IDITAROD! Forget the winter Olympics, the true test of a frosty will starts March 3. In 1925, the heroism of a very special dog and a man saved the children of Nome Alaska from a deadly epidemic. The modern race commemorates that event by pitting mushers and dogs against the brutal Alaskan landscape. Who should be favored? Why Doug Swingley, of course. Training his dogs in the high mountains of Montana, Swingley has broken record after record. He's coming back, and the Alaskans ain't gonna like that. (Sorry, Swingley is touring the western part of the state before he heads north, and I just couldn't wait to post this.)
Went looking for this and liam beat me to a good link.
posted by bjgeiger at 09:00 PM on February 05, 2002
Great link. I found the story on swingley fascinating. I've never really contemplated the "culture of iditarod" before. didn't realize they were so... wary of outsiders. On a different note, apparently Minnesota's Beargrease 500 had to be postponed due to lack of snow.
posted by jnthnjng at 09:30 AM on February 06, 2002
Alaska, where men are men, and women win the Iditarod.
posted by liam at 08:10 PM on February 05, 2002