Iditarod Questions (Nome: work, health, home)

[Rance]

Location: Koyukuk
Case number: 08-18999
Type: MVC - Off Highway
Text: On 3/10/08 at approximately 1837 hours the Alaska State Troopers
in Galena received a report of a snowmachine collision with a dog team
between Koyukuk and Galena. Investigation revealed a snow machine was
traveling eastbound from Koyukuk toward Galena with two riders when it
attempted to get off the trail and out of the way of two dog teams
traveling westbound. The snowmachine rolled over back onto the trail,
colliding with the front team, killing one dog and injuring a second
dog. The snowmachine driver and passenger remained on scene to render
assistance until the mushers continued. Drugs and alcohol were not a
factor in the accident and no crimes were committed.

[SeeBee]

Yup, still watching, and still impressed with everyone who keeps on! I got Winterdance (!), and also Rachel Scodoris' book 'No End in Sight'.

I've been reading several newspapers up there...what's with the Anochorage paper calling Lance Mackey 'working-class, low-budget, lunch-bucket', etc. Was he not supposed to win...again? Sure can't damper the admiration I feel for what he's done and been through. I found a really cute pic of him holding a stuffed huskey doll! It's on the Yukon Quest site, not that you're looking for cute pics, though!!!

I was in contact with a photographer involved in the races, and they said Lance Mackey was nice ("super nice."), and how rare that was. Go figure. I also saw a video of one of his acceptance speeches, where he gets choked up about how much he loves his dogs, and what they mean to him. He's got got my vote!

So, how do your dogs do in warmer (and humid?) weather in Virginia? I met a couple who are originally from AK. They ADORE huskies, and currently had two. But they kept them in the basement during the heat of the day in summer. And this is Oregon - not very hot!

Haven't checked into the Alaska Sweepstakes, but will.

Whoever wins that last-place award surely deserves it!

[SeeBee]

Well, thank goodness. Responsible drivers! Thanks for posting.

[snowpuppy]

Right on! Glad to hear you found Winterdance. Once you start it, you won't be able to put it down- funny and sad at times too. )

I know you weren't asking me this question, but I used to have a husky-malamute mix when I lived down South and even though the weather wasn't ideal for arctic types, mine was Queen of the house. We kept her an inside dog and she loved the AC. The big 95 lb. lug even jumped in the bed with us every night- talk about three's a crowd!!! LOL!

Glad you're enjoying the race. Lance has another race in about another week and a half I believe. This time, the purse will be $100,000! WhooHoo!!!

[Rance]

The ADN is a rag. Don't believe half of what they report on in news articles.

[SeeBee]

I'm not impressed with ADN..paid them for a month's subscription so I'd have paper copies of the Iditarod & have been having a heck of a time getting them to send me even one newspaper! I've emailed them twice & called them. Still no papers, but they sure had time to debit my account!!

"Don't believe anything you read, and only half of what you see." Mark Twain, right?

Hey, any dog news is welcome, snowpuppy! My dog likes nothing better than to crash on the couch or bed when the fan's on him! I'll read Winterdance this weekend, glad you two brought that book up.

is the race Mackey's in the alaska Sweepstakes? Haven't checked yet, but I'll keep an eye on it. thanks~~~

[Sunset_Va]

SeeBee

So, how do your dogs do in warmer (and humid?) weather in Virginia?

I have enjoyed this discussion , since it gave me air time about my huskies, the Iditarod, and huskies in general!

My huskies here suffer in the summer , I have their kennels in the shade, and when it really gets bad , I run a fan. I have a basement, but its not feasible to keep them there, and part of their runs are concrete. I hose the concrete during the day to cool it so they can lay in the cool. Its a job, and they suffer for sure.

And I still have to exercise them, it just has to be very early in the mornings, before it gets hot,(5-7am), and they just will not run, trot ..yes but not run. Many times I have hooked them up at night, and turned my lights on and run them at nights. Thankfully the community traffic on the road I live on is non existent. One thing I have been teaching them , is when a car approaches, I tell them..off road...and they stop and stand still off the road.

I hear so many people telling me about shearing their northern breed dog for the summer....DON'T, when you do that you have taken away all of their insulation, and opened their skin up to infections and insects...they are actually hotter sans fur than with. But its hard getting people to understand that. Give me winter any day!

Snowpuppy

she loved the AC. The big 95 lb. lug even jumped in the bed with us every night-

I let my first Siberian do that, not all the time but during the winter...one night however he ran in before I could prevent him and jumped on the bed , but IT WAS TERRIBLE, HE SMELLED LIKE A SKUNK...

And that last place person wins the prestigious "Red Lantern" award in the Iditarod.....

Rance

I can live with the ADN format, but reading the "Comments" after the articles makes me cry, I can't believe some of the un-mentality written...:-(


Hike huskies........on ahead..........

[Sunset_Va]

SeeBee

I keep forgetting...

Not only "Winterdance" but find this book also"

"Crossing Antarctica by Will Steger

If you really want to know about mushing and surviving in minus temperatures, Will Steger crossed Antarctica with three teams of huskies, in the early 90's. Truly unbelieveable, but true.

Dogs were banned there in 1994 I think, due to the possiblity of passing distemper onto the seal population. His expedition was the last sledding team in Antarctica , possibly.

Hike..on huskies..........

[SeeBee]

I'll get the Will Steger book, too. I've enjoyed the discussion, as well, and appreciate all the info you've given about huskies to such a "newbie" to AK and sled dog racing!

But most of all, we got to see Slim!

[warptman]

To me, huskies are ugly dogs. I love Black Labs.