What it takes to become a musher these days...

After the experience last weekend with the sled dogs, I decided to learn a little more.  So... today, I got to be a sled dog musher.  Kind of. 



What a view!



Yup, I'm a musher!





Must... cool... down!



Ok, the real story is that I set up the sled dog tour a couple weeks ago with Dario Martinez. He's an Italian who moved to Alaska, having never heard about mushing.  That was 24 years ago... he seems pretty comfortable around it all now!  We had a personal tour (as everyone does with Dario)... very cool.  With temperatures in the low 20s (and the sun high enough in the sky now to definitely be felt), it was very comfortable to be outside for the whole time.  Dario told us (and showed us after we went for a short ride) that it was actually a hot day for these dogs.  As soon as we stopped, they laid down on their bellies and started eating snow. 

We started out meeting the dogs, and then we got a few rides on the sled.  There was a spot to sit on the sled, and a spot to sit or stand.  We switched spots each time Dario stopped the sled, and both agreed that sitting is a lot bumpier.  Standing gave us an idea how it feels to be a musher, which was pretty neat.  Those dogs are very smart... and definitely love running and pulling us around! 



Dario Martinez and a couple of his sled dogs



On the Trail

At one point during our tour, Dario brought us over to see his kennel and to meet his other dogs and his puppies.  Who can resist some puppies?  

6 month old sled dog puppy

Dario told me at the end I can call myself a musher.  We won't discuss WHY he said that...  :)  (You'll have to ask me if you want the rest of that story). The whole experience was awesome... one of those Alaska experiences I would not want to miss.  I meant to take a video of the experience, but I forgot.  I'm not used to having video capabilities yet!  I'll work on that for the next Alaska experience. 

Mushers racing through the largest city in Alaska!

Gee!!  Haw!! 

(Right!!  Left!!)

The scenery along the trail



Today I got to see my first sled dog race here in Alaska. The Fur Rondy Sled Dog Championship that runs through the city of Anchorage.  It was.... quiet.  Surprisingly quiet.  I was standing along the trail, a few miles into the race, in a spot where the dogs and mushers make a sharp "haw" or left turn before going down a hill.  I found a good spot just after the turn, up on the hill right next to the trail, and had my camera(s) ready.  The volunteers at that part of the trail used whistles to signal that a dog team was in sight.  That was very helpful to know when to have the camera "at the ready"!  Especially since it's so quiet otherwise. 



Rounding the corner...

 

The first team comes over the bridge and around the corner... those dogs are so focused and happy!  I'm used to seeing/hearing the dogs barking excitedly at the start of a race, but this is the first time I've seen them along the trail.  Unfortunately, I was having battery problems in the cold weather, but fortunately, I had a total of 3 still cameras and a video camera with me. :) 




So focused!

 

I still maintain that anyone who thinks hooking up a bunch of dogs to a sled and making them pull them for miles is torture is completely naive.  These dogs live for running, and are so sad if they're not chosen to be part of a team for any particular run.  The dogs are so happy, I can't help but be happy when I'm around them.  This race was a sprint for these dogs, and it was fun to see them goin' for it!