One of the reasons I went to Alaska was to learn more about the Iditarod--as my students and I share a love of studying it--and I certainly had ample opportunity through listening to all of the Iditarod experts who shared their experiences with us throughout our time there!
First and foremost was Vern Halter, owner of the "Dream a Dream" Dog Camp, where we had the unique experience of staying for three days and nights. Vern entered and finished eighteen Iditarods with NO scratches and a career best of third place in 1999. He is a walking encyclopedia of all things Iditarod, and he kept us spellbound with all of his stories!
In the photo above, Vern tells us info about his equipment, most importantly his sled, and talks about the "good old days" when the 1,000 mile Iditarod trail was not even marked as it is today...today there are 12,000 trail markers set out before the race to guide the mushers; in the early years, there were none. It was also significant that he noted that, in order to complete this race, it takes more than a body that is in shape; he said it takes "tough mental composure" and definite reliance on the "mental ability of the sled dogs." He impressed us with his care and concern for the dogs, saying, "Every dog is special in his own way." It was not unexpected that he called the Iditarod, "the best challenge of my life."
During one of his presentations, Vern showed us all of the layers of clothing the mushers put on to insulate themselves against the cold, when temperatures can often dip well below zero. I was particularly impressed with the three layers of gloves he wears, including double thick fur mittens. He also makes sure he has "hot hands Heet" packets in his pockets and tells us to remember "Wool, wool, wool" for warmth. Above, I tried on the fur mittens, almost too good to be true!
Another intriguing speaker was Katie Mangelsdorf, author of
Champion of Alaskan Huskies, a biography of Joe Redington Sr., who is known as "Father of the Iditarod" because he founded the race we have today. Katie was introduced as "the true expert on Joe Redington," and we quickly understood why. She is a true historian, being born and raised in Alaska and having lived there during the beginning of the race.
She said she saved everything written about Joe Redington Sr. and started incorporating that information into her classroom presentations when she taught fifth and sixth grades. When she realized no one else had written a book about Joe, she approached him about the project, and he agreed to permit her to do it to preserve the historic Iditarod Mail Trail and to preserve the Alaskian husky and sled dog mushing. Katie Mangelsdorf explained that Joe Redington is the only person to take a sled dog team to the summit of Mt. McKinley and that from his first Iditarod race in 1974, he had an abiding belief that "you always have to be prepared." Above, Katie talks about the replica doll of Joe Redington made by Judy Bowers and shares a few of the stories that comprise her book.
Another speaker who truly lived history was Joe May, winner of the 1980 Iditarod. Talk about tales!
Joe said that the single best addition to distance racing today is the fact that when mushers stop to rest their dogs, they put down hay to make the dogs' resting places. When Joe was mushing and needed to give his dogs a break, he had to cut spruce boughs, which took up to 45 minutes to locate and cut and another 45 minutes to haul back to the dogs. He said the present-day practice of shipping straw to have it ready and waiting for this use at checkpoints has changed the race.
He also said he got into trouble in his Iditarod race when the wind picked up and tipped over both the dogs and the sled, so he had to crawl on his hands and feet in front of the dogs to lead them. "Nobody wants to stop because of the weather," Joe explained. He also talked about his encounters with moose and being chased by a grisly bear, chuckling as he shared, "If you spend enough time in the woods, you are going to run into other folks who live out there." Several times he compared his experiences to those of writer Jack London, saying, "It was just like a scene out of Jack London." We can all read more of his experiences in an upcoming book he is writing with a co-author called,
Iditarod, the First Ten Years, which is scheduled to be
released in December.
Another much-loved speaker was Cindy Abbott, who is "Dream a Dream's" musher for 2015. She has started the Iditarod twice but unfortunately had to scratch both years. Although she has not been the official Red Lantern (in last place), she laughed out loud that she had been Red Lantern coming out of a few checkpoints, and that "it was cool because I got a beaver collar and pecan pie." This will be
her year, we are sure!
Cindy has already climbed Mr. Everest and compares training for that to training for the Iditarod by saying the Iditarod is more challenging because with the Iditarod she is behind a sled or an ATV, and the dogs can take her anywhere! She shared her life philosophy by saying, "Everyone gets thrown hurdles in life. I am just trying to jump my hurdle" and reminding us of the quote, "Life isn't about waiting for storms to pass. It's about dancing in the rain."
All of the speakers we were fortunate to hear definitely had their share of "rain dances," and the stories they shared were some of the best ever told.
