The Home Stretch BJT

The home stretch is the last of the race. It is pretty much a sprint to the finish line. The mushers switch to lighters sleds that don't carry as much and they go faster. Even though there is still hundreds of miles to go; it is still really competitive. BT BT

Trail Conditions

Trail conditions can make huge differences in races. If your sled is dragging in the snow and making new tracks, it can slow you down but make the person behind you speed up because they can just go in your trail and they don't have to drag in the snow. So trail conditions make big impacts in the Iditarod Race. BT BT

A Musher's Life

How does a regular average person become an Iditarod Musher? People who want to become a musher train very hard. They have to get good dogs, take care of the dogs, and of course get used to the cold. They have to learn what the dogs can and cannot do so they know how far they can go before the dogs are gonna be tired and worn out. BT BT

Leaving Takotna BT/BB amen

Lance Mackey and Jeff King just got done with their 24-hour break and are ready to race again. They start to prepare their dogs for the Yukon Leg of the race. The dogs were not cooperating. Jeff KIng said "They were going bazerk!." It wasn't looking good for the dog teams. BT BT BT BT

Meet the Mushers BB/BT

In the face of people who don't believe he can win, Lance Mackey is coolly confident. He also plans to tackle the Iditarod only one week after winning the Yukon Quest with the same dog team. the 2007 Iditarod champion and three-time Yukon Quest champion (and current record holder) says he began mushing at birth. BT BT BT BT BT BT BT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DeeDee Jonrowe is a 54-year-old musher from Willow, Alaska. She lives there with her husband mike. She owns a kennal and races dogs for a living. She feels that the iditarod is a lifestyle choice that has permitted her to celebrate alaska's history. She is suffering from breast cancer but she is trying for her last time to win the iditarod.

Dog athletes slide show BB/BT

The mushers each have a different relationship with each team member. The iditarod dogs are mutts they are a combination of many breeds. Every dog has its own responsibilities for making the team stronger. the dogs have to begin training when they are just pups. They are trained well. BB

Straw is used as insulation from the snow when the dogs bed down. There is not that much more needed to make these cold-loving dogs comfy for the night. Dogs regulate their temperature through the pads on their paws. Keeping their feet from becoming little snowballs actually helps them to keep cool. BT

Worst and Best Winter Experiences.

The best experience I've had in cold weather would have to be when me and my dad and alot of other people went snowmobiling up at Ken Moon's ranch. Mt dad and I went everywhere! Ken Moon and Ken Bird were jumping and doing crazy stuff on them. Ken Moon ended up rolling a while after. My father and I climbed up "Thunder" went down "Thunder". We got going 80 mph! BJT

The worst winter experience I've ever had was when i went to wolf creek with my mom dad sisters and brothers. we crashed the truck into a pole. I fell into the snow a lot. It sucked. BB