LOVE AFFAIR WITH ALASKA: Part 5

Dogs. Sleds. Races. The Iditarod. While in Denali, we visited Jeff King's Husky Homestead. Jeff is a four-time winner of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, a 1,000-mile-race over frozen Alaska territory where competitors push themselves and their huskies for ten grueling days. I get tired--and cold--just thinking about it.



If a dog must be chained to a dog house, I think this is the way to do it. Note the pole with chain that allows a dog to run 'round and 'round his house without getting hung up. Fortunately, our dogs aren't on chains, but when you have 75 Alaskan huskies to care for, well, you do what you need to do. And these huskies receive lots of attention, care and love.




Sled dogs are trained daily. Even during non-snow months, each dog is harnessed every day and runs at least five miles while pulling an ATV. When the temperature gets really high, they train in Husky Homestead's lake. I watched these dogs. They LOVE what they do.



Unlike the big, muscular animals we see on TV, these sled dogs are Alaskan huskies, animals bred for speed, endurance, and their love of mushing. And they are gentle, sweet.

Goose Lake Kennel at Husky Homestead allows visitors to hold and snuggle young puppies. As you can tell, I was in heaven in the picture above.

Jeff King explained the trials of sled dog racing, told us how cold it gets, how hard it is. The person in the cold-weather clothing above would still get cold in the -40 degree temperatures!

In the gift shop I bought a red Husky Homestead shirt signed by Jeff King himself. That's Jeff signing my new purchase. When you see me wearing my shirt, wave and smile. Or just bark.