The Iditarod Alphabet 2017 J is for Jon Van Zyle Jon Van Zyle is a two time Iditarod finisher (1976 & 1979). Jon has also been the official artist of the Iditarod since 1979, and has created dozens and dozens of paintings for the Iditarod since then. Jon is a self-taught artist and has paintings …
The Iditarod Alphabet 2017 I is for Iditarod Historic Trail Iditarod is the name of an old gold mining town that existed during the last gold rush in the early 1900s. Joe Redington, Sr.,founder of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, lived along the Historic Iditarod Trail, and was friends with the last mail carrier …
The Iditarod Alphabet 2017 H is for Haw Command given for the dogs to turn left. H is for Haw A common question my students ask is “how do the dogs know where to go on the trail?” Well, there are two parts to the answer. First, the trail is marked by thousands of trail …
The Iditarod Alphabet 2017 G is for Gee Command given for the dogs to turn right. G is for Gee The 2017 Jr. Iditarod has come to a close. The final musher, Hannah Mahoney, arrived shortly after the banquet ended. Over all the it was a great race and the mushers showed so much strength …
The Iditarod Alphabet 2017 F is for Fairbanks Fairbanks, AK is the second largest city in the state. Due to low snowfall in some spots along the traditional trail, the Iditarod will start on March 6 in Fairbanks. This is the third time this has occurred (2003 & 2015). Fairbanks was named by E.T. Barnette, …
The Iditarod Alphabet 2017 E is for Establish The Iditarod was established, or started, in 1973 by Joe Redington, Sr. Joe is known as the ‘Father of the Iditarod’ and he established the race for two reasons. The first reason was to save the sled dog culture that was being phased out because of the …
The 2017 Iditarod Alphabet D is for Dog Care The dogs of the Iditarod are some of the best cared for dogs in the world. Before the race each dog must be checked by a veterinarian. The veterinarians check the dogs for many things including heart health, proper hydration, and weight. Then, along the trail …
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 …
The Iditarod Alphabet 2017 B is for Booties Thousands of dog booties are used throughout the Iditarod. Each dog is required to wear dog booties, and a musher must keep an additional eight booties in his/her sled for each dog at all times. Booties are used to protect their feet from being scraped up and to …
This morning my day began in my city apartment in Chicago, where it was a wonderful 47* outside. However, it will end quite differently. By the end of the day today I will be in Wasilla, AK preparing for my five week adventure, which includes a stay in Nome where the high today is -8*. …
