Sled dogs / Mushers

[pappy]

I guess if we can talk about bovine we can also talk about sled dogs.   ;D

Just wonderin' if any of you mid westerners and not so mid westerners north and south of the border might know or heard of these mushers.

Being a volunteer co-coordinator at the Big Machias checkpoint for the Can-Am 250 mile sled dog race I have met some of them, real nice folks.

If you click on the year you will see links to a bio about the musher.

http://can-am.sjv.net/01CAC250.htm#Start


Just a few of the names;

Keith Aili/ Ray, Minnesota
Mike Johnson/ Leroy, Michigan
Lori Layne/ Sand Lake, Michigan
Vern Schroeder/ Warba, Minnesota
Daniel Bourassa/ Lanoraie, Quebec
Robert Fredette/ Plantagenet, Ontario
Bruce Langmaid/ Blackstock, Ontario
Jim Oehlschlaeger/ Cincinnati, Ohio


Our whole community comes out of the woodwork to put this race on, it is said it takes 500 volunteers to make it happen.  I guess we all need something to do in the dead of winter.  

[L. Wakefield]

   Abso ** lutely you can talk about da dawgs. Even better is pictures of dawgs, sleds, dawgs AND sleds, and maybe video clips of da dawgs pulling da sleds. I haven't seen much of that despite being in Maine, but what little I have seen makes me really happy to witness such an elegant, simple, and effective form of transport. New meaning for 'working dog'.  lw

[carhartted]

Last year I was at the restart for the Iditirod race in Fairbanks.  I will try and post some pics later tonight.  

The racers start out in Anchorage and race through downtown and out of town a little ways.  The dogs are put back in the truck and and go to the real start of the race in the next town over.

But last year there was not enough snow on a lot of the trail, so the route had to be modified and the race restarted in Fairbanks.

Jonathan
Fairbainks, AK

[pappy]

L. Wakefield,

We have quite a few sled dog teams in Maine.

Just check out the Can-Am web site at the

http://can-am.sjv.net/

and click on either 250, 60, or 30 icons at the top of the page,  it will bring you to the different races and from there you can click on the mushers bio. You would be surprised to know how many mushers we have just in New England.


They got all kinds of pictures at this page of
"dawgs, sleds, dawgs AND sleds"

http://can-am.sjv.net/Scrapbook.htm



The link at the bottom of the Home page "Other Mushing Links" will take you all over the mushing world!!


The race start is very exciting, them dogs really love what they do and that's pull.

If you be interested in seeing the race e-mail me.

termite

[pasbuild]

The UP 200 runs right through a friends front yard, a large group gathers around the fire to cheer the racers on. good reason for a mid winter outing, lots of fun.

[pappy]

pasbuild,

We get alot of teams from da UP and others that do the UP 200.

The teams hit our check point from around 8:00 pm till dawn we stand around a bon fire also, it's a great time  8) 8)

[L. Wakefield]

   Da dawgs do look very happy- overjoyed- at the beginning of the race. There sure are some tongues hangin out at the end.

   I like the little booties some of the dogs are wearing while waiting around. I BET their feet take a pounding! Do they take the boots off them for the race?  lw

[pappy]

lw,
The booties are worn pretty much through out the race.  Depends on snow conditions, paw conditions.  The dogs' feet need to be protected from cuts... thus the booties. I made 98 booties for a friend for the last Can-Am 250 race.  Johnny K told me that he lost lots of them,  also some wore out. (He did pick up booties along the trail which helped make up his loss.) All in all the dogs feet are well protected with the booties.
  
On another note... the vet care during the race is phenomenal!   The mushers love the care given to their "friends".  Much is learned from the vets,  and the vets learn lots from the mushers as well.  The dogs are checked before, at each check point and at the finish. The teams are scored for "care" given to their dogs.  These dogs are so loved by their masters.

Mrs Termite

[L. Wakefield]

   Hi Mrs. T! The dogs do look magnificent- not all huskies, but all with their hearts in the race.

   Doggie booties are right up there with baby booties! (98/4, now that's er, enough boots for 22 1/2 dawgs- hmm, what's up with that??   :D :D :D  )  lw

[Jeff]

Dont know Mike Johnson but Leroy Michigan is only about 35 miles from here.