The top ten mushers of the Iditarod sled dog race have already crossed the finish line in Nome today. So the last great race is coming to an end, although it will take many more days for the final dog teams to wrap it up.
I am blessed that in Alaska they show about an hour of news coverage (twice this time!) of the crowds in Nome waiting for the mushers, the final sprint to victory and then interviews with the winner. As I do every year, I sat glued to the TV as the crowds cheered Lance Mackey, the governor made the ceremonial congratulatory phone call and the media jumped up and down. Meanwhile, the dogs looked pretty joyous as well and Mackey's dogs kept licking the frozen snot off his whiskers during the interviews--good stuff.
I wondered to myself-- why in the world does watching this race, and the excitement it creates, such an incredible experience for me???
So I have come to the conclusion that this great sled dog race (the one so many animal groups actually hates) represents everything I love about Alaska and why I am here. So many Alaskans come here for jobs, family or marriage, but we came here for Alaska alone. I wanted to see adventure and unique experiences and that's what the Iditarod is.
From the beginning in Anchorage when they squeeze over 1,000 dogs into downtown, to the news reports from quirky and remote Native villages, to reliving the drama of the hazards that I read about years ago in "Winterdance".
It is so very unique and Alaska's own.
I don't know why I can't enjoy what the masses do, why do I only seek the other? How come I hate Sam's Club and CSI and block buster movies?? Why don't I care about Steve Madden shoes, Applebees or Gucci bags?
This bizarre and crazy sled dog race is simply my version of the Super bowl. May they mush on!
Showing posts with label iditarod 2008. Show all posts
Showing posts with label iditarod 2008. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Sunday, March 2, 2008
IDITAROD 2008 - Off They Go!!
Every year we sincerely enjoy watching the Iditarod mushers launch off for their adventure into the great Alaskan Wilderness. This year an unprecedented amount of mushers have begun the race: 96 teams. Also I noticed an increase in the amount of Europeans competing with representatives from Germany, England, Norway, Belgium and Italy.
Of course with the excitement of Iditarod comes the complaints of the naysayers. I just did a quick Google search to read up on some of the doomsayers impressions of this sport and what I found was utterly amazing. Comments like all mushers beat their dogs, the dogs are dragged to their death and even made into mittens!! Incredible stuff.
I can only imagine that the Iditarod critics have never seen the race in person. The crazy way the dogs leap with joy to begin running, the obsessive veterinary care, or the HUGE public outcry when a musher gets caught hurting a dog. Maybe sled dogging years ago was a more brutal sport, but these days great care is taken to keep it humane.
Off the top of my head, here are just a few of the positives this race brings:
1- Interest in an outdoor sport, with minimal environmental impact. Just come to Alaska and see how many people love to "tear shit up" on ATV's and snowmachines and you'll be begging for more dog teams.
2- History and tradition. The Iditarod keeps the public interested and financially supporting an ancient arctic tradition. It is a great experience for the youths in small villages with a proud history.
3- The only gender and age neutral sport I know of. The humans are incredible athletes when they run Iditarod, and they literally run. Many mushers spend most of the race running behind or in front of the sleds to motivate the dogs. And I have never seen a more varied pool of human athletes, where 18 year old boys compete in the same competition as 62 year old women and vice versa!
4- Mushers are dog lovers and some dogs just love to run. I'm sorry, but why is keeping an obese cock-a-poodle on a couch more humane than running a dog through the snow?
I just wish the energies of the anti-sled dog people could be used for better things. So many nations treat dogs much worse that the Unites States or so many dogs are euthanized daily in this country. Even worse, what about the treatment of pigs, waiting to become bacon? They are about as smart as dogs, but not many people care about the poor pig.
Of course with the excitement of Iditarod comes the complaints of the naysayers. I just did a quick Google search to read up on some of the doomsayers impressions of this sport and what I found was utterly amazing. Comments like all mushers beat their dogs, the dogs are dragged to their death and even made into mittens!! Incredible stuff.
I can only imagine that the Iditarod critics have never seen the race in person. The crazy way the dogs leap with joy to begin running, the obsessive veterinary care, or the HUGE public outcry when a musher gets caught hurting a dog. Maybe sled dogging years ago was a more brutal sport, but these days great care is taken to keep it humane.
Off the top of my head, here are just a few of the positives this race brings:
1- Interest in an outdoor sport, with minimal environmental impact. Just come to Alaska and see how many people love to "tear shit up" on ATV's and snowmachines and you'll be begging for more dog teams.
2- History and tradition. The Iditarod keeps the public interested and financially supporting an ancient arctic tradition. It is a great experience for the youths in small villages with a proud history.
3- The only gender and age neutral sport I know of. The humans are incredible athletes when they run Iditarod, and they literally run. Many mushers spend most of the race running behind or in front of the sleds to motivate the dogs. And I have never seen a more varied pool of human athletes, where 18 year old boys compete in the same competition as 62 year old women and vice versa!
4- Mushers are dog lovers and some dogs just love to run. I'm sorry, but why is keeping an obese cock-a-poodle on a couch more humane than running a dog through the snow?
I just wish the energies of the anti-sled dog people could be used for better things. So many nations treat dogs much worse that the Unites States or so many dogs are euthanized daily in this country. Even worse, what about the treatment of pigs, waiting to become bacon? They are about as smart as dogs, but not many people care about the poor pig.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
