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The 2007 Summer Conference in Review

Join us for the 2008 Summer Camp!

by Bonnie Edwards

03/20/2008

                       2007 Iditarod Teacher Workshop, Wasilla, Alaska

                               Conference Review By Bonnie Edwards

This adventure came to be by my personal interest in raising and training "working dogs".  I had raised three Seeing Eye dogs for Southeastern Guide Dogs, in Palmetto, Florida over a period of 6 years.  My interest in the Alaskan Huskies came after a conversation with a friend and teacher next door who spoke of the literary story of "Balto" a sled dog that helped save the town of Nome, AK during a diphtheria epidemic in the early 1900's.  That was a life changing conversation.

Determined to check out these phenomenal athletes I charted course for Alaska to attend a weeklong summer workshop conducted by the Iditarod Education Department.  This workshop began in the Dream a Dream Kennels of Vern Halter and Susan Whitten, both former Iditarod mushers.  Vern is a lawyer and his wife Susan went back to veterinarian school to better service her dogs and support other Alaskan kennels. 

As a student of the Iditarod, I lived with the dogs, feed them daily, exercised them, and cleaned up the dog yard...yes and that means picking up the p_ _ p!  We lived and breathed the life of musher, building a relationship with the dogs, even the precious puppies with our daily walks in the woods. 

Vern had built a large beautiful barn style two-story building, which on the top floor housed two complete living suites with bedrooms, private baths kitchens, and a common great room.  Below the first floor was home to the vet clinic, food preparation area, storage for winter clothing, boots, and hats, and best of all a large classroom.  In the classroom with its 20 foot ceilings, Susan had carefully painted on one wall a 20 x 10 foot mural of Alaska and the Iditarod trail marked in RED complete with checkpoints.  On another wall was a life-size painting of Vern behind the sled with a team of dogs running full speed toward you!  Hanging from the ceiling were Vern's and Susan's race bibs from previous races that they had completed.  On a table there were more trophies than could be easily counted.  Around the perimeter of the room was the "trail" equipment.  We got to stand on a real sled, try on Vern's heavy red fur trimmed parka that must have weighed 20 pounds, and beaver gloves that covered my arms up to the elbow.  In the same area was also all the required equipment that had to be carried in the sled when traveling with a team of dogs, such as the cook stove, liquid heat bottles, towlines, an ax, dog bowls, and a large cooler!  What is a cooler doing in the sled at -20 degrees below?

Feeding 16 hungry dogs on the Trail is a challenge, food must be previously prepared and flown to checkpoints.  Ice is then melted in the metal 5 gallon bucket called the "cook stove" to become water, meats of high protein and fats are added to create a thick meat stew which is mixed in the "cooler" which now becomes an insulated warmer.  The dogs burn almost 3,000+ calories a day and are ravenous for a warm meal in their tummies before they bed down on their straw beds for a rest.

Other equipment necessities were the headlamp with halogen bulbs with two weeks worth of batteries...to see at night.  Remember during this time of the year it is darker longer during daylight time.  At 12:00 noon the sun does not rise much higher on the horizon than what a "sunset" looks like for us. 

One of the most important requirements is the "dog diary" containing all the vet records for each dog on the team.  This keeps a checkpoint-to-checkpoint data flow between one vet's check and another vet's check for each dog.  Things like the dog's attitude, sensitivity in joints or feet, clear lungs, appetite, and over all appearance are recorded.  The musher relies greatly on these volunteer vets to assist them in the wellness of their dogs.  If there is a dog in question both the vet and musher will work together in the best interest of the dog.  Mushers have been known to put a dog in the sled and carry them to the next checkpoint if they become injured or cannot continue the race.  These dogs, when dropped, are well cared for nourished then flown back to Anchorage to meet up with their musher after the race. 

The best part of this workshop was the direct interaction and presentations with all the "people in the know", such as a longtime Trail volunteer who came prepared with slides of checkpoints along the Trial and stories of life on the Trail.  DeeDee Jonrowe who lived down the dirt road from Vern stopped by to meet us teachers.  Wow!

Stu Nelson, Head Vet for the Iditarod, that explained the details and rules that are put into place to protect the dog athletes was just remarkable.  Experienced mushers such as Ali Zirkle from Fairbanks, AK made a special trip to Wasilla, AK to just speak with us.  She brought slides of her kennel and spoke of her experiences along the Iditarod Trail.  

Midway in the workshop we left the Dream-a-Dream Kennels and headed toward town to visit Jon and Jona VanZyle, the famous Iditarod Artist, and their kennels of Alaskan Huskies.  These kind people opened their "park like" kennels and home for our viewing then held a reception for us with food and drink while we walked through their studio viewing Jon's beautiful artwork, all the while telling us of stories "mushing" with their dogs, and life in Alaska.  They both signed books and prints carefully wrapping them for the long ride home.

One of the most interesting experiences was the Alaskan Native Heritage Museum on the outskirts of Anchorage.  We spent half a day there viewing exhibits of the many tribes, walking the grounds with a guide again telling stories, sharing artifacts, displays of homes, and living environments for the diverse peoples of Alaska.  I left with a greater understanding as to the tenacity of these people who endure the extreme conditions and yet love their land and are one in nature and spirit.  I gathered treasures, many videos, and books of native Alaska in hopes to be able to share a small bit of these fantastic people with my students.

On the last day of the workshop, there was a "Musher's Sign Up" picnic at the Iditarod Headquarters in Wasilla, AK.  The relaxed atmosphere and warm welcome in this casual setting was so like the people of Alaska.  The lawn was manicured with newly sprouting green grass, which contrasted the large tan two-story log building with a green metal roof of the Iditarod Headquarters.  The colorful red and white petunias and yellow and purple pansies dotted the flower gardens and window boxes, as a bronze sculpture of Joe Redington, Sr., Father of the Iditarod, proudly welcomed you along the front sidewalk.  All this while Joe's grandson, Ryan Redington, was giving teachers a real ride behind a team of Iditarod dogs in training, and a new puppy litter slept in a fenced area nearby.  This was a photo memory in my mind forever.

Strolling the grounds, mushers, friends, volunteers, and teachers were treated to a delicious barbecue.  The teachers were given an unused Official Race Bib from the 2007 IDITAROD.  We were freely walking among Iditarod icons and history makers.  All came to sign up and meet their competition for the 2008 Iditarod Race.  They were full of information for us teachers; Ken Anderson gave me a free journal he had written along the Trail in 2007.  They all signed my BIB, along with Governor Sarah Palin!  She was so very friendly, wearing just a dark pantsuit and white blouse with her hair neatly pulling up on her head.  She is a mother of 4 children and recently I heard with one due in May.  She was totally accessible No body guards!

Toward the end of the day we were invited to attend a special meeting held by the Iditarod Trail Committee and Directors regarding how to handle the press.  Especially those that tend to stir up negative press due to lack of information.  Our weeklong education provided the perfect opportunity to set the story "right".  This meeting helped us understand how to get the correct information out there.

This whirlwind of a week went by so fast and sadly was ending.  We teachers came together as individuals from all walks of life and geographical locations.  However we left with one common bond, the love for the dogs, and an appreciation of the spirit and endless determination of the people and dogs of the Iditarod.  I will always remember this wonderful life changing experience.

A very special thanks to Diane Johnson, Iditarod Director of Education, and a former Teacher on the Trail for her vision and development of this 5 STAR teacher workshop.  It has changed by life forever.