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Juli H

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#4 ·
Talk about a true competitor, Mackey is as tough as they come. His dogs are in great condition, being able to follow up after placing second in the Yukon Quest. I have been watching the coverage on TV and I would love to attend iditarod someday.
 
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Discussion starter · #7 ·
It was an incredible finish for the Iditarod this yr... Mackey got his 4th consecutive win..a new record for the record books (he is the only musher to have 4 consecutive wins)...And he posted the 2nd fastest time in Iditarod history..just a few hours shy of breaking Martin Buser's record....absolutely amazing...He is one tough hombre...

as for having a chessie sled dog team...it has been done (here in Tok, actually)...but the folks at the iditarod probably would not allow a chesapeake team to compete.

I would consider having a chessie team, just for recreational purposes, but I HATE COLD WEATHER. LOL!!!! If it was 15 above zero the whole winter, great! get me a sled and 4-5 dogs..LOL!!!! Unfortunately 20-50 below is a little too much for me...

Juli
 
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#8 ·
Also note that Bill Arpino, presently of TOK, finished the First Iditarod 38 yrs ago. Now that was something- Very little support and no guarantee of any prize money as it was still being raised at start- Equipment was home made- sleds antigues-clothing whatever folks had at home etc.Folks with those belt buckles are something to be truely admired--
I am not taking anything away from today's racers as they are still something to behold- I have some knowledge of what they go through having entered the Yukon Quest in 86 & 88 and trained a team for Ralph Seekins of Fai in 89. Joe Runyan started the 89 Iditarod with one of my dogs,Bull, in wheel and finished First on my light freight type sled.
 
Discussion starter · #9 ·
It is amazing what technology has done for the sport of sled dog racing.... ipods, gps, hi tech clothing and foot wear, and sleds designed from the lightest and strongest materials....I doubt many of today's mushers could build their own sled.

Yes, a lot has to be said for those tough racers in the early years....

Bill Arpino - I have probably seen him in the store, but don't know him...I believe we had another musher running the iditarod this yr... In a couple of weeks the Tok Race of Champions (sprint dog races) will be run.

Do you know Sue Martinuk/Brown (Wildwood Kennels?) - she still raises chessies and siberians...

Juli
 
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#10 ·
No I do not- I left Fai in 98- Bill and I and his wife nancy are still good friends and try to get together in march oe July when my wife and I visit Ak. We are also friends with Buddy & Pam Johnson and Dale Young and his wife who's name excapes me for the moment. Funny you should mention sleds for the 88 Quest we had a friend in Fai make me and Joe Runyan and Rick Swenson sleds made with down hill ski technilogy the runners were light and supple and the sleds cost $1,000 and in those days that was a budle of cash. The freighter body was light weight and moved with the runners and terrain BUT they didn't hold together under the stress of the Quest or hard racing so we moved on to other sleds.
I still have my Mucklucks made in tanana for me and my parka etc made by a lady in Denali park as well as my fleece gear made by Apoclapse design in Fai all of whom worked for us making garmets for our catalog company the Real Alaska Mushing Co.( RAMCO)
 
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