YOU CAN ONLY DO THIS ONCE

From Ft. Wayne, it is 7:39 a.m. and Patrick is in bed with Junior.

Lance Mackey gets to the burled arch on front street first!!!! Hoo-yah!!

More later

From the in-box:

Bush wants us to cut the amount of gas we use. The best way to stop using so much gas is to deport 11 million illegal immigrants! That would be 11 million less people using our gas. The price of gas would come down.
Bring our troops home from Iraq to guard the border. When they catch an illegal immigrant crossing the border, hand him a canteen, rifle and some ammo and ship him to Iraq . Tell him if he wants to come to America
then he must serve a tour in the military. Give him a soldier's pay while he's there and tax him on it. After his tour, he will be allowed to become a citizen since he defended this country. He will also be registered to be taxed and be a legal patriot. This option will probably deter illegal immigration and provide a solution for the troops in Iraq and the aliens trying to make a better life for themselves. If they refuse to serve, ship them to Iraq anyway, without the canteen, rifle or ammo. Problem solved. If you think this is a good solution to both the problems, forward it to your friends. I just did.

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LANCE MACKEY MAKES #13 ONE LUCKY NUMBER

by staff

Lucky number 13 proved its magical power as Lance Mackey was the first to cross under the Burled Arch in Nome in dramatic style tonight. Mackey and his team of 9 dogs arrived at 8:08 pm (Alaska Time) completing the 2007 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog race in 9 days, five hours, eight minutes and forty-one seconds. Mackey set out to win this race with fierce determination, and maybe a little superstition: both his father and his brother won before him wearing bib #13. Now, Lance is the third Mackey to win the Iditarod sporting bib #13. All this happened on the 13^th day of March 2007!!! On top of that, Mackey becomes the very first Iditarod musher to win both the Yukon Quest and the Iditarod trail Sled Dog Race in the same year.

Thousands of fans lined Front Street in Nome to get a glimpse of the 36 year old Kasilof Alaska musher make Iditarod history in a big way. Mackey was greeted by his family and friends. Alaska Governor Sarah Palin called in to congratulate Mackey. She told him that he was an inspiration for all Alaskans

Wells Fargo Representative Loren Prosser presented Mackey a check for $69,000. Rod Udd, Anchorage Chrysler Dodge, CEO gave Mackey the key to a brand new Dodge Ram Pick Up Truck. General Communications Inc. Representative Gary Samuelson and Cabelas Representative Ron Nelson presented Mackey with the garland for his two lead dogs Larry and Lippy.

One other note about the Mackey tradition; Dick, Rick and Lance Mackey all won their Iditarod championships on their 6^th Iditarod race.