dogs and races

this past week, i have been extremely caught up in following the Yukon Quest. and by 'caught up' i mean like how boys get 'caught up' in their hockey pools and the NHL playoffs, or how i've realized most americans get 'caught up' in the super bowl weekend. by 'caught up' i mean i have been glued to the live gps tracker feature on the yukon quest website and have spent many hours watching video clips and perusing photos as they are posted on the official facebook site. so by 'caught up', what i really mean is that i have been all and utterly consumed by the excitement of the race and the incredible lives of the mushers and dogs involved.

the first three finishers have crossed the official line at the end of the trail in whitehorse, with an exciting 26 second difference between first and second place. in a race that is over nine days and 1000 miles long, 26 seconds is amazingly close and the closest finish in yukon quest history. the rest of the pack will pull into whitehorse over the next few days, so while the first few in are now enjoying beers, bathtubs and pouring love on their dogs, there is still a big chunk of trail left for those near the end of the pack.

so for those of you who love huskies and all things 'northern', head on over to yukonquest.com to check out the details of this phenomenal race. and if you're really keen, check out iditarod.com as the countdown begins for one of the most famous long distance races on earth. matt and i will be starting a pool for the 2012 Iditarod race, choosing our favourite mushers and collecting points as they pass through checkpoints and eventually make it to the finish line in Nome. if you're intrigued and want to join in the fun, email me and i'll send you details and add your name to the pool list. i promise it's going to be fun and a great way to procrastinate from whatever else you should be doing!

photos by Ariel Brody and Mark Gillett