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Mushing Alaska
Photo credits: Alaska photographers John
Gomes and Britt
Coon.
Ron and Susan are Living the Dream in Alaska
with their kennel of Siberian Huskies. This
is largely due to the people who have helped
them along way. This page is dedicated to
our friends who are always available to offer
advice, support. and a plain old-fashioned
critique, right on the chin, if necessary.
Ron's love affair with mushing began
in the mid-1990's (probably during
the month of January) when Vern and
Olivia Harvey invited Ron to participate
in rig-training in the Sonora Desert
outside of Tucson, Arizona. What were
they hooking up to their rigs? Whippets?
Greyhounds? No - purebred, AKC registered
Siberian Huskies! Susan was raised
in the interior of Alaska and remembers
traveling in a sled driven by her father,
behind a team of Siberians.
Twelve years and twelve Siberian Huskies
later in Alaska............just imagine
leaving the Willow Community Center
on a January afternoon, part of a caravan
of three Siberian Husky dog teams.
In recent years this site has been
the official restart of the Iditarod.
The dogs are filled with enthusiasm
as the sleds are packed with gear and
equipment for an overnight camping
trip down the Susitna River and back
home. |
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End
of the race
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Traveling
the famous
Iditarod
Trail -
two 50
mile days
planned.
Each dog
team of
twelve
is integrated
with Iditarod
athletes
from Team
Stormwatch.
The teams
head out
over a
myriad
of frozen
lakes and
then, as
night falls,
plunge
down onto
the Susitna
River.
The moon
is so bright
head lamps
are seldom
used; it's
quiet,
just the
sound of
the dogs
panting
and your
own heart
racing
with excitement.
Photo credit
Hege Hallset
of Norway
Now midnight
and time
to pull
off the
trail,
feed the
dogs and
sleep under
the stars.
Ron sleeps
between
Rosie and
Zoey, the
temperature
about 5
degrees
above zero,
warm for
this time
of year.
The next
morning
the three
teams break
camp and
head back
home on
the Iditarod
Trail.
This is
just one
of many
dreams
that have
come true
for us
in Alaska.
It doesn't
happen
without
friends.
Friends
that will
share the
good times,
friends
that will
spend all
night searching
for a lost
dog team;
friends
that will
teach you
the tricks
in the
show ring
and share
their fund
of knowledge
about the
breed.
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