeier for the Duluth News Tribune,
Published Friday, March 07, 2008

IditarodNorthlanders keep tight pack in sled dog race
By John Schandelmeier For the News Tribune
Published Saturday, March 08, 2008