Iditarod Commemorates Dog Sledding
In 1925, there was a severe outbreak of the diphtheria illness in Nome, Alaska. Modern transportation could not deliver medicine to the area due to a blizzard. Instead, serum was heroically brought to the city by way of dog sled teams.
Today, in commemoration of the events of 1925, the 2008 Iditarod is underway with mushers and their dogs traversing 1150 miles through the Alaskan wilderness from Anchorage to Nome.
My wife and I were fortunate to have the opportunity to give dog sledding a try last year while visiting New Hampshire and we would highly recommend it to anyone interested. Our instructor taught us the commands for the dogs and how they respond. Being pulled by dogs across the snow through beautiful mountain scenery was a unique and exciting experience we will never forget.