The Dogs of Elim

The greatest sporting event of the year is almost upon us. The iditarod starts on March 1 this year. The iditarod website has a great new introductory video this year. The other great race coverage is at the Cabela page. For a California guy who grew up in the frozen north, it is an emotional experience to watch these superb dogs, who love to run, do what they do best. They have been bred to turn up to 10,000 calories of high fat dog food per day into 120 miles at 10 miles per hour over some of the most desolate, dangerous, and beautiful terrain on earth. There is no finer relationship to witness than that which develops, over the 1150 mile race, between a trail hardened team and a musher fighting exhaustion.