For the second time, I was in Shaktoolik for my birthday. First time was in 2000, when I flew in to join Andy, Kevin, and Dave as they completed their through-ski of the Iditarod trail. Andy baked me a cake as we were trapped in a pink house for three days, waiting out a ground blizzard.

Today, Shaktoolik looks a lot like that day, with snowdrifts making sharp ridges across the only street every few hours, until the road grader, aka the trail groomer, bites through them. The waves of snow return a few hours later.

The day started out sunny and awesome as we met up with the Iditarod trail out of Unalakleet. The Blueberry Hills remind me of the White Mountains a bit.

Here’s Tohru trying to jump to Besboro Island.

Here’s the truck, Shaktoolik’s landmark when approaching from the south. I see no live trucks in town. All snogos and fourwheelers.

Today, Kenji drilled in a ground blizzard a few steps off the Iditarod trail, by what’s left of the Old Shaktoolik town site, a victim of global change before global change was cool.

Momma, can you believe your baby is 45? We celebrated with some village-store neopolitan ice cream. Any day on the trail is a fine day. Even better when it's your birthday.