Only a few more days before the race starts. It’s so exciting. Today is the vet checks at Iditarod Headquarters. Tomorrow is the mushers meeting and banquet. Watch the Iditarod website for pictures and updates.
Anson asked me what is packed in the sled bag. What a great question that is. I’m sure several of you are wondering about that. While there will be some things unique to each musher, there are mandatory (meaning they must have these items at all times) items that all mushers must carry. You can get more information by going to the Iditarod main website and clicking on “For Mushers”, then go to “Iditarod rules” and it is rule #16. Mandatory gear will be checked at the restart, at the mandatory 24 hour rest, at the finish, and at any checkpoint on the trail except Safety.
Remember that Mushers send supplies in drop bags to Checkpoints that they can pick up and use. These drop bags contain extra food, booties, clothing, and any other supplies that a musher feels he or she will need at that point in the race. Straw is also available at the checkpoints that the musher can use at the checkpoint or carry with them to where they plan to camp.
One of the most important items of the mandatory equipment is the Vet Book. It’s a notebook that the musher keeps notes on each dog. It contains how the dogs are running, what and how they are eating, and anything important about each dog that would indicate to the musher and to the vets how the dogs are performing. This book is check by a vet at all the checkpoints and is signed by both the vet and the musher. This book must be in the mushers possession at all times and can be asked for by vets or race officials at any time during the race.
The sled bag must also contain cooking equipment and food for the dogs. A cooker, a pot able to hold 3 gallons of water, enough fuel to heat those 3 gallons of water to boiling, and food for the dogs is mandatory. The musher also packs his or her food in the sled. It would be too heavy to carry all the food and fuel needed so extras of these items are packed in the drop bags and sent ahead to the checkpoints.
Other mandatory gear include an ax, a cable gangline or cable tie out able to secure a dog team, a cold weather sleeping bag, 8 booties per dog, 1 pair of snowshoes, and promotional material from the Iditarod Trail Committee. The musher may also carry personal items with them. These are not mandatory and could include extra clothing, music to listen to and something to play the music, sled parts, and emergency equipment. They also carry extras for the dogs like blankets or dog coats, foot ointment, and treats,
Mushers usually send 1-2 extra sleds to checkpoints along the trail. This is incase the sled they are using breaks. They also have extra runners, and sled repair kits.
Wow that’s a lot to pack and carry. It must take a lot of time to get everything ready to go. I wonder how the mushers know what and how much to send to each checkpoint. What do you think?
Well I’m off to get an update on the vet checks. Hope you are following along everyday to see what is happening.
Happy trails,
Gypsy
31 Comments
Hi Gypsy. It’s Ms. Elmore’s class in Florida again. Your article on what to pack in a sled bag was great. We had just been talking about it the other day. We are so excited about the race starting. We are wondering what happens if the gangline breaks and the dogs keep running leaving the musher behind? Also, how is the weather looking for the race? We’ve been watching the weather on the main website and it looked quite warm, like in the 40s, for a few days. How cold does it need to stay in order for the snow not to melt? Thanks for all the information. We are still reading and now at 59, 144 pages!
Ms. Elmore’s class
P.S. Thanks for the article on staying warm. We loved it.
Hi, So good to hear from you again. Glad you liked the article on staying warm. I wrote it just for you. My next post will be on weather so keep checking back. The gangline breaking doesn’t happen often but it does happen and many times the dogs will keep running. The musher is usually running behind them yelling for them to stop. Sometimes the lines will catch on something like a tree and stops the dogs to where the musher can catch up. There have been times when the lost team has caught up to another team and that musher stops them and holds them and/or secures them until the first musher catches up. There have been cases where a second musher catches up to the first musher and the both get on the second sled and go together to find the lost team. Mushers are good about helping each other in these instances.
Continue reading and enjoy the race. Gypsy
Gypsy,
We are studying about The Iditarod in my 3rd grade class in Fort Myers, Florida. Do the dogs eat any special food the last few days prior to the start of the race?
Peyton H.
Hi Peyton, What the dogs eat depends on whether they are in training or not. The dogs need extra fat and protein in their diet. Many are given meat along with their kibble. Calorie intake also increases and dogs on the trail can easily eat 10,000 calories a day. That’s a lot of calories. So diet doesn’t change but increases in amount. Hope that helps. Gypsy.
Hi Zuma! What is your favorite food now that you are eating healthier? Ellie
Hello Ellie,
I like to eat salmon and other fish snacks.
Lots of Tail Wags,
Zuma
Greetings from Aiken, South Carolina. We are third grade students following the Iditarod while we are participating in the “IditaREAD”. Our class is reading our way across Alaska in sled dog teams of readers. Each team will need to read 1049 pages go under the arch in Nome.
Please write!
Mrs. Erwin’s Third Grade Class
Redcliffe Elementary
Aiken, South Carolina
Greetings, Enjoy all the books you are reading. Keep up the good work. Gypsy
Are they allowed to have cell phones during the race? What If they have a medical emergency while in the wilderness? How do they get help?
Miss Conner’s Class
Hi Mrs. Conner’s class, I’m not sure about cell phones but I don’t think they’d work out in the wilderness. If the medical emergency has to do with one of the dogs, the musher will put the dog in his/her sled bag and take it to the nearest checkpoint. If the medical emergency has to to with the musher, they also do what they need to do to get to the nearest checkpoint. Remember there are other mushers out there and some snowmobile traffic. If there is an emergency, help isn’t too far away. It is part of the race and being in the wilderness. The mushers take all the precautions they can and they prepare for emergencies.
Great questions thanks for writing.
Gypsy.
gypsy u rock! zuma keep up the great work. libby u r super
sanka u r cute and super!
DB
hey gypsy its Laura- i goto RMS and I’m in Mrs.Bauer’s reading class. The Iditarod seems sooo interesting. =] and i am soooo happy I am learning about this. I would like to enter the race when I’m older but then I probably won’t be able to survive the coldness. Haha. well anywhooo … byee !!
Hi Laura, Have fun following the Iditarod. Gypsy
Gypsy,
In our 3rd grade class we each got to pick a Musher to follow throughout the Iditarod. We are expected to find out as much information as possible about that Musher, it is really fun.
Can the Mushers put wax on the runners to make the sled go faster in the different conditions?
What dog has been on the most winning sleds in the history of the Iditarod? Peyton
Hi Peyton, Mushers do use wax on the runners to help the sled glide over the snow. I don’t have an answer for you on your other question. I will see if I can find out. You may want to check past winners and their dogs and see if you can find out also. Thanks for writing. Gypsy
Zuma: We met last year by email. I have Pre-K through 5th grades in the computer lab at
Thorndale Elementary,Thorndale, Texas.
All of our students are ready to learn more about the Iditarod. Grades 3-5 are ready to track their musher that they have chosen.
Have fun reporting! We will be waiting to
hear the news.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Waiser for all of her computer classes.
Thorndale, Elementary
Thorndale, Texas
What do mushers do to make their sled ot slip on ice? Skylar
Hi Skylar, What a great question. I’m doing a little research on that, right now, I’m not sure what a musher can do to help on ice. The mushers have trained in all kinds of conditions and they have learned how to control their sled in the various conditions. Thanks for writing. Gypsy
We are following the Iditarod. We going to read Stone Fox and Balto and learn about dogsledding. Can’t wait to see what happens.
Hello from a second grade class.
Hi, Have fun following the Iditarod. Keep reading! Gypsy
Dear Zuma, It’s me Sam, the official dog reporter for the Up200 and Midnight Run. I want to wish you well with your reports during the race. I had a great time reporting our races. Watch out for our Yooper racers, Ed Steilstra and Jake Berkowitz. They should be much improved after training in Alaska all summer. Ed won the UP200 this year in great fashion.
Other friends are Rod Whaley and William Kleedin. Say Hi to them also and wish them well.
Your Reporter Buddy,
Sam
Hi Sam, Good to hear from you. Thanks for all the good wishes. I will try to pass them on. Gypsy
Feb 29, 3:38
What do mushers do if there is a moose or bull on the trail in front of them? Jacob
Hi Jacob, that is a good question. The musher will first stop the team and hope the moose, bull, or any other animal on the trail moves on. If an animal threatens a team the musher will defend the team. Hope that answers your question. Gypsy
I am in elemantary school called Maple Grove !!! i love the iditarod!! Karissa
I love the Iditarod now. I think its so cool
I mean like working with dogs it sounds like so much fun! I have a musher and her name is Jessica Hendricks age 25 and she is a veterain. Bye! Maia
Hi Zuma,I’m a third grader and my class is following the iditorod setion my musher is kim franklin and I have a questoin,What is kim franklins hobby beacuse in her paragraph it doesent say what her hobbies are. Madison
Hello Madison,
Not all the mushers tells us their hobby. Keep following the race and reading the blog. If I get a chance, I’ll ask Kim the question. Lots of Tail Wags,
Zuma
How do you type to people?
Who is your musher?
Who is your BEST FRIEND?
Gia
Third Grade
Hi Gia, I learned to type in journalism school and have a special keyboard for my paws. My best friend is my brother Slate. We love to play with each other and run next to each other on our team. Thanks for writing. Gypsy
I’m 7 years old. and I want to know how’s Jeff King?Is he okay?When I grow up I might want to be a sledder. Aeden
Hi Aeden, Jeff King will be starting the race today. You can follow his progress and how he’s doing on http://www.iditarod.com. Being a sledder takes a lot of hard work. Is this one of your goals? Good luck. Gypsy
Hi I’m Rebeccah and I might get a new dog his name is max and he is a collie retreiver mix,he isn’t a racing here’s my friend alexis we have been learning about the iditarod race and boloto/ me and rebecah have mushers rebeccahs is melissa owens and i have aliy zircle.
Hi Rebeccah and Alexis, Have fun following the race. Gypsy
Hi zuma my school is doing the iditarod each class got a musher all students got their own musher too mine is matt hayashida I like all his dogs trapper is my favorite dog my question is what if all the dogs are sick and their in the middle of nowhere? Douglas
Hello Douglas,
I want you to know that all of the dogs get a complete check up from the vets before the start of the race. There are vets in each checkpoint, too. The vets examine the dogs. Everyone works hard to keep my K-9 fur friends healthy.
Lots of Tail Wags,
Zuma
Hellow I’m a third grader and I have a question to ask you do you know where was Jason Barron born.Another question is when did he begin mushing.Thank you for answering.Have a nice day. Justin
Hi Justin,
You can get information on Jason Barron and all the other mushers by going to http://www.iditarod.com and clicking on the 2008 Iditarod. Then click on musher listing and then look for your mushers name. If you click on their name, you will get information about the musher and their website link if they have a website. Have fun. Gypsy
dear Zuma,
do you like to go race in iditarod races or the Yukon Quest?
Samantha
Hello Samantha,
Of course my favorite race is the Iditarod!
Lots of Tail Wags,
Zuma
Dear Zuma,Sanka,Gypsy,and Libby,
How come Balto is so famus? Togo had run more miles while delivering the sirum to the children who had diphtheria!
Your Friend,
Abigail
P.S.
How did you guys learn
how to type?
Dear Zuma, In school we are studying about the Iditarod sled dog race in Alaska. How old are you? What position do you have to be in? Your friend,
Marina
Hello Marina,
I am glad to hear you are studying the race. You can read all about me at the Who Am I? Zuma section of my blog. I am not sure what you mean in your question about the racers position, Marina, but I can tell you this, no matter what position you start in, you just have to do your best.
Lots of Tail Wags,
Zuma
In the list of optional equipment we noticed devices to play music. We were wondering how the mushers would charge things like iPods on the trail?
Thank you,
Piper
2nd grade homeschooler studying the Iditarod
I’m a fourth grader and I am from wisconsin and our class is studying the Iditarod and we got to pick our musher and I picked zoya deNure and i think she will be a good musher im guessing. and I am so excited for the iditarod to start!!!!!and every day I look on the internet and see what your have wrote and updated on.I hope you update more. Macie
thanks for reading Macie. Gypsy
Dear Sanka,
How much does one of the sleds used in the Iditarod usually cost?
Peyton H.
Hey zuma! you have told me so much about you, and the iditarod. and i am learning more about it in class and i am glad you are here to help me. YOU ROCK ZUMA!
a lot a paw prints,
Courtney
Hey Zuma its me again my teacher told us your eating healthier. And I heard you like salmon now I love salmon its my favorite! Try it with barbeque its good! Its funny cause yesterday my friend kaylie said hey we can send you a salad!ha ha ha! bye! molly
Dear Molly,
Thanks for your comments. It is nice of you to remember that I am trying to be healthy. Please take money you’d spend on salad or other goodies for me, and donate the money to you local animal shelter. That would make me sing a beautiful howl song! After you’d done that, let me know about your project.
Lots of Tail Wags,
Zuma
Dear Zuma,
Who is the musher you are watching in the race? In class we were given a musher to follow, next year we aren’t doing it so I might fallow ever one or pick who I will watch. Caitlin
Dear Caitlin,
I am going to cheer for all of the teams. You can cheer on favorite teams no matter if you are learning about the race in school or not! Lots of Tail Wags,
Zuma