To me, it’s a chance to see beautiful dogs compete at the uppermost level under extreme circumstances. Oh, yeah, and the scenery’s pretty terrific, too!
Here’s how the official Iditarod website describes this epic event:
“The Last Great Race on Earth®”
You can’t compare it to any other competitive event in the world! A race covering 1000 miles of the roughest, most beautiful terrain Mother Nature has to offer. She throws jagged mountain ranges, frozen river, dense forest, desolate tundra and miles of windswept coast at the mushers and their dog teams. Add to that temperatures far below zero, winds that can cause a complete loss of visibility, the hazards of overflow, long hours of darkness and treacherous climbs and side hills, and you have the Iditarod. A race extraordinaire, a race only possible in Alaska.
From Anchorage, in south central Alaska, to Nome on the western Bering Sea coast.
The ceremonial start is Saturday morning at 10 am, with the official re-start on Monday at 10 am (Alaska time). I’ll bring you results throughout the race, and will look for downloadable footage as it’s available from news outlets in the great state of Alaska. I’ll also be writing some feature stories on the dogs and the humans who attempt this perilous journey. Check this space often for updates!
Hoping for good weather and healthy dogs who can make it all the way through.
Until next time,
Good day, and good dog!