Back Up North!

I will be heading out on Wednesday for a week in the wonderful north 49th. I can hardly wait. Right now the only slight concern is some super hot weather down here which could delay flights out of Phoenix which is my first stop enroute. At midday, no less. Big jets do not do well in very hot weather since the air gets thinner and has much less lift power. But they are now saying 112 instead of 120 at Sky Harbor that day so maybe!! It was 105 here yesterday!

At any rate, I will get there and be in the Wasilla area with maybe a trip up to Willow for the week ending June 30. Willow was the site of the bad fire this time last year but they have done a lot of rebuilding and most of the mushers who were burned out are back in business with new facilities.
As you know if you read this blog much, mushers are never-say-die kind of folks and will not let a few obstacles like losing everything slow them down too much! The community is having a big celebration and get-together this weekend which had I known about ahead of time, I would have adjusted my plans to try to be there. Well, they do not need me to celebrate!

I will attend the annual meeting of the Iditarod Trail Committee next Saturday. Already sent in my ballot to vote for one new person on the board but will be very interested in hearing any new twists on the device rule and the code of conduct issues that have made a lot of news this year so far. I do not think my earlier proposals have gone anywhere; perhaps that is for the best although I am still very much in favor of bigger and more recognition for dog care by the mushers and also acts of sportsmanship. I have learned how the "carrying" issue could have unforeseen consequences so I am rethinking that to some degree although I still feel it is less than 'good mushing' to do it in a big way as was done this past race. Time will tell.

I will be posting from  Alaska if I can. I am not sure how much on-line time I will be able to manage and what kind of internet connection my hostess has in Palmer but at worst I will take notes and a lot of photos and will be posting them when I get back.

I am very excited to be meeting Helen Hegener whose great new book is at my bedside right now and being enjoyed in small doses which is the prefect way to do so. Alaskan Sled Dog Tales is one awesome book. Ms Hegerner has assembled a wide spectrum of wonderful stories about the history of the sled dog and their role in growing Alaska to the modern and active place it now is. She illustrates the book with a fantastic collection of old photographs, documents, magazine covers and post cards from about as long ago as they existed to modern times. This enhances the narrative and meets Alice in Wonderland's dictum that a book without pictures is scarcely worth the bother. I would say Alaskan Sled Dogs Tales is worth 'the bother' regardless, though, and recommend it highly. I think Helen and I will hit it off very well and that will be another high point of my trip.

I will enjoy seeing Bill, my 2015 host, again and his friend Svetla Lerner, who will house me in Palmer this time. Svetla and I met last year. She is an amazing lady herself though not a musher. She grew up on Czechoslovakia and escaped before the Iron Curtain came down. She has led a varied and adventuresome life and I hope to help her put together an autobiography, which we'll at least begin this time. So, with many irons in the fire, I will be working on getting those wrinkles out or branding those critters as the case may be and especially on having a good and educational time!!

BTW, Aliy Zirkle is back on two feet and beginning the therapy efforts to regain her strength and stability before the training season in the fall. One of her older dogs, Chica, who is the mother of Ginger and the other Surfivers that I am so attached to, has retired to a pet home in Anchorage and been added to the special honor roll of SPK dogs, a short but growing list of stellar sled dogs no longer running. I won't be going that far this trip but certainly look forward to another visit to SPK in time. This time I may get to Deedee Jonrowe's and possibly another kennel or two in the proximity of Wasilla/Palmer.

Anyway, smooth trails to all and I'll catch you at the next checkpoint!

Update on "device" rule.

This one really seems to have upset a lot of mushers and fans, supporters etc. as well. It has the potential to change the character of the race so massively --yes, even more and faster than the concerns I shared earlier--which in view of the bigger issues in the interim have basically gone unnoticed--that hundreds are seriously up in arms about it.

Dallas Seavey has started a petition to ask the Board to change this considerably. As you know I am generally not a Seavey fan but I listened to a video clip from a presentation he did with Wade Marrs, the 2016 fourth place finisher, and what he said was very sensible and the same for Wade.  I try not to ever let personal prejudices stand in the way of facts and reason! I may not like all of Seavey's attitude but I do think he is sincere in wanting the race to stay 'honest' and as close to the original intent as is possible in this day and age. His personal methods do not impinge on this, really. He is now at least talking "it's all about the dogs," Perhaps in some round-about ways he got a message of sorts.
Here is a link to the petition. Sincere fans may sign if I read it right so anyone here who wants to add their name is welcome to do so. The opportunity for "cheating" and giving some mushers a huge advantage over others through "coaching" and other assistance and advice is just too huge. The size of a support team one could field depends greatly on funds and one's kennel staff etc. So small and newbie mushers might not beneifit too much in that regard.

Musher safety was what the ITC claimed to have been trying to achieve but it was definitely one of those "unintended consequences" types of efforts and perhaps not thought out as well as it should have been. They have really been in a CYA panic button mode, or so it feels. Copy and paste the text below to see and sign if you wish.

"http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/iditarod-rule-35-reform.html"

I will be at the meeting--the big annual meeting--on June 25th and it may be very interesting!

As a fun side note, Heelers are not the only pups with oversized ears! One of the past litters at SPK was four the other day and Aliy posted some pictures. This is Chipper at age two and then age four. At two she had ears to match those of our young Heeler, Riata, when she came here at about six months of age!  BTW, this girl is a daughter of Quito and now looks a lot like her mama. I think the ears are more a heritage from daddy Biscuit. Quito's are upright or "pricked" in the term the herding dog folks use but not overly large.

New Rule re: cell phones etc.

This was shared on the Idita-Support FB group and I pass it on since most of my readers here will not be seeing that. Very thought provoking and a bit worrisome to me.  Note it was written by Danny Seavey, older brother of Dallas and son of Mitch, and he was a commentator this year. Indeed this letter raises some very serious questions and issues. Clearly some think the ITC went overboard and did not think it through! Because of the duration in terms of time and distance, the Iditarod and the YQ are unique and create issues for which there are no comparable situations to compare or use as an analogy. In a lot of ways the Iditarod has gotten too blasted big and way too commercial; this may carry the seeds of its destruction, at least as the event many know and love. All change is not progress!!


*****

Iditarod Allows Coaching (and cell/sat phones) -
Delivers Final Blow to Small Kennels.

The Iditarod voted last week to allow mushers to carry cell and satellite phones on their sleds. Race officials said the goal was to use technology to improve musher safety after three mushers were threatened or attacked by locals on snow mobiles between checkpoints last March. Race Marshall Mark Nordman stressed that another rule would be added soon to prevent mushers from using phones to post to social media, or talk to members of the media, as it may compete with the paid Iditarod Insider news source.

Allowing phones seems innocent enough, and many have felt it inevitable given the rise of technology. GPS was allowed after several mushers were discovered using GPS enabled wrist-watches. The race realized it couldn’t enforce a ban, and the technology could prevent mushers getting lost.

The big difference is that allowing cell phones allows coaching, and therefore is the biggest rule change the Iditarod has ever made. If this rule stands as written you won’t recognize the race in 5 years. Here’s why…

Most competitive mushers will tell you that the hardest part of the Iditarod race is dealing with sleep deprivation. Dallas Seavey (my brother) broke the Iditarod record this year with a time of 8 days and 11 hours, and slept only 15 hours during the whole race. Just keeping their eyes open is difficult, dragging themselves out of a checkpoint on 45 minutes of sleep takes determination that would inspire Sisyphus, and making intelligent, competitive decisions is nearly impossible. There are only three mandatory rests in the Iditarod. The mushers get to choose when, where, and how long to take another 14-15 rest breaks. Mushers often have to make these decisions with a brain that can hardly function, and very little information about their competitors, the trail ahead, or the weather. Further, as I’ve written about in depth before, sleep deprivation leads to a negative outlook. Mushers often see the problems or weakness in their own teams, but not others. Dallas Seavey’s main strength - and one of the main reasons he’s won four of the last 5 races - is his ability to remain positive and competitive even when things aren’t going his way.

If mushers are allowed to communicate with their home bases, they will receive coaching. Mitch Seavey (my dad) and I mastered the art of coaching in other races that allow handlers at checkpoints. We won the $100,000 All Alaska Sweepstakes and several other major races by providing information, and having a well-rested coach making decisions. Mushers routinely complain about the Norwegian ‘media’ teams having hour-long chats in Norwegian with their teams in checkpoints. Had Noah Burmeister placed better this year, he could have been penalized for his brother Aaron coaching in the checkpoints. So it happens, but Nordman usually tries to keep it in check.

If unrestricted, both Mitch and Dallas Seavey will have snow machine crews running in advance of their teams by 12 and 72 hours. Those crews will call Dallas’ wife Jen and I, and we will know every bump in the trail, and what the weather is going to do. We will have people monitoring the GPS and time sheets, and know exactly where every competitor is, and how fast they’re moving. We’ll have unbiased assessments of how their teams compare to others. Both mushers will call home a few minutes before arriving in each checkpoint, and get a competition rundown, and we will help them decide where and how long to stop. They’ll call again halfway through each stop, and we’ll discuss dogs and the trail ahead, which dogs to drop, and what to do for dogs needing care.

A great example would be the Koyuk checkpoint in 2016. Most advanced fans knew Dallas would go right through the checkpoint and rest further down the trail. Mitch would have known if he’d slept in the past week, but instead was caught off guard when Dallas went through. Mitch went from right with Dallas to several minutes behind, and would never see him again.

Similarly Aliy Zirkle would have known Dallas was coming into Safety in 2014, and have been ready to go when he arrived. As it was, she left Safety 19 minutes behind him, and arrived in Nome 2 minutes behind. A satellite phone there almost certainly would have given us another woman champion.

If you think I’m exaggerating, consider this. Dallas himself rode a snow machine from Nenana to Huslia days before the 2015 Iditarod just for the scouting report. A 1000 mile snow mobile trek a few days before the race takes a toll on a person, but it paid off when Dallas and Aaron Burmesiter were the only two teams confident enough in the trail to push to Huslia to take their mandatory 24 hour breaks. Brent Sass was disqualified from that same race for talking on an iPhone, because he could have been receiving assistance.

What if a musher drops an item of mandatory gear, or loses a boot? It's a lot easier to replace if you can call your team and have one waiting at the next checkpoint. Support crew are already allowed to ship items ahead, but by the time a musher makes it to the next stop, messages home via the judge, and waits for the post office to deliver to the next checkpoint, it's not something you can count on.

Five minutes after he heard about the rule change, my dad texted and asked if I would be his coach. He continued, “I don’t like this, but I intend to take full advantage of it.” How far can it be taken? Should Mitch have a guy on a snow machine tailing Dallas at all times? Those two are already discussing a truce to prevent from going too far.

Finances already play a big role in the Iditarod. Well-funded teams have a major advantage, and given the meager prize and sponsor money Iditarod mushers receive, being able to earn upwards of a quarter million a year is essential to building a winning kennel. This rule will drive that number even higher, necessitating a team of people and machines during the race. Handlers may not be able to actually feed and bootie the dogs, but it’ll be a pit crew in every other sense. This rule spells the end for small kennels, the Nick Petits and Wade Marrs’ of the world. The guy and their dog team racing to Nome because they like the wilderness and dogs better than people.

Further, there is no way to prevent the mushers from posting on social media. Maybe they can't upload a photo, but they can talk. Will my dad be penalized if I post something he says over the phone? What if a handler overhears something and posts to their own page, can he be penalized for that? Clearly it will be an unenforceable rule.

I wish the Iditarod would do more planning and research before making these types of decisions. Paul Gebhardt, the musher representative to the board had previously proposed only emergency communication with race officials through the spot trackers. That seems like a sensible suggestion. Gebhardt was unable to attend the meeting, and didn’t know what the rule said until after it passed. No one contacted Mitch or Dallas, and unfortunately this looks like another knee-jerk reaction without a lot of input. When MLB makes a rule change, they try it in the minor leagues and see what happens before they implement a major change. I hope the Iditarod at least asks the current champions and their own analysts (Yours Truly) what this will mean.

Danny Seavey

Quick Update

From what I have learned via the Facebook Idita-Support group and a few other places, things are in quite a fluid and changeable time with the Big Race. They have just repealed the rule about mushers not carrying cell phones or other comm devices. The rule had resulted in Brent Sass being disqualified early in the 2014 race. There have been rumors others did carry things and were not found out but that is just hear-say. At any rate, it will not be legal,

I can see both pros and cons to this. Certainly family and friends can keep mushers apprised of where other mushers are in the race and what is going on; that can be both an advantage and at times possibly a hindrance.  In the long run, it probably dies not matter because each musher and his or her team must run their own race in their own best way. Paying too much attention to what others may be doing seems to have proved  the opposite of an aid in the case of Brent Sass in this last race when his dogs went on strike at White Mountain after he pushed to try to keep up with the flying Seaveys. I guess time will tell.

As for me, I am on schedule to fly out of El Paso on June 22 and arrive in Anchorage that evening, before sundown since it will be one day past the summer solstice. I will again be met by my frieind Bill and perhaps spend the night at his home in Anchorage--if he has not completed a planned move to Palmer by then, in which case we'd go on up there. I will rent a car this time and will attend the ITC annual meeting on June 25th. I do not intend to try to speak there and will basically keep a low profile officially. However,  I will meet Helen Hegener and also try to catch up with Deedee Jonrowe and some other mushers. Since the same day is also when sign ups for the 2017 race start, quite a few from the Wasilla/Willow region do show up.  If possible I will try to set in motion a plan to go up in the fall and stay at one or more kennels and work for the privilege of listening and learning in the early parts of the fall training season.

Jody Bailey, another female musher I am following and somewhat in contact with, posted on her FB page a link to a new list where people seeking handler and helper jobs with kennels can get connected with kennels needing help. While I do not think I can commit to a six month stint right now, I am not ruling out that possibility and will certainly be checking this list a lot! Mostly they are looking for young people who hope to parley this experience into becoming mushers themselves but some might be willing to take on an aging aficionado who is not afraid of work! I can hope.

Anyway that is where we're at as of today. Keeping on keeping on and watching Aliy's progress via her SPK blog as she recovers from her foot surgery. I can imagine what a pain it has been to her to be partly immobilized and "foot-decapped" for close to two months but it was necessary to be able to continue her career. She has kept her wonderful humor and shared some fun things to include pictures of the two 2015 fall litters as they grow past the six month stage and start to look like big dogs. They are going to be awesome and amazing!! Of course Ginger and her Surfiver brothers are going to be really starting to work this fall, no doubt running in some of the shorter preliminary races and perhaps one or more even making the YQ or the Iditarod next year!

Here is Ginger with Aliy a few weeks ago.  Love that dog and of course Aliy!! Isn't that a sweet picture? Aliy has sucha  great bond and rapport with all the dogs but some are more affectionate than others. Seems Ginger is a love bug.

Serious matters Part 2

The ITC Board did meet today and it appears most of the major business was dealt with in a closed executive session, no surprise. At least one good thing--or I would say apparently a good thing--came out of it. They did address in general the issue of domestic violence and have banned the young man from the 2017 race and indefinitely with reinstatement depending on his completion of court ordered rehabilitation and of course no further bad behavior of this kind. That seems fair. Whether any consequences will impact the woman involved, I have no idea. I really would hope he goes to some kind of rehab and she takes herself out of the situation, hopefully with the dogs she has worked with the most and her personal basic gear. Time will tell.

I will be a little catty and call the ITC's formal statement a bit after the fact and giving some appearance of a CYA action but they did do it and it appears to have some teeth. A special committee will be working to review the code of conduct, or so it appears, and perhaps bring it a bit further into the twenty-first century. While Alaska may fairly bill itself the last frontier, there are now too many people in the state and too many modern influences to proceed like it was '99--not 1999 but 1899!!

I have to admit I hope they do not go too far and tangle everyone up with rules and codes and regulations and standards out the gazoo!. It really isn't possible to mandate or legislate ethics, morality and human nature beyond a very basic degree. I am an individualist and libertarian but I have to accept that my right to swing my fist or my foot ends somewhat short of your nose or shins. Really the Golden Rule covers most of these kinds of issues very well. Don't do anything to anyone else that you would not want happening to you. Now just to put that into practice.

You can get to and read the ITC Statement from my Facebook page should you wish to do so. I am not going to attempt to post it here but it is a public document now and as such in the public domain. .

Serious Matters

          I need to add a caveat to the following, post,  a bit after the fact. My comments are based strictly on what has been aired on various media and I think most of us realize that they are more interested in selling papers, getting viewers and providing  a certain level of sensationalism. As with almost everything, there are two sides to every story and usually the truth falls into a gap somewhere  between. Perhaps the young man's story deserves a hearing as well. While physical abuse is almost never justified unless truly from fear of death--like the use of deadly force guidelines-- abuse in relationships can and does go both ways at times Most of us have been guilty at times of behaving in a manner provocative and abrasive to  those around us. Did we "deserve" then to be beaten or have our things trashed? Probably not, but perhaps none of us can fairly cast the first stone, especially if the whole story is not heard.  And I did not intend to do so. See new post for further outcome on this situation.

             There is a lot of discussion in some circles and it will soon become even more public, I imagine. I have hesitated to mention it here but it is relevant to my topic of the Iditarod and women participating in it, so I will go into it but try to tread lightly.

Two mushers who are partners and supposedly engaged but not married have had problems for some time and it is now coming to light. In 2015, he broke her arm in an altercation and was placed on probation for it. This year additional domestic violence occurred in which she was thrown out of the cabin after being beaten up and left in 10 degree temperatures and some of her possessions were damaged or destroyed. (I may have some of the issues mixed as reports are not always clear but all this occurred) This event has resulted in charges but it has not yet come to trial.  However, despite the prior apparent conviction, although it was treated as a misdemeanor, both competed in the 2016 race and the ITC Board and officials denied any knowledge of the matter. But we all know that all court proceedings except those involving juveniles are public records and can be reviewed freely.

Like substance abuse, domestic violence, especially against women and children, is a serious, no, a huge issue in Alaska just as it is in the lower forty-eight. The general opinion in this case seems to be that it must not be swept under the rug and treated lightly.

Apparently the female musher, like many women, had been reluctant to press charges and probably lose her investment in gear, dog team and other valuable property the pair has jointly accumulated and developed. Perhaps she now actually fears for her life and must move forward in this. It seems that so often it is the woman who must escape, if she can, with little more than the clothes on her back. In Alaska that can be a pretty grim fate, especially in the winter. This woman also has a lifelong dream of becoming a successful long distance racer; she seemed to  believe she had found the way to do it, but at how great a price?

I know she withdrew last year not too long before the race. Likely it was because of the aforementioned broken arm. At the time I had no clue of this, of course. Clearly very few did. Well, you can hardly manage a sled and a team in a cast. This year she did complete the race as a rookie and I was happy for her until I learned of all these problems. I would counsel her to find and team up with another female racer—say Ryne Olson or one of the others or a reliable and respected couple --and work with them. Hopefully if she leaves her abuser, she will be able to keep or take away some of the dogs and gear but if not, they can be replaced. One’s life and physical health cannot be.

            While I am all in favor of sacrifice, determination and sticking through tough situations, there is a limit. I was never physically abused although I did suffer verbal abuse and a very restricted life as a teenager but once I was an adult and on my own, I vowed no person would ever abuse or intimidate me. I would never stay with a partner who hit me—not even once. And I have not. I think if this woman can get out of this bad situation, other women will step up to help her and she can come through it and triumph in the end. I would certainly hope and pray for such an outcome. All the women racers and kennel mangers I have met or contacted seem to be honorable and caring people.

Meanwhile at their meeting on Saturday, April 29, the ITC board will be discussing the issues of what bad behavior or criminal convictions should be grounds for barring a racer from competition and whether for one race, several or for life. They will also revisit a “code of conduct” which was established last year but seems to center more around never permitting a competitor to ‘bad mouth’ or criticize the race or talk out of school about internal problems. It has been called a “gag order” by a number of apparently disgusted people, to include some mushers, I believe. There is also the fact that all qualification and conduct issues have been left to the judgment of a single individual. Many feel, and I agree, that it too much to leave in one person’s hands and there should at least be an internal committee or board of ‘judges’ for want of a better term to deal with these problems collectively. I would love to be at that meeting but hope to get some information on the proceedings from a friend who will be there.

A final thought, elections of two new ITC board members will be coming up soon with the results of the vote to be announced at the June meeting which I plan to attend.  I for one, and I think many others agree, would like to see more women on the ITC Board of Directors. I am in no position nor qualified to run but I know of a few who perhaps could and should. Put a bug in their ears? I am not sure I can but I will try. And if any females wind up on the ballot, they are almost sure to get my vote unless they are grossly unqualified or damned by their own statements.  I did recently vote for the US portion of the YQ Board, and my vote did go to the woman, a veterinarian, who seemed like an excellent choice. With close to a third of this year’s racers being female, it certainly seems reasonable and fair to have the feminine side represented and advocated for so the ITC does not become—or some say continue to be—just a good ole boys club!

Quick Update

I keep coming across new issues, ideas, problems and news relative to my favorite sport. Right now I am mulling over which of these I need or want to share and what to say about them. For that reason, I am not writing yet, here or anywhere else.

I suppose I am a bit disillusioned to find that many of today's prevalent ills and issues have made their way to the wilds of Alaska and the world of sled dog racing. This last bastion of wilderness and frontier spirit should not be so sullied but it does not exist in a vacuum and with our modern world where anything can be known anywhere in seconds, it was inevitable. All change is not progress, but once the worms are uncanned and things move past a point, there is no going back. It is what it is. More later.

Right now I thank God for Aliy and her ilk. A bright star in a sometimes dark sky. May guardian angels stay close to her.

Still on that Trail...

I know it has been quiet here since the end of the Iditarod and the racing season. However, I've been busy behind the scenes and planning ahead on this seemingly endless project of mine. I joined a Facebook Group called Idita-support and got myself in some hot water because the mushers there were not at all enchanted with my complaint about carrying healthy dogs and wish to see it banned. Oh no, mushers are a very independent lot and do not want any possible option taken away from their repertoire. While I do understand and appreciate their stance,I still feel it was misused in the 2016 race.I have backed off from further push on that for now but will keep it on the back burner..

However one totally cool thing happened because of my joining this group. It is managed and moderated by a lovely lady named Helen Hegener. She is an active writer of Alaskan non-fiction works, a stickler for historical accuracy and just a neat person. To add to the serendipity she lived in Arizona as a teenage military dependent and went to Tombstone High in the mid 1960s!. She also loves horses as well as dogs and we've had some wonderful email chats. I hope to meet her in the near future. She loves my idea and is enthusiastic about it., which I deeply appreciate. I just preordered her new book about the history of the sled dogs whcih will be released soon.

My plan to go to Alaska at the end of June, well about the 24th to be exact, is still on. I will attend the Iditarod Trail Committee annual meeting again though not to pitch anything to them.My main purpose will be to meet people and probably arrange with one or more kennels, likely in the Willow area, to spend some time in the fall. I am more than willing to scoop poop, fill dishes or any other chore for the privilege of hanging out and listening and asking a few hopefully not totally dumb questions. I've known all along that I must get some boots on the snow or dirt and live at least along the periphery of this  sport to learn and do justice to my subject. I think Helen can help me there. I do plan again to take advantage of the hospitality and aid of wonderful Alaska friends Bill Hutchison and Svetla Lerner who I met last year and am determined to get face-to-face with Deedee Jonrowe this trip. BTW, she just ran the Boston Marathon after finishing the Iditarod just over a month ago! Is that lady a total dynamo or what?! She just blows me away!

So do stay tuned. Part of the silence is because I've been busy elsewhere with some fiction writer business. My principal publisher closed the end of March and I was torn between leaving fiction writing completely and trying to find new homes for some of my work. I finally got bold enough to submit a few places and it looks like that is going to move forward. Guess I am just intended to have a number of irons in the fire--which may be necessary to either smooth out all the wrinkles or get my mark on all that livestock!! Any time I start to feel overwhelmed I look at this shot of four amazing mushers who I admire all to heck and gone. I know "quit" is not in their vocabulary and should  not be in mine, either. Thank you Allen, Deedee, Martin and Aliy for your inspiration!!

Letter Update

I have finished the letter to the ITC Board and all copies were mailed today. I also made four more copies and sent them with a note to newspapers in Anchorage, Fairbanks and Wasilla  I have no idea of they will have any result but I have tried.  Here is the final version of the letter, very slightly changed from the one I posted earlier but format is cleaned up etc. I am hoping very hard some people listen!!!

On a lighter note, SPK posted a great video on their doglog blog showing the September litter puppies, the "Coffee Litter" enjoying their first run in harness with some of the old timers. They looked fine and totally natural. These dogs are truly born to run. "My" little Creamer (I chose her to be a 'fan' for) was naughty and trying to nibble on the lines but otherwise they all ran well and seemed to have a great time. Link: http://spkenneldoglog.blogspot.com/ Aliy and Allen are so fantastic with the dogs and seem to have  real instinct --as well as so much love--for them. I am not sure if the Golden Harness (Quito's) pups will get a chance before the snow is gone or not; they are about five weeks younger and at this stage a lot changes in that time.  But I am hoping at least enough for one short video! Of course the Surfivers will be training in earnest come fall and some of them may even make some races, real, serious ones. They did get in on the Two Rivers 100 in January but that was enough for less than two years old. However a few short three year olds did run the YQ and the Iditarod this year and did well. They will be moving up to star status next year.

Anyway here is the letter:

Gaye Morgan-Walton   Novelist, Poet and Adventure Writer                                                                   520-678-0259

2200 23^rd St, Alamogordo, NM 88310                                                                                                 azwriter427@yahoo.com

March 28, 2016

Editor, Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

200 N Cushman St

Fairbanks, AK 99701-2832

Below is the text of a letter I have just written to all the members of the Iditarod Trail Committee Board. I wonder if it could be printed in your newspaper to reach more people concerned about the future of the Iditarod Sled dog Race. I am hopeful more will want to be heard on this matter and may be moved by my comments to make their own. Thank you very much!

Gentlemen,

I must begin by admitting I am not an Alaskan, not a musher and no sort of expert. I am merely a dedicated and fairly well-educated fan who has followed the Iditarod casually since the late 1980s and intensively since about 2008. During the last several years I have observed trends that peaked this year, trends which disturb and distress me. I see them moving this event in a very negative and unproductive direction. 

As the staff of KTVA wrote: “Let’s be honest, the dogs are the real stars of the annual Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Seventy-nine of the 86 teams that started this year’s race in Willow began with 16 dogs. A total of 1,460 dogs ran through the starting line of Iditarod 44.” Yes, this race is and always should be about the dogs. They are what the bulk of the fans around the world are excited about and what makes this event so unique.

Joe Redington’s vision, when he started groundwork for this race, was to save the Alaskan Sled Dog and to preserve and honor traditions dating back to prehistory—when the first family arrived with their dogs (i.e. Fairbanks’ beautiful statue). In short, it has always been about the dogs. Canines have drawn a geometrically increasing fandom and millions in support from around the world. While specific mushers may gain a kind of cult following for a season, this ebbs and flows. It is still really about the dogs, exactly as it should be.

Outside of Alaska, few to none pay much attention to the “Iron Dog” events, at least until Sarah Palin’s other half dumps one and almost kills himself. In the lower forty-eight, if we want to watch machines compete we can patronize NASCAR, the Indianapolis 500 or local drag races or motocross.  We do not need or want to watch snow machines.

Yet the trends I am seeing can soon relegate the dogs to a kind of bionic snow machine chasing the goal of ever faster speeds and fewer animals necessary. I visualize in a few years ‘mushers’ could be racing with some kind of techno-mechanical device and maybe carrying one dog along for a mascot in memory of what used to be. It is becoming merely a way to make at least some mushers a kind of “rock star” for whom the sled and a minimal team is a mere vehicle to fame and fortune, almost inconvenient. If this continues as new mushers emulate what seems to succeed, I would be willing to bet fans will begin to drop away in droves and with them the major source of donations, sponsorship and support that has built this event into the colossus it has become.

While races by definition are about winning, there are many key aspects to this one besides efforts to trim a few seconds off the duration and shrink the team. If only five dogs are necessary why start with sixteen? Let’s just cut that back to twelve, ten, even eight; keeping only a small cushion for injuries and sickness. We apparently don’t need them so half are extraneous, right? It’s all about speed, cutting every possible corner, and making a SuperMusher. Or is it?

From exchanges with many fans as I work on a book in progress about women mushers, I am sure that is not what the bulk of them want to see!  It is still about the dogs. With that in mind, here are some suggestions for the Board to consider which could steer this race back toward the direction the founders intended and the public has supported for forty four years. I agree, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, but it is damn near busted right now.

• Raise the minimum team size to complete the race to eight.  (50% drop allowed).This would only have eliminated five finishers from the 2016 race. Of the top ten, the smallest team, aside from the winner’s, was nine. The average number of dogs per team completing the 2016 race was 10.436. Since we cannot have a partial dog, I’ll round down to an even 10—noting that is twice the current minimum.
• Totally ban the new practice of carrying perfectly healthy and sound dogs to rotate them on and off the team. This is completely counter to the intent and traditional practice of the event! Other than transport of sick or injured animals to the nearest check point for drop, every team member must have paws on the ground for the entire duration of the race. If this is not made a disqualifying offense, I suggest a penalty of one hour per each dog that continues to race after being carried for any part of the trail. This sum would be added to either the mandatory twenty-four hour or the White Mountain eight hour rest.
• Give much greater recognition to the musher(s) who arrive at Nome with the most dogs still in harness and judged to be fit by the veterinary staff.  Also add a meaningful monetary prize to the Leonhard Seppala award or create additional awards recognizing superb dog care. Remember, it is really about the dogs.
• Continue and expand reward/recognition for good sportsmanship, camaraderie and assistance given to other mushers or even spectators on the trail. Again, this is maintaining a tradition nearly sacred to the event. Most mushers, though competitive, still aid and support each other. This sends a strong positive message, especially to student followers, as well as everyone else.

I believe these changes can start a return to the traditional and founding intent and vision of the race. They will keep the focus properly on the dogs which is what really holds public attention and devotion to the event. This must always be a team effort of human and canines working in partnership. It is not a man or woman running solo across 1000 miles of wilderness! As some mushers have said, the human ‘dog’ is actually the weakest member of the team in many ways. Eventually racers who do not respect and treat their dogs as equal and essential parts of the endeavor will have this attitude turn and bite them in the butt. The weather was very gentle this year but that is not always the case. Many mushers have had their team pull them through blizzards and near-disaster.  You might ask the long-term competitors if they would want just five dogs on their team in a blizzard like 2014 or the one Libby Riddles braved to win in 1985. Teamwork is really what this event is about. Don’t let it fade away.

Sincerely,

Gaye Morgan-Walton

ITC Member #15349

Post Race Comments--Letter to ITC Board in draft form

As I may have at least hinted.that some things occurred in this year's Iditarod--and I am not talking about the snow machine attack here--which disturbed me. I did some research and have drafted a letter to the Board of the ITC. As a member of the 'committee' which is almost a misnomer because it is just a card carrying kind of membership, I still feel a right to make my voice and opinions heard. This may not be quite the final form that will be sent out to a number of people, but FWIW, here is my opinion, as well-stated as I am able to do.

Gentlefolk,

I must begin by admitting I am not an Alaskan, not a musher and no sort of expert. I am merely a dedicated and fairly well-educated fan who has followed the Iditarod casually since the late 1980s and intensively since about 2008. During the last several years I have observed trends that peaked this year, trends which disturb and distress me. I see them moving this event in a very negative and unproductive direction. 

As the staff of KTVA wrote: “Let’s be honest, the dogs are the real stars of the annual Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Seventy-nine of the 86 teams that started this year’s race in Willow began with 16 dogs. A total of 1,460 dogs ran through the starting line of Iditarod 44.” Yes, this race is and always should be about the dogs. They are what the bulk of the fans around the world are excited about and what makes this event so unique.

Joe Redington’s vision, when he started groundwork for this race, was to save the Alaskan Sled Dog and to preserve and honor traditions dating back to prehistory—when the first family arrived with their dogs (i.e. Fairbanks’ beautiful statue). In short, it has always been about the dogs. Canines have drawn a geometrically increasing fandom and millions in support from around the world. While specific mushers may gain a kind of cult following for a season, this ebbs and flows. It is still really about the dogs, exactly as it should be.

Outside of Alaska, few to none pay much attention to the “Iron Dog” events, at least until Sarah Palin’s other half dumps one and almost kills himself. In the lower forty-eight, if we want to watch machines compete we can patronize NASCAR, the Indianapolis 500 or local drag races or motocross.  We do not need or want to watch snow machines.

Yet the trends I am seeing can soon relegate the dogs to a kind of bionic snow machine chasing the goal of ever faster speeds and fewer animals necessary. I visualize in a few years ‘mushers’ could be racing with some kind of techno-mechanical device and maybe carrying one dog along for a mascot in memory of what used to be. It is becoming merely a way to make at least some mushers a kind of “rock star” for whom the sled and a minimal team is a mere vehicle to fame and fortune, almost inconvenient. If this continues as new mushers emulate what seems to succeed, I would be willing to bet fans will begin to drop away in droves and with them the major source of donations, sponsorship and support that has built this event into the colossus it has become.

While races by definition are about winning, there are many key aspects to this one besides efforts to trim a few seconds off the duration and shrink the team. If only five dogs are necessary why start with sixteen? Let’s just cut that back to twelve, ten, even eight; keeping only a small cushion for injuries and sickness. We apparently don’t need them so half are extraneous, right? It’s all about speed, cutting every possible corner, and making a SuperMusher. Or is it?

     From exchanges with many fans as I work on a book in progress about women mushers, I am sure that is not what the bulk of them want to see!  It is still about the dogs. With that in mind, here are some suggestions for the Board to consider which could steer this race back toward the direction the founders intended and the public has supported for forty four years. I agree, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, but it is damn near busted right now.

1. Raise the minimum team size to complete the race to eight.  (50% drop allowed).This would only have eliminated five finishers from the 2016 race. Of the top ten, the smallest team, aside from the winner’s, was nine. The average number of dogs per team completing the 2016 race was 10.436. Since we cannot have a partial dog, I’ll round down to an even 10—noting that is twice the current minimum.
2. Totally ban the new practice of carrying perfectly healthy and sound dogs to

      rotate them on and off the team. This is completely counter to the intent and traditional

practice of the event! Other than transport of sick or injured animals to the nearest

check point for drop, every team member must have paws on the ground for the

entire duration of the race. If this is not made a disqualifying offense, I suggest a penalty of one hour per each dog that continues to race after being carried for any part of the trail. This sum would be added to either the mandatory twenty-four hour or the White Mountain eight hour rest.

3. Give much greater recognition to the musher(s) who arrive at Nome with the most dogs still in harness and judged to be fit by the veterinary staff.  Also add a meaningful monetary prize to the Leonhard Seppala award or create additional awards recognizing superb dog care. Remember, it is really about the dogs.
4. Continue and expand reward/recognition for good sportsmanship, camaraderie and assistance given to other mushers or even spectators on the trail. Again, this is maintaining a tradition nearly sacred to the event. Most mushers, though competitive, still aid and support each other. This sends a strong positive message, especially to student followers, as well as everyone else.

I believe these changes can start a return to the traditional and founding intent and vision of the race. They will keep the focus properly on the dogs which is what really holds public attention and devotion to the event. This must always be a team effort of human and canines working in partnership. It is not a man or woman running solo across 1000 miles of wilderness! As some mushers have said, the human ‘dog’ is actually the weakest member of the team in many ways. Eventually mushers who do not respect and treat their dogs as equal and essential parts of the endeavor will have this attitude turn and bite them in the butt. The weather was very gentle this year but that is not always the case. Many mushers have had their team pull them through blizzards and near-disaster.  You might ask the long-term mushers if they would want just five dogs on their team in a blizzard like 2014 or the one Libby Riddles braved to win in 1985. Teamwork is really what this event is about. Don’t let it fade away.

Sincerely,

Gaye Morgan-Walton

Member #15349