Wow, it’s almost race time.  Are you getting ready to follow the race?  Do you have a  favorite musher?  If you’re following the race in your classroom, you may be able to pick a musher to follow.  Some classes follow a couple of teams and in some classes each student picks a team to follow.  With 60+ mushers to pick from, how do you know who to pick?  Well, I’ve listed a few tips that may help you pick the right musher for you.

1. Look for similar interests- Read the musher bios on the Iditarod site.  Pick someone who has similar interests or hobbies that you do.  Find someone who’s from the same state you live in. Or maybe their non-mushing job is something you would like to do some day- teacher, be in the military, pilot, etc.  Really read the bios and find something that says “this person is for me”.
2. Look for something familiar- Pick someone with the same name as yours or who looks like a family member.
3. Take a chance on a rookie.  You never know which Rookie will be the “Rookie of the year” or a future top finisher.  Most rookies have been planning for years to run the Iditarod and have set goals for themselves.  Try to find out what their goal for the race is.
4. Pick for a musher with a website- If you are going to have to write a biography, or a report about your musher, this is a good way to make sure you have enough information to write a good report.  You will also be able to see pictures of your musher and the team.  Many times, someone will update the website during the race so you can get stories about your musher and how the race is going for them.
5. The middle and back of the pack- Some of the best stories along the trail come from the middle and the back of the pack.  Most of these mushers do not intend to win the race.  They have set finishing the race as one their goals.  If they have run the race before, their goal is probably to finish in a better position and time than before.  These are certainly mushers to look at when picking someone to follow.
6. Picking a winner-  Everyone loves a winner and loves to win.  You need to remember that just because someone has won or placed high in the race before doesn’t mean the same will happen this year.  This is a race where anything can happen and anyone can scratch- even the best.  A plus to picking a past winner or top placer, is that they probably have a website and/or there is lots of information about them that you can use for your any reports you might have to write.

I hope this helps you pick a musher that is right for you. Most important thing is to have fun.  Also, be positive about the race your musher is running.  He or she may not be winning but may be running the race to the plan or goal the made for themselves.

Once you pick a musher, write me and let me know who you picked.  I can’t wait to hear from you. Also, check back tomorrow for an article on how to track your musher.

Have fun,

Gypsy

Susan Butcher being interviewed by reporters in Ruby

When speaking of Granite one has to mention Susan, when speaking of Susan one has to include Granite. Without Susan, Granite might have become a house pet. Without Granite, Susan might have been just an ordinary musher. Together they accomplished remarkable feats. That’s why they have both been named to the Just Guts Heroes, Heroines and Idols list. It only seems fitting that our Hero Granite and our Heroine Susan be featured in the same story.

As a puppy, Granite was the smallest of the litter and sickly. Folks advised Susan to give him away. However, right from the beginning Susan believed in the little pup and wanted him to succeed. That’s why she gave him the “strong” name of Granite. When young, Granite didn’t have any confidence. Susan says he was afraid of his own shadow but he worked hard and loved to race.

Granite’s first Iditarod was in 1984. In Iditarod Classics by Lew Freedman, Susan claims she didn’t choose him because of his skill; he was just the right age. During that race Granite got the chance to show her what a great athlete and leader he could be. He soon became Susan’s main leader and was instrumental in Butcher’s ‘86 & ‘87 Iditarod victories. Later that fall Granite became ill and it didn’t look like he would be competing in any more races.

In the fall of 1987, Granite collapsed on a run. Realizing that Granite was seriously ill, Susan rushed him to a vet where he was diagnosed with a kidney infection that caused a heat stroke. As a result, Granite would have to live with permanent heart, liver, kidney and brain damage – IF he lived at all. Susan stayed with him for every minute of two long scary weeks. Granite showed some improvement but the vet, sure that Granite would not live long, said his racing days were over.

After returning home, he was NOT happy staying behind while the other dogs went out on training runs. With permission from the vet, Susan began taking Granite for short walks then she let Granite run loose with the puppies. Then he began pulling the sled, leading for two-mile puppy runs. Granite continued to improve and wanted to run with the race dogs so finally Susan put him in lead for a 20-mile training run thinking she’d have to put him in the sled after a few miles and carry him home. But no, Granite lead for the entire distance! Later that winter, Susan decided to run Granite in the Portage 250, a short race out of Unalakleet. Nearing the finish, Susan, Granite and their team of two-year-old dogs were in the lead until Rick Swenson passed them. Susan says that Granite didn’t like being in second place. He literally turned on the burners and towed his young teammates down the trail. Worried that Granite was working too hard, Susan stopped the team and waited until Rick was out of sight before continuing on. Still determined to catch and pass Swenson, Granite charged down the trail leaving the young dogs no choice but to keep up. Before long, Granite and team passed Swenson and won the race. At that point Susan knew Granite was back and ready to run in Iditarod where they claimed a third consecutive win. With his remarkable comeback in 1988, Granite was awarded the Lolly Medley Golden Harness Award for being the lead dog making the greatest contribution to the race.

Our Heroine, Susan Butcher is the only woman to win Iditarod multiple times. Setting new time records, she won three consecutive races between 1986 and 1988 and then claimed a fourth victory in 1990. Susan completed her rookie Iditarod in 1978 and then ran every year through 1994. In seventeen races, she finished in the top 10 fifteen times. Susan, along with Iditarod founder, Joe Redington, Sr., have taken their dog teams to the summit of Denali, the highest peak in North America, an accomplishment that’s never been repeated. In her early years of racing, people didn’t think she’d ever have great dogs because she “babied” them. But after she won multiple Iditarods, people changed their tune. Now they said she wins because she takes the best care of her dogs and they take care of her.

In the ’85 Iditarod, Susan and team suffered a devastating set back. An angry moose charged the team. Granite was in the lead and fought the animal to defend his teammates. The moose kicked Granite into a tree and injured several other dogs. Although in the lead, Susan had to withdraw from the race to care for her disabled dogs. They went home and Susan tended to their injuries and nursed the dogs back to health. It was a long hard comeback for the wounded team but with Susan’s tender loving care, they were ready for the 1986 Iditarod.

In 2005, Susan received the shocking news that she had leukemia. She fought the disease with all of the strength and spunk she was known for. Sadly, Susan lost the fight against cancer in August of 2006. While in Ruby during the 2006 Iditarod, Handler met Susan Butcher. Handler asked Susan what she’d like to share with students who follow the race. She replied, “Cancer is a formidable challenge, but it can be beaten. I see heroes everyday who are living proof.” Memories of Susan continue to inspire all those who knew her and those who never had the opportunity.

These stories about Granite were summarized from Granite written by Susan Butcher and David Monson and from an interview with Susan recorded by Lew Freedman in Iditarod Classics. You would enjoy reading those books if you’re interested in learning more about Granite and Susan.

Here are a couple of questions for you to research. Besides Susan and Granite, what other mushers and lead dogs have three consecutive Iditarod victories? Can you name the other mushers who have achieved four Iditarod Championships? Stay tuned for our next story that will feature or Heroines DeeDee Jonrowe, Pam Flowers and Ivedi. When you encounter a barrier, do what Susan and Granite would do, turn it into a hurdle.

Born to Run,
Sanka

Black Jack

Thus far you have met our heroes Martin Buser, Bruce Linton, Balto and Togo. You have read about their great skills, determination and perseverance. Our hero, Baldy of Nome, has accumulated equally impressive accomplishments. Have you noticed that some of our heroes are from current times, some are from the recent past and some are from long ago in the gold rush days of early 1900? I guess the past is important and I’ve learned it’s really fun to learn about the past by studying history. Elders Baffin, Holstein and Tikchik provided a definition of a hero in my last story. For this story, I asked Black Jack to define hero. Black Jack is a big, no nonsense sort of dog. He always gets right to the point. He’s not only a leader, he’s wise and he’s the alpha dog of our kennel. All of the dogs respect Black Jack. When I first came to Just Guts, I knew He’d be a great friend and teacher. According to Black Jack, a hero is a dog (or person) who is respected for incredible accomplishments in adverse conditions. Black Jack also added his B-HOOPS theory. Heroes turn barriers into hurdles, obstacles into opportunities and problems into solutions. Isn’t Black Jack awesome?

Back in the days of the gold rush in Nome, a young boy by the name of Ben had a dog named Baldy. Times were tough for Ben and his family. Often they didn’t know where their next meal would come not to mention food for Baldy. In a great act of personal sacrifice, Ben put Baldy up for sale. Renowned musher, Scotty Allen purchased the homely mutt not so much for the dog’s potential as a racer but because he felt sorry for Ben. As Baldy trained with the other Allen dogs, Scotty saw in him a deep desire to please and excel. During the 1909 All Alaska Sweepstakes, in a blinding storm on hazardous trail, Scotty moved Baldy to lead – exactly where the dog longed to be. Pulling with all his strength, Baldy led the Allen team to their first Sweepstakes Victory. Murphy & Haigh tell us in Gold Rush Dogs, “Baldy proved himself to be a strong, faithful and willing leader.” Altogether, Baldy and Allen earned 3 victories and 5 other top three Sweepstakes finishes along with numerous victories in other races. But wait, it gets better!

It’s the Solomon Derby, a race run from Nome to Solomon and back. Baldy is in lead and the team is making good, if not great time as they near the turn around point of Solomon. Baldy senses that the sled is lighter than usual and notes that Scotty hasn’t been singing and talking to the dogs as he usually does. Baldy, overcome by the feeling that something was wrong, stopped the team and looked back to find that Scotty was missing. Swiftly, Baldy turned the team and sled around and headed back down the trail in search of their missing musher. A short distance back, they found him lying unconscious on the trail, bleeding from a gash in his head. Baldy hovered over his master, licking his face, pawing his chest and barking. It took some time but Scotty finally opened his eyes. It took a great amount of effort for him to crawl into the sled and then in a weak voice he told Baldy to turn around toward Solomon and continue the race. Slowly, everything came back to Scotty – as they were moving speedily along, he had heard something snap – bending over to inspect a runner – BAM, the lights went out. Scotty’s head had collided with an iron trail marker he never saw coming.

With an injured Scotty in the sled, Baldy and the rest of the team made it to the halfway point of Solomon ahead of all the other contestants. Everyone urged the dazed and still bleeding Allen to withdraw from the race. But quit was not a part of Allen’s vocabulary. He simply said, “Baldy and I can make it.” Indeed they did – they raced back Nome and took first place.

You can read about Baldy in Gold Rush Dogs by Murphy and Haigh. For a detailed and exciting story of Baldy’s life, you should read Esther Birdsall Darling’s Baldy of Nome. You can read it online like Black Jack and I did at www.gutenberg.org.

Well, there you it – our hero, Baldy. Wow, what a dog – he saved his musher’s life!  Stay tuned for our next hero, Granite. Remember, do your best everyday to turn problems into solutions.

Born to Run,
Sanka

The Cruelest Miles by Gay Salisbury and Laney Salisbury

It’s all a part of the history of the great state of Alaska and the Iditarod itself – the Serum Run of 1925, Balto, Togo, Dr. Welch, Nurse Morgan, Governor Bone and 20 brave mushers who carried the anti-toxin from Nenana to Nome. The Cruelest Miles, written by cousins, Gay Salisbury and Laney Salisbury, is a story full of details about Nome’s 1925 diphtheria epidemic and the great race by dog team to get the life saving serum to Nome. My handler and I read this book. It gives a far more detailed account of what went on back in 1925 than you can find in the movies or books about Balto or the Serum Run. When you read about the fierce weather with frigid temperatures, strong winds, wicked storms and treacherous ground blizzards, you’ll feel like you’re on the runners with Leonard Seppala and all the other drivers.

In 1925 like today, no roads or railroads went to Nome. Snow machines hadn’t been invented yet. Once the Bering Sea was frozen over, Nome was completely isolated. There were only two possible ways to transport the serum the 674 miles from Nenana to Nome – airplane or dog team. Learn about the dangers of delivering the serum by airplane and the dangers faced by the dogs and mushers. The risks and rewards were many whether the serum got to Nome by the unproven airplane or by the tried and true dogs and their drivers. The decision on how the serum would reach the sick children was left up to the Governor of Alaska.

Read about Nome and the people living there.  Read about the trail, the dogs, the drivers, the roadhouses, the horrific weather, crossing Norton Bay and the challenge of keeping the serum from freezing.  Read about how the relay was halted when the temperatures reached 60 degrees below zero but because there was no way to communicate with the driver on the trail, the serum kept moving.  Read about the chance meeting of Seppala and Henry Ivanoff on Norton Bay outside of Shaktoolik as Ivanoff carried the serum toward Golovin.  This book is a true adventure thriller.  I could hardly put it down!

Blackjack gets to read The Cruelest Miles next.

Well, you know that the serum made it to Nome by Dog Team in a remarkably short time. You know that Balto was the lead dog of the team that carried the life saving serum into Nome. You know that the serum arrived in time to prevent an epidemic of Diphtheria. You know a lot about the Serum Run but there’s plenty more to learn by reading The Cruelest Miles.

Nearly all the other dogs at Just Guts Kennel have read The Cruelest Miles. It’s Blackjack’s turn next.  You should read it too.  For sure it’s my all time favorite book and it makes me really proud to be a sled dog.

Born to Run,

Sanka

Helen Frost is the author of this and several other books.  Learn about Helen Frost at her website.  Click here!

After reading this book, share your thoughts about this book (or her other books) by leaving a comment.  If you are lucky, Helen will read your comment and chat back.  OR better yet,  Sled Dog Roxy will answer your comment.

Lots of Tail Wags,

Zuma

Now that the race is over- what’s next??? Many of you are busy writing the musher you followed in the race. I know you are really excited about that and many of you are hoping for a return letter and maybe even some goodies. Since the request for musher addresses has increased during the past week, I thought this would be a good time to go over some rules for writing.

First, if you ask for musher addresses, you will be emailed a form to fill out. This is fairly new. It will ask your name, school name (if your affiliated with a school), and email address. Please request the addresses by going to: djohnson@iditarod.com
You will not receive the addresses until you return the form.  You can read more and see the form by clicking here.

There is not an address for every musher. Not all mushers are able to receive mail and/or are able to respond to mail. Please respect this.

Here are a few tips when writing your letters.

• Make sure your letters are friendly and supportive.
• Don’t ask too many questions. First read the mushers bio on the Iditarod website and if the musher has a website, go there to see if you can find the answers to your questions. If you can’t, pick only one or two questions to ask.
• If you hope for a response you MUST send a self addressed stamped envelope with your letter. If your musher lives in another country (ie Canada, Norway etc), you must have the correct postage for that country.
• Don’t ask for booties, autographs, pictures or anything else. All these things cost the musher money to buy and send. It is unreasonable to expect the musher to send out these items. Some of them do, but don’t expect it.

Please remember that mushers receive hundreds of letters every year. It takes time for them to go through them and answer. Please be patient and realize the response may come during the summer.

I hope that helps everyone. Have fun writing to your favorite musher.

Gypsy