March 07, 2004
MUSH ALONG LITTLE DOGGIES
Well, the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race is underway. That's no small thing, considering that again this year there is a minimum of snow to mush on the trail. It isn't as bad as last year's race, which had to be restarted in Fairbanks, but it's fairly slim on snow out there, thanks to 32-dgree weather in Anchorage. (For a larger version of the above photo, click here.)
The official standings are pretty meaningless at this stage, since the race only started and the order is largely ceremonial, since it is determined by lottery. But the fact that five-time winner Rick Swenson is in front is no small thing, since he likes to get a lead and keep it.
It's amazing how little technolgy is used in an effort to mush 1,100 miles. Until 2001, mushers didn't use GPS systems to track their positions. Until someone pulled in or pulled out of a checkpoint, there was no formal way of knowing where the mushers were in between..
I did a story in 1991 when I covered the race for The Anchorage Times about a French musher named Pascal Nicoud, who decided halfway into the race to mush back east toward Anchorage because his dogs came down with diarrhea. None of the Iditarod officials knew where he was until I called a restaurant in a small town in McGrath (population 423) and asked if they had seen Pascal. They had. He was sitting there at Rosa's Cafe, eating a bowl of soup.
The next year, the Iditarod adopted a rule banning mushers from going backward on the trail.
If you're interested in knowing more, The Anchorage Daily News has a great site with up-to-date details, photos and even maps.The guide to mushers' gear also is pretty cool. Hard to believe those guys go out in that wilderness with so little stuff to get them between checkpoints.
In lieu of that, I'll post updates as the race goes on. Should be a good one.