Dog Sled Racing, Part 2: A Book for the Trail and things you might not know

Last week, I read Back of the Pack: An Iditarod Rookie Musher's Alaska Pilgrimage to Nome by Don Bowers.

The book chronicles the author's amazing, sometimes comical, transformation into an Iditarod finisher. Becoming a musher is a very complex undertaking, involving a lot of very particular equipment, skills, and, of course, dog understanding. Iditarod rookies have a lot to learn, and I think the enthusiasm that Don shows is indicative of the strength of these racers, no matter what place they finish in.

Anyways, the book is well-written and entertaining enough to occupy many hours on a plane. I highly recommend you go out and buy the book above.

5 things you might not know about Iditarod:
1) The Iditarod starts this weekend in Downtown Anchorage. This is a ceremonial start so it doesn't count against times.
After the shortened course through Anchorage (it will stop at Campbell Airstrip), the race resumes the next day at Willow this year. Usually it starts in Wasilla, but due to lack of snow, Willow will be the start of the "real" race.
2) The race is staffed mostly by volunteers, although the logistics that go into this race are staggering. Some numbers: If there are 75 mushers and 100 checkpoint volunteers, 200,000 pounds of supplies must be shipped to checkpoints by the Iditarod Air Force. Even with this great logistical feat, last-minute supplies will also be mailed last minute via US Mail to the various checkpoints.
3) There are checkpoints throughout the race, where mushers can pick up their resources from the food drop months ago. Many mushers think preparing the bags for distribution to the checkpoints is more stressful than the race itself!
4) Each musher carries a package, which is in memory of the great mushers ran the trail for shipping before airplanes were viable in the bush.
5) You have to be 18 to race -- Dallas Seavey, who comes from a most excellent mushing family, turns 18 the day before the start, so he will be the youngest musher in Iditarod history.

How about a little bit of history tomorrow??