The reporters and camera crews are waiting at White Mountain, Alaska.

The White Mountain checkpoint is only 77 miles to the finish line in Nome. The first to Nome to cross the line in the snow will be the winner of the 2013 Iditarod dog sled race across Alaska. The veterans here at White Mountain tell us that the first musher into White Mountain usually wins the race. That’s usually. This year may be different. An eight-hour rest break is required at White Mountain before the leader can yell “Mush!” and break with his team of dogs for Nome and glory. That glory this year may come only over after a “grueling race to the finish.” On the trail at 5 am this morning, the leaders were: Mitch Seavey at #1 who led yesterday morning (keep pushing at #1, Dad Seavey!), Aliy Zirkle the leading lady who moved up to #2 from #4 yesterday (fly through the snow, Aliy!), Jeff King at #3 where he was yesterday (hang in there, Mr. Tenacious!), Ray Redington Jr. up from #5 yesterday to #4 today (mush on, Junior Alaskan!), and in the fifth position Dallas Seavey from #8 yesterday “who is pushing hard to the front” to catch dear old Dad (on to glory and family pride, young Dallas!). Wow, this is an exciting race and there are few more mushers just behind the front runners who will be ready to launch off White Mountain for the final long slide to that finish line in Nome and the crown of the north.

Go Iditarod! The world is watching.

As it is in Rome.

At about noon Alaskan time today, 177 cardinals will process into the Sistine Chapel to start the conclave to elect a new Pope. From White Mountain, Alaska to Rome, Italy is 5,114.3 miles or 8,230.6 kilometers — if you’re flying. It would be much much farther if you’re mushing behind a team of dogs. And, there doesn’t appear to be any white in Rome, yet. Once the doors lock behind those cardinals in the Sistine Chapel, each cardinal will take an oath and settle into his assigned witness box beneath Michelangelo’s vaulted ceiling. The first vote will be taken. If a single Cardinal receives 77 votes (a 2/3rds majority), the white paper ballots will be burned and white smoke will drift from the chimney above the celestial frescoes. Within an hour, a solitary figure in a simple white robe will step out, onto the balcony and announce his newly chosen name, the new Pope’s name, to the camera crews filming below and multitudes watching, smiling and cheering around the globe. The race will have been won. But, if there is no winner, a lump of black coal will be burned and black smoke will issue up into the disappointed skies. Black smoke means “No pope today, sorry. Come back tomorrow.” Then, the cardinals will pray, sadly rise, return to their hotel and try again with the new day.

Only time will tell, time does tell well.

The papal conclave is too close to call.

In Rome, there is no race by five down a frosty mountain, over a frozen stream to reach Nome and a single drawn ribbon.

Yet in optimism we wait for each race to reach its end, tomorrow may be the day both lead Musher and new Pope are named.

Now that would be a concurrent headline in both the Anchorage Daily News and the Vatican Daily News: “Musher and Pope Finish First Together – What a Race!!”

In their ways, I think both will have reached a far distant place, wearied from the race, accepting the acclaim and wishing for a slower pace. I fear neither will be granted that wish.

A quiet life is not at race ending, a race ends with a new life beginning.

With fame more attention, with attention more work.

I think it’s time to move to the finish lines.

You go to Nome, I’ll head for Rome.

Don’t delay and miss the fun,

Grandpa Jim