Iditarod Sled Dog Fever!

Iditarod sled dogs and their mushers have been ripping up the Iditarod trail this week, heading for their final destination over 1,000 miles away, in Nome Alaska!  Although some have made it in only 8 days it can take up to 15 days to complete the race depending on trail conditions!  The race doesn't end until the last Musher crosses the finish line.

We had the pleasure of traveling to Anchorage, Alaska last week for the ceremonial start of the Iditarod, the "Last Great Race on Earth".  It was a real party!  TV crews, Newspaper reporters, Local politicians, and Thousands of people from all over the world converged on the otherwise quiet city of Anchorage to cheer the dogs and their mushers on to victory!

Seeing and hearing a team of sled dogs thundering by only a few feet away is so exciting!  I couldn't take my eyes off these amazing animals!  Check out this short video of the ceremonial race start:

I discovered that just a little further away from the finish line the track narrowed considerably and we were able to get up close and personal as the sled dog teams passed by.  Turns out these were the best seats in the house!  I captured a few more awesome videos like this one:

There were all sorts of characters milling around Anchorage at the starting line.  Holy Hanna, I was almost LUNCH!!

Look!  Even Chewbacca came out for the race.  No that's not me in the photo with Chewbacca.

Did you know that over the years Anchorage hasn't had nearly enough snow to support dog sledding?  They actually have to deliver snow by the truck load from another part of Alaska!  In one day they covered 3 miles worth of trail in Anchorage with snow delivered from outside the city.  In addition, the beautiful glaciers of Alaska have been receding at a rapid pace.  Climate Change is Real, folks.

These dogs are having a snack of slump before the race begins.

The Iditarod sled dog race is run not only as an exciting competitive sport, but it is run in honor of the Great Serum Run of 1925, which saved the town of Nome, Alaska from a deadly Diphtheria epidemic.   The epidemic may very well have wiped out a significant number of indigenous Alaskan people, which would have been tragic.

The Mushers and their teams are really dedicated, they all want to make the 1,000+ mile journey to Nome!

You can follow all the race action on the official Iditarod web site.

Have you ever been dog sledding?  Would you like to?  Leave us a comment, we always loving hearing from you!

Iditarod Sled Dog Race Honors Hero Dogs & Mushers

IT'S HERE! 

REFERRED TO AS "THE LAST GREAT RACE ON EARTH", THE ANNUAL IDITAROD SLED DOG RACE STARTED LAST WEEKEND!!

THE IDITAROD IS A PUNISHING 1,000 + MILE SLED DOG RACE, ENTERED BY THE BRAVEST MUSHERS AND EXTREME SLED DOG ATHLETES.  THIS HIGHLY COMPETITIVE SLED DOG RACE IS RUN ACROSS THE STATE OF ALASKA, STARTING IN ANCHORAGE AND ENDING IN NOME. 



This statue in Central Park, NYC is of Balto, lead dog of the last sled dog team to reach Nome, Alaska with life saving Diptheria antitoxin. 

THE IDITAROD RACE IS A TEST OF EXTREME ENDURANCE AND SKILL THAT PAYS HOMAGE TO THE SERUM RUN OF 1925, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS "THE GREAT RACE OF MERCY".

THE SERUM RUN WAS THE RESULT OF A DIPTHERIA OUTBREAK THAT POSED A SERIOUS THREAT TO THE PEOPLE OF NOME, ALASKA.  DUE TO EXTREME WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE ONLY WAY TO GET LIFESAVING ANTITOXIN SERUM TO NOME WAS VIA SLED DOG! 

THE TRIP WAS SO HARSH, THEY NEEDED MULTIPLE SLED DOG TEAMS.  APPROXIMATELY 150 DOGS AND 20 MUSHERS MADE THE TRECHEROUS 674 MILE JOURNEY IN 5.5 DAYS, JUST IN TIME TO SAVE THE PEOPLE OF NOME FROM DEADLY EPIDEMIC!



The Iditarod sled dog race is over 1,000 miles, often in treacherous blizzard conditions

THE IDITAROD RACE TAKES FROM 8 TO 15 DAYS DEPENDING ON THE SKILL OF THE TEAMS AND THE CONDITIONS ALONG THE OFTEN TRECHEROUS IDITAROD TRAIL.

IF THERE ARE ANY EDUCATERS OUT THERE, I HOPE YOU WILL FIND AN OPPORTUNITY TO TEACH YOUR STUDENTS THE AMAZING STORY OF THE SERUM RUN OF 1925.   

KIDS CAN FOLLOW THE PROGRESS OF THE EXCITING IDITAROD RACE ONLINE.  WHAT A FUN, EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY IT WOULD BE FOR STUDENTS TO FOLLOW ALONG, TRACKING THEIR FAVORITE SLED DOG TEAM! 

TEACHERS & PARENTS, FOR A WEALTH OF INFORMATION AND IDEAS HEAD TO THE IDITAROD EDUCATION PORTAL

I'M SO PROUD OF MY HUSKY'S HERITAGE AND HOW HER ANCESTORS HELPED SAVED THE PEOPLE OF NOME, MANY OF WHOM WERE PEOPLE INDIGENOUS TO ALASKA.

THE SERUM RUN OF 1925 IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF ALASKAN HISTORY, AND IT IS THEREFORE AN IMPORTANT PART OF AMERICAN HISTORY!

I'LL BE BLOGGING ABOUT THE GREAT RACE OF MERCY AND THE IDITAROD RACE OVER THE NEXT WEEK, SO STAY TUNED!

Do you follow the Iditarod race?  Have you ever been to Alaska during the Iditarod?  Leave us a comment and share your story!