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.  

From there, they continue racing to their final stop that night, Yentna Station checkpoint, where they must spend 10 hours. The teens send drop bags ahead with dog food and their own supplies for the overnight.  They place straw for our dog beds, cook and sleep outside, though with teenagers, it’s more like an arctic sleepover; many laugh and talk most of the night!

After 10 hours, they harness up their teams, put new booties on the dogs, and take off to return back the 75 miles to the finish line!  Prizes include college scholarships and other great items.  We dogs get treats all along the way and just get to have fun running!

Volunteers are close by if the mushers have any problems, but otherwise, they are in charge of their own teams and their own needs.  

Does this make you excited?  Teen mushers from the lower 48 states have competed in the Jr. Iditarod as well as those from Alaska and Canada.  You can follow these teens by going to jriditarod.com and cheer them on this year!  They take off on their adventure Saturday, February 26.

Until next time,

Gypsy