We thought so. And you will notice we have put a timer on our web site to help you count down to the start of the Iditarod Great Sled Race.
When the snowmachine came to the Last Frontier, many people gave up their husky teams for the iron dog. This happened in the 1960s, but not everybody in Alaska felt that sled dogs should become a thing of the past.
In 1967, Dorothy Page had the idea for a sled dog race partly on the historical Iditarod Trail, which was becoming overgrown. Joe Redington Sr. and wife Vi had long wanted to preserve the trail, which had been a mail delivery route, as well as part of Alaska gold rush history. They put together a group of volunteers, who cleared 56 miles of trail, and held sled dog races in 1967 and 1969. Then things stalled out.
Joe and some of his fellow mushers decided they needed to go large. Their dream was to re-create the 1,000 mile Iditarod trail route that had been used by Alaska mushers to take diphtheria serum to sick children in Nome, back in 1925.
It took a while, as most big dreams do, but enthusiasm for the project was contagious. Even the U.S. Army pitched in and helped in 1973 to clear parts of the trail for the first modern Iditarod.
Every year the Iditarod race, the contestants, and the dogs win more fans. By the way, the 2013 Iron Dog Race begins February 17, and many people enjoy this race, too.
But iron dogs aren’t as huggable as Alaskan huskies, so we don’t recommend you try to pet any.
And if you have any questions about the Iditarod race, or anything else in Alaska, please contact us directly.
Keep in touch.
Evan Swensen, Publisher
Publication Consultants
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Anchorage, Alaska 99502
(907) 349-2424 Fax (907) 349-2426
evan@publicationconsultants.com
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