It was another spectacularly unseasonable winter day in the valley as Willow hosted the start of the 44th running of the ‘Last Great Race’ – the Iditarod. Without a cloud in the sky, Denali (the Great One) stood prominently on the horizon watching the fanfare unfold on Willow Lake. Eighty (+) musher teams circled up on the lake with their dogs, trucks, trailer grills and happy bands of followers. (Willow’s big day in the Sun)
Thousands of spectators mingled around anticipating the first team’s departure across the start line. It’s clear to all that every musher crossing that line is a tough son of a bitch!; they have to be to train-up and survive the conditions they’re about to undertake. But what’s also clear is that the real heroes of the race are the dogs. Incredible working animals as these are not much employed these days. Small teams of these powerful beasts will pull man and kit over a thousand miles in the harshest survivable environment on the earth. They’ll do it for a frozen slab of salmon and the opportunity to do it again.
If ever our lovely domesticated house dogs crossed paths with a ‘working dog’, they would scurry by with their embarrassed, eyes cast down. 
They know these wild, happy free dogs to be the best of the breed. But they believe that were it not for their captivity in their cushy homes and safe yards, they too could be could be running a marathon of marathons, through sub-zero temperatures, sleeping in the snow and ice, experiencing the wild, untamed world with their best buddies – and thrive by doing so. 
Secretly, however, they suspect they probably would never measure up. It’s best just for them to pay their respects and homage as they skirt by and be reminded that these working, wild animals spend their days tied up looking into the posterior of the dog tied in front of them. Oh the day to be happy and free and on the mushing trail!
Interesting Links
- If you enjoyed Willow’s big day in the Sun, link to our other Musings, Screeds and creative works at Darren’s Musings
- Enjoy our images of the spectacular beauty of Alaska, link to our Alaskana Photo Gallery
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