Yukon Quest

The Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race.

And they are off! The start of the Yukon Quest International Sled Dog race was today.  You can go here to the official site for pictures and updates.

Yukon Quest start

I find this of interest because I used to run sled dogs here in Western Colorado and have been to the Yukon Quest, not as a musher but as a volunteer out on the race course. I was there in 1998 when Bruce Lee, the musher not the martial arts champion, won the race. My wife Kathy and I had an experience of a life time up there, seeing the Northern Lights, sleeping on the floor of the beer storage room of the bar in Central, Alaska which was one of the check points. Yes, there are lots of tales to tell about that trip.  Here is a youtube link with a short video of the start.

The Yukon Quest is roughly a thousand mile race from Fairbanks, Alaska to Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Canada. Hence the “International” aspect of the race. On alternate years it’ll start in Whitehorse and finish in Fairbanks, as it did the year we were up there.

You are probably familiar with the Iditarod, which will start next month. The Quest however is by far the tougher of the two races. That’s according to the mushers that have run both races. The Quest doesn’t get the notoriety the Iditarod does unfortunately, and usually has a smaller field of mushers.

The sled dogs even became subjects for my art.

Painting 035

I did several race posters for Race to the Sky in Montana and local races in Mancos and Silverton as well. Those were good times.

I still have all of the winter clothing to include parkas and mukluks. Even kept one of the sleds which has become a collectors item now as the maker, Frank Hall, has since died. He was the last of the traditional sled makers of his day. I don’t know if anyone has pick it up from him. All of the gear today is pretty hi-tech, as are most things I guess.

Just thought you might enjoy this.

Super Bowl is tomorrow. Go Broncos!