I didn’t realize when I asked Phil if he wanted to snowmachine the last 100 miles to Nome, that he would drive so slow.  It took several hours on a very bumpy course but we did arrive in Nome.

Here is phil coming over a hill.   You can see the trail stakes, that is the Official Iditarod Trail.  Then he had to stop, not sure what it was this time, hands were cold, feet were cold, face was cold….it was always something.

Safety is the last checkpoint before Nome (22 miles) and also a bar in the summer and during the week of the Iditarod.  We managed to swing in and warm up for a couple minutes before making the last push into Nome.  Its one of those places where you sign a dollar and staple it to the wall.  If you ever make it safety look for the Walrus mount and you will find the Schollmeier’s dollar.

After arriving in Nome Phil decided he wanted to hang out with some locals.  He met them all.

We were able to see several mushers finish.  Here is one of them as he and his dogs run down Front street towards the finish.

After the musher came through me and Phil were able to go and get our picture under the finish line.  Even after all the crazy ride on a bush plane, the hard work, the adventures, and the long, bumpy, cold snowmachine ride to Nome he was able to manage a smile.