IditaDay!
I spent Saturday morning in downtown Anchorage, Alaska. It’s my favorite day of the year to do that. Drab, dreary, early-March downtown is transformed into an exciting yet quaint, cozy yet international mini-city focused on dogs and a silent race across the wilderness that does not involve fossil fuels.
I got there early, giant latte in hand. I’m not sure exactly what is in this latte, but the lady who makes it sees me coming and whips up this fabulous mysterious concoction. There’s something about coconut and white chocolate and caramel… But she just says, “Hey, there! Want the regular?” and I say, “Yes!” and then four dollars later, there it is. I got an extra big whatever-it-is today because I knew it would be serving double duty as a hand warmer and I wanted it to last as long as possible.
After parking in the 5th Avenue Garage I stood at the rail, with a gathering crowd of others who had the same idea. A quick change into Ice Riders and bunny boots and I was ready to go down to the street level. Crossing the parking garage, who did I run in to but Heather and John Aronno from Alaska Commons! Why did I bump into them? Because apparently they have mastered the mysterious art of being EVERYwhere. Just ask anyone.
Up to the starting line, where the suddenly wealthier Mayor Dan Sullivan watched the mushers take off.
Each musher got a brief intro, and then a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1- GO! And off they went – a team of a dozen or so smiling dogs followed by smiling people. Some of the people are just on the sled for this ceremonial start. Only the mushers themselves, decked out in their numbered bib will actually head out Sunday from Willow to Nome.
It’s hard to know who to root for. There are 71 teams, each with high hopes, each having trained for many hours, and each dreaming of being the first to Nome. I usually pick four or five teams to think of as “mine.” I pay attention to them as they take off and it makes it easier to connect to them when I hear about them on the trail as news comes in.
I always have fun picking “my teams” and I never know who they are going to be.
This year, I was quite captivated by a Scottish musher whose dogs were all ablaze in red tartans (see below). Very dashing. And fluttering behind the sled was a huge gold and red Scottish flag. Bagpipes played as the countdown was bellowed and he whisked off down the snowy avenue. But the thing that really did it? The musher himself was in a kilt! I presume that a) he was not wearing the kilt in the “traditional” way, and b) that he plans to change before the re-start tomorrow. Otherwise he might be the first to scratch. He’s my Team #1.
The crowd loved this guy. Alaskans don’t much care what country or state you are from. They love everyone. The fact that you’re in Anchorage ready to go 1150 miles with a team of dogs is enough. The crowd cheered just as loudly for the Scotsman as they did for Alaskans.
The next one that caught my attention was the Jamaican team. Yes, it flashed me back to the year of the Jamaican bobsled team in the olympics. The Jamaican musher waved a tiny green and black flag, and looked a bit chilly. I hope he has lots of layers. He’s #2.
Then after watching a few more teams pass, I decided to go back behind the starting line and check out the teams waiting to go. The dogs were absolutely electrified. Many of them strained against the harness barkng and breathless, and had to be held back by handlers. If you’ve ever seen an excited dog, think of it right now. Now multiply the excitement by three. There were dogs yapping, and sniffing, with tongues and tails wagging simultaneously, and ears perked up, and front feet dancing, and whining and some even jumping straight up in the air like they were on a four legged pogo stick.
And then there were these guys. They were right in front of pogo stick dog. They looked smart, noble and savvy. They were determined. These were lead dogs and I loved them immediately. It was like a moment of dog Zen in the melee of the canine-fest/winter carnival. This was my next team.
Then I saw one of my perennial favorites Aliy Zirkle who will be my Team #4. I like her. She loves her dogs, and she has a cool name, and a great smile, and I’ve heard many nice things about her. She’s just one of those people that radiates likeability. Her best Iditarod placement has been 11th, and I’d love to see her in the top 10 this time. She also won the Yukon Quest (the other great race) back in 2000. Here she is about ready to start, standing in front of the Jesus guy. He had a placard that said, “Jesus Bless Iditarod 38″ on one side and ”Jesus Bless the APD” on the other side. He kept yelling at the top of his lungs, ”Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Praise Jesus!” and when a musher pulled out he added, “May the wind be at your back, Jack!” He was having a grand time.
I kept walking further in to the “back stage” area. There were dogs everywhere, and food vendors and suddenly someone shouted out, “Hobo Jim!” Hobo Jim is a bit of an Alaska legend. I looked over and there he was, all smiles, with his guitar and he began to sing. And then, he stopped and everyone packing the street corner burst out into the chorus, “I did, I did, I did the Iditarod Trail!” And then he finished, and walked back inside. A random moment of serenade.
Picking my Team #5 was easy. It began when I spotted a dog in a jacket that said “Until.” I had to look closely to make sure, but that’s what it said. It’s not something you see every day.
A dog dressed in an “Until” jacket. Until what? What did this mean? A riddle! And then there was another dog – NONE. And another – ARE. I sat there, and puzzled. I spotted another little guy sitting by the back of the truck – ADOPT ONE. Ah! “Until There Are None, Adopt One!” Beautiful. I remembered reading about this dog kennel. Many of these were rescued, or unwanted dogs. The love given to them was obvious. And the feeling was mutual. I stayed for a long time watching them with their human, and actually got a little choked up thinking of my own rescued bush dog. Definitely Team #5.
Then there were the big names – Dee Dee Jonrowe, Jeff King, Martin Buser and current champ and 3-time winner Lance Mackey. You always keep an eye on those teams too. And I will try my very very hardest not to hold it against Lance Mackey that I had to see this horrifying sign while trying to enjoy my day.
Tomorrow they will be off in earnest, heading north to the coast of the Bering Sea. Here’s a recap of my five teams in case you want to follow them too. Or add your own in the comments and share why you like them.
Bib #4 – Wattie McDonald from Stonehaven, Scotland (Rookie)
Bib #14 – Newton Marshall from St. Anne, Jamaica (Rookie)
Bib #36 – Michelle Phillips from Tagish, Yukon Territory, Canada Noble Zen dogs (Rookie)
Bib #50 – Aliy Zirkle from Two Rivers, Alaska (Veteran)
Bib #61 – The Until dog and the rest belong to Colleen Robertia from Kasilof, Alaska (Rookie)
~Getting shoed up for the trip.
And they’re off…. Wishing everyone a healthy and happy race.
Thank you for the wonderful view of the ceremony!
you picked a great team..good luck to them all !!
“Until there are none adopt one” team musher is #61 Colleen robertia – here’s the link to their site
I used to always follow this when I was a young mom – kept a transister radio in my pocket and loved the whole idea of the dogs and people in the snow… thanks for your great photos
Thanks, OzMud! I was so taken with the scene, I forgot to look! AKM
oops forgot the link hahahaha
kennel site – http://rogueskennel.com/blog/
musher profile – http://www.iditarod.com/race/musherprofiles/musherbio_356.html
Thank you – I loved this post! The Iditarod was even on our SC news this morning. It was a story about the sleds going for fallen soldiers. Here is an article:
http://www.akbizmag.com/alaska-news/2343-iditarod-mushers-to-honor-fallen-soldiers-and-military-widows.html
Wow, you can feel the electricity through the pictures. I love the Jamaican team. What spirit. You can see how much the dogs want to run.
Thank you for the photos. It’s as good as being there for me.
I hope “our” Scotsman is wearing thermal skivvies under that kilt. When I was still working, the St. Patrick’s Day parade started off from the plaza of my building. I worked on the 39th floor and we could hear the bagpipes skirling all morning. There was a day when it was snowing horizontally. I felt so sorry for the pipes having that snow going up beneath their kilts.
Éirinn go brách
That was an awesome post. Looking forward to updates!
AKM- you rock. Great writing as usual and love the photos. I watched some of the mushers ride by on Cordova Street while talking on my cell phone with my sister in Michigan. She asked me to take photos, but I didn’t have my camera, so this morning I sent her this blog. You are right, the dogs were smiling.
Hey all, off to ski the soup du jour of Anchorage, The Tour, another exciting day!! Cold this morning!! Is Fur Rondy almost over?
http://www.tourofanchorage.com/
You may want to bookmark this site, to keep up with your team(s) standings during the race. http://www.adn.com/2010/03/04/1168400/2010-iditarod-musher-leader-board.html
You may want to bookmark this site, to keep up with your team(s) standings during the race.
http://www.adn.com/2010/03/04/1168400/2010-iditarod-musher-leader-board.html
Hmmm? Don’t know how I double posted. Sorry.
Thank you, AKM. I could feel the excitement of the day!
Wow! Thanks for the pictures!
Thanks for the photo essay. Between you and Bill Hess, I feel almost as if I had been there. It looks like a fun and exciting day.
Someone from the town next to ours raced a few years back.
The guy in the kilt must be DIRT. I don’t know if it’s his real name, nice guy. Or “crazy scott” as I think he refers to himself. Big guy, wearing a kilt, can pick him out of a crowd from a ways away, its the boots.
see, i never would have known seen photos of this fantastic event before 2008 – now i feel like i was almost there. thx a bunch
Please do not hold that sign against Lance. Believe me Palin is not a favorite of his. He has spoken out against her. So, you can with a clear mind root for him.
To all the teams, AKM’s and otherwise, stay safe and as warm as you can. The dogs look like terrific athletes, and I know just finishing this race is a challenge. Having never attended (my only experience of Alaska was being in a private plane that flew to Juneau from Vancouver to deliver a birthday present, and Alaskan mudpuppies have told me that “airports don’t count”), I can only imagine the excitement — but I *can* imagine the excitement: I have been to the Kentucky Derby!
Health and peace to all the teams, and to everyone else as well.
Excellent pics and write-up….. If I’d had the AC on, would have felt like I was actually there ! ..
… but I’ll just watch from the warmer climate !!
can’t resist tho’……as a “Spokesperson” on their web site, shouldn’t Scarah have been there at the Starting line ???
The Until There are None team is my friend Colleen!!!! My friend Kate made all of those coats in one week. The talents of seamstresses never cease to amaze me. The woman having her face licked is Emilie (a handler from France). I am so glad that I got to see the pictures, as I am home feeding the rest of her dogs in her kennel while everyone else is in Anchorage. Wish I could have been there because I don’t get the channel that airs the start on my TV (antenna trash that I am). Thanks AKM.
Wonderful! Best of luck to them. AKM
Ben: Non,no,no. We don’t want her at the start. Bad enough that Sully was there.
Felt like WE were at the start. Thanks, AKM, for for sharing your day with us!
Great post!!! Go Jamaica!
The Jamaican musher’s name is Newton. There is a DVD called ‘Sun Dogs’ that is about how they started “mushing” in Jamaica. Newton is in that film. They took dogs off the streets and kids from very poor neighborhoods and started a tourist business for the cruise ships (dogs pulling carts). The kids start out as handlers, learn the ropes and then a lucky few get to come up to the states and learn about mushing in the snow. An even luckier few get to race.
Newton was right behind Colleen for at least half of the Quest last year. He is a really sweet, shy guy. He proved himself on that race even though the race marshall thought it was just a publicity stunt (much like what happened with the Jamaican bobsled team). I always thought it would be similar to me (a dedicated snow lover) trying to do a trialthalon in the jungle. He has been working with Lance Mackey this winter and is running a team of Lance’s dogs.
Thank you! Great posting!
I’m glad you singled out Aliy Zirkle—I, too, have enjoyed following her and her husband Allen Moore. Also, I think the racer with the rescue dogs is Colleen Robertia–also a favorite. The Zirkle/Moore kennel has a great website, including a video introduction to many of their dogs, which I personally enjoy. Last year someone (I think it was Allen Moore’s dad) at the kennel had a blog with some short videos from the trail during the Iditarod—keeping updated on Aliy’s progress and also how the dogs were doing. Colleen also has a very nice website for their kennel, including photos and descriptions of the dogs and their background.
I think the reason I was drawn to these particular Iditarod racers is the fact that their care and love for their dogs comes through so clearly.
There are others that I like to follow, too, including some of those who are consistently top finishers—but also some that just catch my eye for some reason or another. I wish we had more coverage in the lower 48, but I’m grateful for what I can find online.
Colleen’s website has a very interesting blog as well. Her husband, Joseph is a writer for the local paper. He tries to keep everyone posted on how she is doing on the blog. Website was posted in comments above.
I’ve never followed this before. This is so exciting! Thanks AKM for the great post.
Hi there Oswego Eileen (from your sis)!
Thank you AKM!! I can feel the excitement all the way from Anchorage to New York. Like everyone here i wish all the dogs and their people a safe return.
Love My Dogs….. As soon as i saw Colleen’s name i knew she was your friend. It is a wonderful thing to be a part of the race by keeping the dogs left at home well fed and cheerful. you are a greathearted lady and i think the world of you.
When in Anchorage for our get together a small group of us got up and went to the second day of starting for the Fur Rondy races.
The energy was so catching. The dogs so excited and yes LOTS of Pogo Stick dogs!! I laughed so much that day at everyone and the love for the animals and humans, back and forth.
The science behind all this, from the simple things as the food, to the dog breeding and conditioning, in amazing.
Thanks so much from bringing us this personal view, it is a great way to start a Sunday morning!!!
AKM- I have to do a little correction on Colleen’s dogs. Not ALL of them are rescues. Some of them are and some of them are children of retired + rescue dogs etc. Her kennel is very mixed in terms of where the dogs come from. But she is definitely an advocate for rescuing dogs.
Her lead dog Penny was the smallest dog to start the Quest last year. She finished the race in lead. They are very careful about breeding and most of their dogs are spade or neutered. Joseph is constantly bringing dogs home from the pound. They also have a Golden, a pug (both rescues), a German Shepherd and numerous dogs with various health problems (a “wheezer”, a sled dog born with a liver shunt, etc.) who inhabit their home. The German Shepherd was Colleen’s before they ever had sled dogs. One of her goals is to be competitive with a small kennel of dogs that may not come from top bloodlines. I was standing in their house last night and looking around at all of the dog beds and dog food bowls and laughing because there are more places for the dogs to sit than humans. Their Golden thinks my lap (wherever it is perched) is the only chair in the room.
Sooooo, how can I find out if there are any malamutes on those teams? Looks like the dogs are all kinds of different breeds. Just curious, since I’ve been told that, even though they’re an Alaskan breed, malamutes aren’t generally used in this race.
It likes like the temps are not so low and there is less snow this year.Is that more of a problem?I was thinking that thawing and freezing may be hard on the dogd paws,and parts of the trail may be soft/wet and more difficult?
I think this is a lot like early man and dogs came to be friends,working together for a common purpose. This real,man and dog against nature.
Not some souped up machine and a bunch of guys ready and willing to cut corners and cheat,or take money from foreign dictators,to win.
True athletes.
thanks for this post, your great photos, and lots of info about the mushers and their dogs. I was there yesterday with my son, saw Sen. Murkowski and had my picture taken with her – and she didn’t even charge me for it.
Ahhhhhh, I can feel the brisk cold air and smell the dog tongues! I love this race, I love these dogs and mushers, I love everything about the Iditarod and Quest!
AKM, you did a wonderful post and you are causing Iditarod fever to spread like wildfire here.
lovemydogs – you amaze me, too. I want to be your neighbor!
Having very strong antipathetic feelings towards snow, and avoiding it as much as possible, I’m amazed that I actually got caught up in your decription! Reading about this Idatarod event and looking at the pictures was fun, and has made me feel some kind of ‘ownership’ for the teams mentioned. I now have a goal/investment in knowing how these team fare. I truly appreciate your writing style – always! Thanks for sharing your excitement.
I’ll send my wish for safety and a good race for all [Scottish, Jamaican, Alaskans, Canadians, Americans, whatever] out into the atmosphere with all the other like wishes.
I am also delighted to see your great coverage, and your pick of Aliy on the list. We share the same trails with her up here in the interior, and have seen her out here training quite often through the years. We consider her a friend and an absolutely sincerely heartwarming and caring dog person. There was one time on the trail last year when we met up during one of her training runs with two of her handler’s teams out with her, and she stopped all three teams just to say hello and chat with us out in the middle of her run! We couldn’t help but remark how full of sparkle and brightness and fitness they all were, humans included! That attitude radiated through her into the dogs, and vice-versa. No cameras, no media coverage, just a few neighbors sharing the joys of the day on the trail in the purity of how good life is when you live your passion. May all the dogs and humans out there feel and experience all good things as we send our gratitude your way for bringing such a delightful post to the day. Once again well done, AKM!
OK, we got a little snow last night in Juneau, finally! Now I have two dogs and snow, which just does something for their moods and they want to run in it! Hmmmm…no sled. I wonder about my bike? Naaah, scratch that one. Been there, done that, have the gravel scars to prove it. No wagon around either, dammit. Where’s a wagon when you need one?
@38
An adult sized three wheeler goes nicely with just a couple of dogs! And it steers and has a brake.
3 and 4 wheelers are the best for training! The brakes come in really handy!
Ohhh, AKM – how ever did you manage to get photos of 2 folks I actually know? We knew Hobo Jim in Homer, and Aliy Zirkle is a friend of my daughter-in-law’s. Made my day.!
Lovemydogs – thanks for the Jamaican team info. Very interesting & sounds like he has a chance!
Bring it on , Baby !!
http://i.imgur.com/UbZg3.jpg
AKM, Haven’t been to your site in a while, but I’m glad I picked this day to return. My husband and I were smitten with sled dogs after visiting Denali and seeing the park kennels back in the 90′s. We returned to Alaska several years later so we go be there for the start of the Iditarod, and have followed it on the web since then. We always pick a team to root for – I’ll be following the one’s you’ve picked. The photos were great – makes me want to come back another March.
I know there’s some controversy about whether races of this sort are safe for the dogs, but the mushers I’ve met have always seemed caring, responsible, and humane, and the dogs have always seemed eager and willing. I know my three dogs (two labs and a golden) love to skijor with us (sort of cross-country skiing with a dog in harness), and get upset if one of them is “left behind.”
Thanks for the reminder of a great trip and the information you don’t see on the official Iditarod sites.
- pamela
Cool AKM~ great pics..good luck to all the teams…
Since I’ve been reading here, I’ve actually become very excited about the Iditarod race. It’s always been on the news here and gave me joy to hear about it. Now I’m really a fan. My grandfather was half Scottish, so I, by birthright, have to choose the Scottish team. (He’s wearing the Black Watch plaid.) This is so unique to Alaska and such a wonderful race for all of us to enjoy…sort of like the Olympics for dogs and mushers.
Best wishes to everyone for a safe race. Thank you, AKM, for the coverage…really great!
Okay, even though I do not approve of the Iditarod on principle and cannot stand Hobo Jim, I must admit I enjoyed today’s report! The photo of the Zen dogs is wonderful, and I’ll keep it in my heart!
What! No poodles?
# 47
mlaiuppa Says:
March 7th, 2010 at 4:04 PM
What! No poodles?
————————–
Actually….. I think some teams DO have some Poodles that mush…? ( maybe not in the top teams ) Maybe some Alaskans can weigh in. I thought I remembered a story from years ago that said the larger poodle breeds are quite strong and are hard working dogs. That’s why the story was pointing out the ‘ ironic ‘ nature with the poodle name. That’s what the story was about.
Someone will inform us.
Mag the Mick, I agree that the Zen dogs are very cool, and it’s beautiful to see. Go dogs!!! (I’m a caregiver to a cat who has hyperthyroid illness…my precious girl/cat, who gets tons of kisses and hugs every day.)
hig..lookie here fer mushing poodles:
http://home.gci.net/~poodlesleddog/
Thanks, AKM, for a great read to capture the atmosphere of the event for those of us on the other side of the world.
I noticed in the musher listing on the Iditarod site that 8 teams didn’t make the start. The three Alaskan teams that quit were all from Wasilla. While it’s a shame for them, and I’m sure they all have good reasons, it still gave me a little smile.
http://www.iditarod.com/race/musherlisting.html
Forum moderator Alex is making an Iditarod documentary. You can follow him on Twitter from the scene at
http://www.twitter.com/coldfootfilms
It’s really great stuff!
50 Justa, thanks for the poodle mushers. They look like happy dogs doing dog stuff and no silly haircuts.
justafarmer -
I’ll see your poodle , and raise ya a dachshund !!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxqKFdBzJMg
too cute, austin!
dachsund-viszla sled dog team:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICDLNZr3sLw&feature=related
Slightly off topic, but Orly Taitz is a KGB agent!
Here’s an Alaskan weighing in on the poodles – it was a disaster! The poodles do not have an undercoat, and their coats ball up with snow, exposing their skin even further to the elements. They are smart, strong, personable, wonderful dogs but woefully unprepared for this type of sport in winter climes.
If you are around musher circles, you will find that he was derided very strongly for his experiment.
John Suter’s poodle dies of hypothermia:
“Chugiak musher John Suter had tried to mush poodles in the race — one was filmed by TV crews frozen to the ice in McGrath in 1989…, another died of hypothermia in a 1991 blizzard.”
-Doug O’Harra and Natalie Phillips, Anchorage Daily News, February 5, 2006
I forgot to add that they were banned after these incidents. The Race Committee banned all dogs not of Northern breeds. It was very sad.
I don’t want to bum anyone out with my comment above. It’s an amazing race, and all that has gone on before makes it a better, safer race each year, especially for the dogs. No one worries nearly as much over the mushers – it’s kind of funny actually. They have had some horrific accidents over the years, but it’s still the dogs’ safety which get the most attention. That is as it should be!
Waving to MUYS and bubbles !!!
My babies go on the trail with Colleen:
Along with the mandatory items, Colleen will carry the ashes of two malamutes that lived with a close friend for nearly 13 years. Thor and Isis used to run with Colleen’s geriatric team. She said, “Their ashes will be spread while I’m on the race, so their spirits can be free in one of the wildest and freest parts of the only state they ever called home.”
@ Martha @ 60 says
“The Race Committee banned all dogs not of Northern breeds. It was very sad.”
__________________________________________________________
Timely information, Martha. Thanks. I had almost given in to Harley’s soulful petition to run off and join a dog sled team.
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc16/dancetothebeat76/randomathomepics011.jpg
Great post and photos, AKM! Truly captured the atmosphere of the race start.
lovemydogs
Owie. You know that stinging sensation of the eyes and nose when you are determined not to cry so it hurts like crazy? I guess it will be less painful to give into the tears over that beautiful little story above.
My forever dog’s ashes are spread on every trail I’ve hiked in Juneau. They twinkle in the sunlight when I throw them into the air and they always make me happy, and make me cry.
Lee 323
Harley the hound! He’s adorable! There is one problem with hounds and mushing that I can tell you about right off the bat. They are so busy sniffing everything on the ground they forget to look where they are going! I have one!
My kids and I spent a long long time watching Colleen and her crew love those dogs. We all decided that she would be the one we are rooting for this year and will be following her every move. My hubby and I did foster care for Friends of Pets here in Anchorage for many years, and rescue dogs have a special place in my heart. looking forward to a trip to Kasilof this spring, and perhaps a visit to her “Rogue Kennels”. I can get behind her kind of rogue.
Lee 323
He looks like he has Australian Shepherd, too with those eyes? What a cutie!
@ Martha
Yep. His nose and olfactory part of his brain take up 80% of his body weight.
Harley is my 4 y.o. double-dappled dachshund with one blue eye and one brown eye. He has the mighty heart of those magnificent northern sled dogs but not the legs I’m afraid. Or spine, I might add…… All of his jouncing and chasing of scents and varmints through the woods on our many explores resulted in an herniated disc and acute paralysis last year. Luckily, I got him to an orthopedic surgeon in time for laminectomy and disc removal. He’s back to nearly 100% functioning.
MUYS: Yes, I know that sensation almost everyday. But oh they would have had fun out there. Even though they weren’t (by any means) racing dogs. I couldn’t send all of the ashes as I couldn’t yet bear to part with them all (and it would have been way too heavy-literally- for Colleen). The rest go to trails we have run and the beach that they loved, this summer. I like the twinkling part.
@MnWisAk: Do come and visit. I would like to meet you too. Don’t be too freaked out about her strategy. She tends to take long rests and then come on strong at the end. I’m hoping for her to get rookie of the year or maybe….even better….the coveted humanitarian award (although they tend to give that to one of the front runners).
Lee323: ((((Harley))))
Hey, guy, my friend Phil in Anchorage turned me on to your blog. Great rundown on the race. For a non-Alaskan, it gave me a nice view of what is happening and what the beginning of the race feels like. And plenty of nice prose. Good to read ya.
Thanks, lovemydogs! I have so enjoyed reading about your dogs!
I’m a dog lover, too. All breeds. My two Dobermans were the light of my life until they passed.
What a great day-dogs, dogs, dogs all day!!! Gotta go feed now.
I’m going to follow your five team choices, AKM….. but I hope the “Rookies” are rookies only in terms of the Iditarod race itself and not rookies when it comes to decisions involving their dogs.
Lee 323
Your little dachshund looks so much like my stunted (starved almost to death when rescued) little coonhound. Hurray for his recovery!
Lee323–mushers have to make it through a certain number of previous races that count as qualifying races before they’re allowed to run the Iditarod, so they’re only rookies as it relates to having raced the Iditarod.
Hey, here’s an interview with lovemydogs’s friend and her “cargo”: http://community.adn.com/adn/node/150235
And, here’s a story about Colleen’s very special lead dog: http://www.adn.com/2010/03/07/1172821/29-pound-lead-dog-has-right-stuff.html
Go Alex! Can’t wait to hear all about your adventures when you return to LA!
Well I have been introduced to Mud Flats by Lovemydogs. What a great place to be. I have heard so much about all of the fun and interesting conversations that happen here. I am following Colleen Robertia on the last great race. The coats the dogs had on were her idea and my sewing talents as small as they may be. If I could adopt a house full I would. I love my dog and he is the best thing that has ever happened to me. There is not one other I would entrust my heart to. Lovesmydogs you are the best.
Kate