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Gypsy
Dear Friends, You may have noticed that sometimes mushers and teams blow through checkpoints with a very short stop. The volunteer checkers need to check sled gear, number of dogs, and get a signature from the mushers. Veterinarians check the teams quickly. Why don’t the teams stay longer in each checkpoint? Some mushers feel that …
Dear Friends, Sled dogs are amazing animals! They are loyal and work as a team. Loyal means being committed to a team or a person, always willing to do what it takes to help and support. Veteran musher Jeff King took over Nic Petit’s team at the last minute when Nic couldn’t go. Jeff says …
Dear Friends, Most of the mushers and dog teams have taken the mandatory 24 hour rest now. Even though you don’t always hear about it, the teams usually have their own run-rest schedule all along the trail. Some teams move for three hours and then rest for three hours. We also get fed and …
Dear Friends, Sled dogs like cold. We sleep outside and have wonderful fur coats with two layers. The inner layer of soft hair is like a blanket next to our skin to keep us warm. Guard hair is the outer layer that protects us from ice, snow, and dirt. The ideal temperature for us to …
Dear Friends, Have you ever seen a sign that says, “In a world where you can be anything, be kind?” It is so important on the Iditarod Trail as well! In the night, kindness showed up. Michelle Phillips said she was racing on a river where there was overflow up to her ankles. Overflow is …
Dear Friends, Last night, Anna Berington’s sled runner broke! This was going to be a huge problem while going up into the Alaska Range and down the steep Dalzell Gorge! Anna and her twin sister, Kristy, are twins who are skilled in carpentry. They lashed together the runner with what looks like a bungee cord. …
Dear Friends, The 2022 Iditarod has begun! Yesterday, the 49 teams raced off from Willow Lake on their exciting journey. I wonder if you knew that some mushers have a heart for shelter dogs? A shelter dog is one that is either homeless and taken to an animal shelter, or its owner can no longer …
Dear Friends, Have you ever wondered how a musher from the lower 48 or Canada gets the sled dogs all the way up to Alaska for the Iditarod? One way to transport us dogs long distances is in a truck with little dog box compartments built in. Each dog has a cozy spot with a …
Dear Friends, Did you know that there is a Jr. Iditarod race for 14-17 year old mushers? It happens the Saturday before the regular Iditarod! Teens take their teams on a section of the Iditarod Trail, 75 miles the first day. Along the way, they stop at a checkpoint, Eagle Song, along the Susitna River. …
Dear Friends, We know that sled dogs helped get mail and supplies to gold miners in the 1800s and early 1900s. Did you know that they also helped transport eggs? The Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum in Washington, D.C., has a display that talks about eggs being part of the Alaskan mail system! It was difficult …