It was a beautiful (but chilly) day for the start of the Iditarod. I have gone each year since I've moved up to Anchorage, yet it never gets old. The dogs are always so excited to get onto the trail. Some sit around watching all of the people watching them, enjoying all of the attention. Some stay huddled in their "cubicles" in the trucks, especially those who are towards the end of the line-up. Some bark at the other dogs whose mushers are getting them ready to head to the starting line (probably a bit jealous the other dogs get to go before them).
For these mushers, their lives revolve around sled dog racing. When they are not mushing on the trails, they put in a lot of work to keep the dogs fit and healthy. I can't imagine feeding all of those dogs! Mushers come from all over the world. I saw one musher from Norway. Another is from Wisconsin. There were a total of 82 mushers, anxious and excited to start the 1,049-mile trek to Nome.
There was an article in the newspaper this past Friday about a man who won a sports contest. He won a trip to any sporting event (Super Bowl, etc...) yet he chose to bring his family up to the Iditarod (what a guy!). The people putting on the contest thought he was nuts for not choosing an event where he could enjoy warm temperatures. (Our high temperature today was 20 degrees.)
Enjoy the photos!
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