Iditarod

My favorite sporting event of the year kicks off this weekend. More exciting than the Superbowl and World Series combined, the Iditarod Sled Dog Race is romance, drama and wonderful working dogs all thrown into one phenomenal event. I have followed the mushers for years, like kids follow pitchers, catchers and quarterbacks. From Susan Butcher in earlier days to today’s Seavey family, Jeff King and Martin Buser, they all fascinate me.

Since the first time I froze my feet trailside, watching a team of sled dogs explode down the snow at a local race, (back when there were races around here, back when we had snow), I have been hooked on the thrill. We used to tie our pet dogs to a plastic toboggan with whatever came to hand when I was a kid. Later when we bought the first Border Collies, Mike Canaday’s team of sheepdog trial dogs ran away with his son on the runners and my kids on the sled. (That was a whole nother kind of exciting.) Then a local musher gave us a couple of harnesses and we were really in business. We loved to drag the kids around on a Border Collie powered hand sleigh when they were little. They were the envy of a lot of town kids with their three dog team. Instead of gee and haw we hollered "away to me" and "come bye." Sometimes the dogs even listened.

There is just nothing like the eagerness of the dogs to run. They are bred to run, born to run, trained to run, conditioned to run and they truly love it-even the Border Collies, which are not exactly huskies. They twist in their harnesses on the way to the gang line, and yelp and moan with delight. Then they leap against the line, desperate to start the fun. Hitching up at a race is loud, with dozens of dogs screaming their desire to get going. It is like a canine Mardi Gras. When the brake is released and a team takes off the energy is staggering.

Once they are out on the trail all is silent. There is only the faint grating sound of the sled runners in the snow and the susurrus of dog paws to be heard. It is eerie to find a trailside standing place and watch them go by almost soundlessly.

These days we always seem to be too busy to hook up the mutts. The harnesses and gang line are stuffed under the hutch in a tangled ball of nylon line, flat straps and fluffy padding. However I will certainly be finding time to click on Cabela’s excellent coverage every day for the vicarious thrill of the race. Hope you can join me.
sled dog racing
Iditarod