When moving through the forest of the Yukon the trees were very distracting for his dogs, and it was nearly impossible to get them to move through it at night, so he had to limit his team to racing during the day. The effect of the wind moving tree branches was not beneficial to making any speed on the trail. For the dogs and the musher it was sensory overload.

You know, I’m the type of person that hunkers down and won’t venture outside when the temperatures get in the rare single digits here. Sheesh!

They are getting into NASCAR territory, and would sell the fleas off the dogs

THAT is funny, but true, sadly. There’s something that puts me off about commercializing this historically significant event along the lines of just any other professional sport; although maybe I’m being an old scold about it. I guess they have to make money for the event in some way.

Your mention of Mikail Telpin really piqued my interest, so I looked up his bio. Thanks for pointing him out. He and his team will be truly interesting to follow, but I didn’t quite get your remark on the “trees”. Is there a story there?

They have the parade start for PR value, as Anchorage is the largest city in the state and sponsors want to see their signs without freezing their buns off in the wilderness. They also get free media attention, which is why Iditarod Inc. has all kinds of rules about displaying banners on the sled, and talking to the media on the trail. They are getting into NASCAR territory, and would sell the fleas off the dogs, except it is too cold for fleas.

Up where Mikail Telpin lives and works, -100° isn’t all that unusual and people and animals are prepared for it. If they weren’t lying to me in Arctic Survival School, inside an igloo it is 32° and a single candle will raise the temperature to 40°. It is the air temperature that gets colder, which is why you want to stay out of the wind whenever possible. Dogs will naturally lay down with their backs to the wind and let the snow cover them to create their own version of an igloo.

I’ve never really understood why they continue the ceremonial start since the trip doesn’t really start in Anchorage anymore. It kind of seems superfluous to me, but I guess they must have a good reason. At any rate, it’s probably a lot of fun for the mushers and the people who get to have a ride with them.

I see that it’s 25 degrees in Anchorage as I’m writing. I guess that would be considered warm for the dogs? I’ve learned that what sounds plenty cold to me isn’t for them!