Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race Winner

This is the sled dog team of Sebastian Schnuelle, winner of this year's 1,000-mile Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race. The photo was taken this morning on the Chena River in Fairbanks, Alaska, one mile from the finish line. The temperature was minus 2 Fahrenheit, ideal for dog mushing. Schnuelle's team of ten dogs are confidently passing by the Hamilton Acres and Island Homes subdivisions. The trees in the background are on the Fort Wainwright Army base. Schnuelle's team completed the race in a record time of 9 days, 23 hours, 20 minutes, the first nine day Quest race.

This is one of many photos I am considering making into a post card to commemorate the event.

A Canine Disagreement

In contrast to the peaceful resting fellows of the previous post, these two canines have issues. There may be a piece of meat between them that one chose not to eat but is nevertheless protecting. Or it could just be two males who can smell a female in heat up ahead in the line and they are "discussing" who might lay claim to her.

Note that the dog on the right is tethered by a tow line (longer) and the other dog gets a short neck line tether. It may be that the dogs in the previous post were less cranky because the straw focused their attention on rest rather than competing for a spot on hard-packed snow.

The caption on the reverse side suggests another scenario: "What do you mean, I didn't pull." While that's possible, usually a dog that is upset with another will not wait for the checkpoint to settle the score.

This postcard, dated 1994, was published by Leader Publications of Fairbanks, Alaska. An internet search did not turn up a Web site. The photographer is Vladimir Vinitzki. See another Vinitzki phototgraph at Picture.com.

Straw Beds In The Sun

Used with permission, Copyright 2008 Scott Chesney

"The best long distance runners eat raw meat, run naked and sleep in the snow." --From an Alaska Airlines ad



Though the above quote describes sled dogs well, more often than not they sleep on straw beds, like those in this postcard, rather than on the cold snow. These beautiful canines were photographed by Scott Chesney, a fellow Fairbanksan, gifted photographer and experienced musher. You can find more of Scott's images on at his website.

My guess is that these dogs have already slept and they are content to watch people at the checkpoint while half-dozing on their comfortable straw beds with the warm sun on their backs. Notice the blue coats the dogs have on for extra warmth. One of the simple pleasures of running and camping with sled dogs is throwing down the straw and watching the dogs circle and dig with their paws while fluffing up their beds. They respond to fresh straw almost as enthusastically as they do raw meat.

As I post this the sled dogs of the Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race are resting quietly on straw beds at Dawson City, Yukon Territories, Canada. They will resume the race following a 36-hour layover. The current leader is William Kleedehn of Limp-a-Long Kennels. Kleedehn is one of the nicest mushers to be on the trail or in camp with. He is a world-class musher with a wonderful sense of humor.