THE OTHER SIDE OF THE IDITAROD

I have been really caught up in the race and rooting for Lance Mackey as well as keeping up with our own personal mushers (Mackey is in number one and Clint and Cindy in 41 and 42). However, I am learning that there is another side to the excitment of the race. It's the loss of the dogs. Apparently every year some of the dogs die. Last year 6 died. The first dog to die this year was one of Karen Ramstead's dog-a six year old female who died seven hours after making it to the checkpoint. A necratopsy will be performed but as I understand it the usual cause of death is exhaustion or pneumonia.

This occurs even though there are vets at the checkpoints who are checking the dogs, calculating their calorie needs and making sure they are getting the meals and snackings that they need to meet these needs. Obviously this is a rough race for the dogs. As I understand some of them just stop running and they are unharnessed and put in the sled to the next checkpoint where they are dropped. They are flown back to Anchorage where handlers from that team care for them. But, I think some of these dogs just have such a drive to run that they run themselves into the ground...at least I prefer to believe that over the possibility that the mushers might be pushing them too hard. I heard one musher say that when the dog is through running he stops and there is nothing you can do but drop him....I just wonder if some dogs refuse to stop. Is their breeding such that they will run until they drop? Watching the dogs at the start there is no doubt that these dogs live to run!

Karen Ramstead scratched to go home and be with her family to mourn the loss of Snickers. This really makes me think she cared for this dog, as the mushers I've heard talk all seem to. I feel sad for her and her family! What a tragedy, what a loss!

Mackey's dogs are on their second 1,000 mile run in two months and I was worried it was one of his dogs that died. But, in this interview with the Alaska Daily News he says his dogs are doing well and are getting excited because they know if they win they will be riding in a new pick-up (his is very old). He is down to 14 having dropped 2 but that is really pretty good-I think there are teams with a lot less than that.

As things are going now, the winner is expected into Nome before dawn on Wednesday morning. I will catch up the trail and checkpoints tomorrow since I don't go in to work until noon...hope you enjoy a little Alaksa geography. Watch the official website and the Alaska Daily News website for the latest-I really think the ADN has more news than the "official" website.