Iditarod and Yukon Quest dog sled races

[Brown Mule]

Anyone keep up with the "last great races" each year. (1000 mile dog sled races) in Ak and the Yukon.

[The Big Ben]

Anyone keep up with the "last great races" each year. (1000 mile dog sled races) in Ak and the Yukon.

I kind of pay attention to the Iditarod (note spelling) .. For a few years there, women were winning the race frequently. I had a 14 year old girl in my class who was so proud of her "In Alaska, men are men and women win the Iditarod" shirt. Many of the girls really looked up to Libby Riddle and Susan Butcher.

[Brown Mule]

The bride and I buy internet insider access (several years now) and keep up 24/7. Met several mushers on several trips to AK and got hooked--------------Was all we could do to keep from bringing a dog home with us. Spelling non-event with me but I do keep a close eye on the zeros and comas on my retirement checks and watch key signatures closely playing Tuba. Most of us in the South never went beyond 3rd grade so spelling is a challenge. Back in the 1940's we were home-schooled before home-schooling was fashionable. As General N B Forrest said in the 1860's, we just try to get there "firstis with the mostis".

[Donn]

Dogs are for wimps. http://www.alaskaultrasport.com/race_stats.html

[Brown Mule]

Dogs are for wimps. http://www.alaskaultrasport.com/race_stats.html

Dogs are always completely "honest" with you-----------------people are not.

[Donn]

I don't know sled racing, but from recent news I get the idea it isn't a dog lovers' scene. They aren't pets, they're more like livestock. Some kind of sled business was in the news for an especially gory dog massacre when they needed to thin the herd, and I'm sure everyone in that business knows better than to keep dogs they don't need on the chow "payroll".

If you like dogs, it isn't obvious to me that you would therefore like dog racing. The link was races in that area where the competitors are just people. Running, biking, whatever, for hundreds of miles across Alaska. I'm not into it myself, but ran into a guy this evening whose wife is currently in the middle of the 350 mile version, running. They probably have a dog at home, but she apparently prefers to run her own race.

[Brown Mule]

I don't know sled racing, but from recent news I get the idea it isn't a dog lovers' scene. They aren't pets, they're more like livestock. Some kind of sled business was in the news for an especially gory dog massacre when they needed to thin the herd, and I'm sure everyone in that business knows better than to keep dogs they don't need on the chow "payroll".

If you like dogs, it isn't obvious to me that you would therefore like dog racing. The link was races in that area where the competitors are just people. Running, biking, whatever, for hundreds of miles across Alaska. I'm not into it myself, but ran into a guy this evening whose wife is currently in the middle of the 350 mile version, running. They probably have a dog at home, but she apparently prefers to run her own race.

Ever visited "Tyson Foods " Chicken slaughter houses or the Hog slaughter houses in Tarheel , NC where thousands of Hogs are slaughtered daily-------------believe me, they are "gory Chicken massacres" and "gory Pig Massacres" but boy do I like fried chicken and Ham sandwiches.

[Donn]

Well, I salute your clear eyed view of this matter, I guess. I mostly steer clear of that stuff, myself, after I realized 30 years ago that I really didn't need to have that on my hands.

[lowpitchmoravian]

Who won the race,or is it over yet? Surely there is an alaskan netter!