Sled Dog Heaven
To me, it's become a yearly ritual. A sort of pilgramage, almost.
The shrine is the snowy Start/Finish line of the Attaboy 300 World Sled Dog Championships and the deities are the slim, yet incredibly tough sled dogs.
Not that I'm a dog fanatic a la "Best in Show". Not at all.
But if you've ever seen those sled dogs run their little hearts out in the rough and cold landscape, pulling that sled and its rider (or "musher") relentlessly, over steep hills, plunging descents, and ice that cuts into their tender paws, you can't help but admire them. By the end of the day's 50-mile course they appear exhausted, with tongues hanging to the ground, their skinny chests heaving, licking their bloody paws, and patiently waiting for their bowl of fresh meat. They seem to love it. The pure joy, that wild sparkle in their eyes, tell the story better than any words ever could.
They were born to run. Watching them brings to life legends of old, of a yet unconquered West, tales of a still-remote wilderness that was only accessible by dog sled in winter. You can't help but think of Jack London, the Alaskan Yukon territory, and the Gold Rush.
These days however, the true gold are the dogs themselves. The 2004 Iditarod prize pool was $720,000, with the winner pocketing $70,000...
The shrine is the snowy Start/Finish line of the Attaboy 300 World Sled Dog Championships and the deities are the slim, yet incredibly tough sled dogs.
Not that I'm a dog fanatic a la "Best in Show". Not at all.
But if you've ever seen those sled dogs run their little hearts out in the rough and cold landscape, pulling that sled and its rider (or "musher") relentlessly, over steep hills, plunging descents, and ice that cuts into their tender paws, you can't help but admire them. By the end of the day's 50-mile course they appear exhausted, with tongues hanging to the ground, their skinny chests heaving, licking their bloody paws, and patiently waiting for their bowl of fresh meat. They seem to love it. The pure joy, that wild sparkle in their eyes, tell the story better than any words ever could.
They were born to run. Watching them brings to life legends of old, of a yet unconquered West, tales of a still-remote wilderness that was only accessible by dog sled in winter. You can't help but think of Jack London, the Alaskan Yukon territory, and the Gold Rush.
These days however, the true gold are the dogs themselves. The 2004 Iditarod prize pool was $720,000, with the winner pocketing $70,000...
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