Maple Park girl to sample the Iditarod

A Maple Park girl will get a taste of the thrill of racing in the Iditarod this weekend.

Eleven-year-old Olivia Goodenough will get to ride on one of the mushers’ sleds at the ceremonial start of the race on Saturday. The sled-dog teams will race to a point about 11 miles out of Anchorage, said Kim Goodenough, Olivia’s mother.

The race then restarts, sans passengers, on Sunday afternoon.

The adventure is thanks to her grandfather, Dennis Goodenough, who bid for it in the Musher Auction, which raises money for the race.

“(Olivia) was surprised enough about going (to the race),” her mother said, let alone getting to ride.

Olivia and her grandparents were scheduled to fly to Alaska Thursday morning, and attend the Mushers Banquet Thursday night.

She will ride with veteran musher Colleen Robertia, 35, of Alaska.

Olivia is a sixth-grade student at Kaneland Harter Middle School in Sugar Grove.