The Ultimate Ride

One of my favorite places in Alaska--and maybe in all the world-- will always be Vern Halter's "Dream a Dream" dog camp.    It just seemed we were removed from the rest of goings-on of daily life on the planet and transplanted into this "other place" for Dog Mushing 101.   There was not a TV in the place, and Internet was just intermittent, so after awhile everyone just gave up trying to get online and settled into everyday life with the dogs and listening to former Iditarod veteran Vern Halter spin his tales about this incredible race.

Days started with "Puppy Walks" through the woods.  Eight little black and white balls of fur  scampered along in front of us while their mother tried to corral them on a trail hike through the woods.    They usually made it back to camp just fine, except for the time they got a little too far ahead a little too quickly and were temporarily "lost."  Everyone was certainly relieved when the little guys were sighted and ushered back to their spacious "puppy pen."

A highlight of our days there was the "cart ride."  Meant to be a simulation of a dog-driven sled ride, we helped harness 14 sled dogs and get them secured to the "gang line" so that they could pull us on an ATV.  This is a typical summer training event for sled-dogs, and they just love it!  Certainly, this is what is meant by the expression, "Born to Pull," as these dogs, some of whom ran last year's Iditarod, lunged forward and actually seemed to make light work of carrying us through the trails in the woods.  As can be seen below, nothing stopped them--not even a stream several feet deep.  They just went straight through it, and I learned the hard way why everyone kept saying to "put your feet up" when going through the stream!  Sopping wet feet was a small price to pay for a great memory and really seeing these working dogs in action.  Nothing like it!