![](https://iditarod.com/wp-content/themes/iditarod/images/icon-instagram.png"){kind=icon}
Zuma's Paw Prints
Dear Friends, Some of the mushers or “drivers” of the dog teams are driving puppy teams in the race. Rookies sometimes take puppy teams belonging to a veteran musher for their first race. This year, Tim Pappas is running Martin Buser’s A team, and veteran Martin Buser is running a team he said will be …
Dear Friends, In order to keep track of the dog teams, musher sled bags have booties pinned onto them! Inside the booties are GPS tracking devices. There are two placed on each musher’s sled. They not only record the location of each musher’s sled, but they also record the speed with which they are traveling, …
Hello friends, During these risky times, the Iditarod has had to make some difficult decisions. The race will go on, but checkpoints have been moved to protect the villages. Teams will still get straw, Heet, and their drop bags as these are essential supplies for canines and humans alike. This is certainly a disappointment for …
Dear Friends, Some of the mushers are now leaving Ruby, the checkpoint where they will then start running on the mighty Yukon River. The only problem with running on the huge river, which is frozen over, is that it can get boring for the dogs. Did you know dogs can get bored? On the mile-wide …
Dear Friends, As the race goes on, some of the mushers share their trail stories. Ryan Redington, a veteran musher, shared about some setbacks he has had. A setback is something that holds you back or slows your progress. Ryan told of being sick in the Nikolai checkpoint. That’s no fun when you have …
Dear Friends, Have you noticed what the sled dogs are wearing? Sometimes they are stylin’ in the race! Sled dogs have accessories that are practical for running across Alaska. Colorful booties on their feet keep wet snow from packing up between their toe pads. With designer harnesses or just plain, the dogs look official and …
Dear Friends, I hope you have been watching the race standings and seeing at which checkpoint mushers are taking their 24 hour rest! Some people worry that it’s hard to make the dogs run. Mushers know it’s not a problem to get Alaskan huskies to run; the difficult part is to get them to …
Hello friends, Many of you have noticed that mushers have been staying in Takotna for a long time. No worries, they are taking their mandatory 24 hour stop. Rule #13 explains that teams must take one 24 hour stop and two 8 hour stops during the race. Not everyone is taking their 24 in Takotna …
Hello friends, Day 3 has brought a few new frontrunners. I have seen Brent Sass, Jessie Royer, Pete Kiser, and Richie Diehl switching places in the lead throughout the day. Awwwwooooo! What a race! Teams will soon be in Ophir where the trail splits. This year, being an even number year, teams will be following …