Learning from an Iditarod Veteran!

The Iditarod Alphabet 2017
C is for Charley

Musher Charley Bejna is from Addison, IL and is hoping to reach Nome for the third time this year.  Charley completed the Iditarod in 2014 and 2015.  He first visited Alaska in 1991 with his dad and returned in 2007 to be Bruce Linton’s Idita-rider.  After that Charley set a goal to race the Iditarod, despite having the added challenge of racing with type 1 diabetes.  Charley is a great example of what it means to live out your dreams not let obstacles get in your way.

C is for Charley

A question I am often asked is if I have ever gone dog sledding myself.  Until today the answer has always been, “No, but I really want to!”  Today I met up with fellow Chicagoan, Charley Bejna, at his kennel in Knik, AK.  I had the opportunity to meet his team for the 2017 Iditarod, and then I the chance to take a whirl with my own team of seven dogs. 

We walked over to Iditarod veteran G.B. Jones’ kennel and hooked up the team.  G.B. and Charley gave me some tips before I took off around the quarter mile loop.  This is a moment in my life that I will never forget… one of those stupidly happy moments that I will think back on and smile about for decades to come.  The joy of the dogs and the silence of Alaska is something I wish everyone could experience.  The loop that I took today (of which I did 5) is the same loop that Charley first started to mush on.  So perhaps, Iditarod 2020 is in my future!

A fun math challenge for your students: Iditarod veteran G.B. Jones has a quarter mile loop near his house.  How many loops would the dogs have to run to complete the length of the Iditarod? 

To learn more about Charley and his team check out his website. 

(Photo credits: Terrie Hanke)