Zuma

Even More Changes

Hello friends, In a year with a pawful of changes, another one was announced today. Alaska’s interior has had a LOT of snow the past few days and the trail breaking crew was having a difficult time creating a well marked trail.  For the safety of everyone, including our trail breaking volunteers, the decision was …

Race Day Three

Hello friends, What a fun race! It seems every time I check the tracker, the lead has changed. According to Race Log #93 only 4 mushers have taken their mandatory 8 hour layover and no teams have taken their 24. Of course, we won’t know the true lead until all the teams have taken their …

Aliy’s Last Race

Hello friends, Every year I get asked the same question from students, “Who is your favorite musher?” As a K9 reporter I try to stay impartial, but I can’t help it, Aliy Zirkle is my favorite. No one has a brighter smile or more positive energy on the trail. This year is her final Iditarod …

PAWS ARE ON THE TRAIL!

 Hello Friends, With temperatures around 25°F and under a bluebird sky, 47 sled dog teams took off on the Iditarod Trail. Awooooo! It was fun to watch my K9 friends so excited to be on the trail doing what they love best – rrrrrunning. Some 1st graders from Ann Arbor, Michigan have a few questions …

How To Follow the Iditarod

 Hello friends, It’s getting closer – the 49th running of The Last Great Race! Teachers and students from around the world are gearing up by reading books, discovering mushers to follow, and preparing classrooms with maps. Schools and classes follow the race in various ways. Some read the free daily reports to see the progress …

47 Ready to Roll

                                                                Hello friends, Another change in the 49th running of the Iditarod is no Musher Banquet. This is sad for us because it was …

Why Dog Booties?

                                                             Hello friends, My favorite questions to answer are about the dogs. Awwwoooooo! Students in Minnesota just learned about the tough pads sled dogs have on …

Iditaread – The Last Great Reading Race

Hello friends, There is a lot happening here at Iditarod Headquarters with mushers and dogs coming and going as they prepare for the Iditarod. But something equally exciting is happening at Iditarod Education – the Iditaread! This is a race you can do with your class, reading across the Iditarod Trail. Your teacher can sign …

It’s C-C-C-C-Cold!

Hello Friends, A friend from Wisconsin just asked if sled dogs liked the cold weather. The answer is YES, the weather is pawsome! We have adaptations to help us survive cold weather such as two layers of fur (guard hair and underfur), a special kind of fat in our toe pads so our feet don’t …

Caring For the Dogs – It’s the Rule

 Hello friends, Last week I used my paws to write about how the race has evolved since the first Iditarod in 1973. These changes include the rules that are updated on a yearly basis. The race rules are used to keep the race fair, keep the mushers safe, and especially to keep my canine friends …