Rating: 
Summary: Merely finishing this race is a great adventure
Review: Subtitled, "An Iditarod Rookie Musher's Alaska Pilgrimage to
Nome", the author, Don Bowers, shares his 1994 and 1995
experience in running a team of sled dogs on the 1,100-mile run from
Anchorage to Nome in the race that has been sometimes called the
"Last Great Race on Earth." He was 48 years old, a bachelor,
with no previous experience in dog mushing. However, he was a pilot
who lived Alaska and had worked as a volunteer in previous races. He
knew many people who had run the race before him and they all
encouraged him to do it.Every March, since 1967, between 50 and 80
dog sled teams set out on the trail, which can take up to three weeks
to complete. Most are not competing for the front-runner prize.
Merely finishing the race is a personal goal for many. The trek is
difficult, requiring stamina, endurance and the ability to make quick
decisions in constantly changing conditions. The temperature can
vary from 40 degrees above to 65 degrees below zero and there are
storms and flooding, drifting snow and heavy winds. In some places
the trail plunges down 200 feet or more, twisting between trees and at
the edges of steep drops. At other places, there are long empty
stretches over slick icy rivers. The sled often spills, the dogs get
tangled and sometimes they find themselves miles and miles off the
regular trail. Mostly, they prefer to travel at night when the
weather is cooler and the dogs are more comfortable. The musher wears
a single beam headlight if the night is dark. Other times the moon
and stars reflect off the snow. And, on rare occasions there is a
spectacular display of flashes and colors in the northern sky. The
mushers stop at about 20 checkpoints over the course of their
travels. These are mandatory rest stops which often are no more than a
tent or a cabin with a place to put a sleeping bag. A few of the
checkpoints are towns with a place to purchase a meal. Mostly though,
the musher must rely on the 50 or more large bags of supplies weighing
2000 pounds or more which he or she personally packed and had shipped
to these checkpoints. This includes huge amounts of food for the 16
hungry dogs who must be tended to and rested at each of these
stops. The Iditarod Trail was actually used as a mail route during
the boom time of Alaska's gold rush. And the dog teams of that day
did not have the advantages of modern technology. There were no
helicopters charting their progress. Or airplanes to fly their food
to various checkpoints. There was little if any shelter. And the
conditions for the dogs were certainly not humane. I can't help
thinking of Jack London's "The Call of the Wild" and
"White Fang" which depicted the life of a sled dog at the
turn of the century. In those days dogs were whipped, beaten with
clubs, and often starved as the food they were given had to be hunted
for as the mushers went along the trail. They lived and died in their
harnesses and it was a constant fight for survival. Modern dogs are
never beaten. The dogs are trained to respond to simple verbal
commands and whips are never used. They are well fed and rested and
checked by a vet at every checkpoint. If they are injured they are
flown by helicopter to a place they can be cared for. A musher might
start out with 16 dogs, but is allowed to finish with as little as 7
if necessary. I enjoyed the book tremendously, even though Don
Bowers is no Jack London. This is his first book and he is not a
professional writer. He's good at descriptions of trail conditions
and details of the race. He's also good at discussing his own
personal challenges. I really did empathize with him when a virus
killed some of his dog pups. And I held my breath during his most
scary outdoor challengers. I also have a lot of admiration for his
adaptability and sheer determination to finish, no matter what. By
the end of the book I had really accepted his style of writing, which
is probably like his personality, which tends to be introspective. And
sometimes I felt he went on a little too long about some detail. I
must say also that I yearned for deeper characterization of the people
around him. There was a woman named Lisa and a man named Andy who
were also "back-of-the-packers". They met at checkpoints
and helped each other during the long trail. I wanted to know more
about them and wish he would have included a few personal details and
a little characterization. I did get to know his dogs though. Each
one was a distinct and interesting personality. I'll never forget
"Socks" one of the leaders, who was able to sense the trail
without any markers. Or the time the team refused to move because the
females were in heat. His love for his dogs really came through. I
thank Mr. Bowers for writing the book and definitely recommend it. It
took me to Alaska, put me right on the sled and made me feel I was
part of it all. Quite a departure for a woman who lives in New York
City. It was a great read and I loved being part of the adventure.
Rating:
Summary: Merely finishing this race is a great adventure
Review: Subtitled, "An Iditarod Rookie Musher's Alaska Pilgrimage to
Nome", the author, Don Bowers, shares his 1994 and 1995
experience in running a team of sled dogs on the 1,100-mile run from
Anchorage to Nome in the race that has been sometimes called the
"Last Great Race on Earth." He was 48 years old, a bachelor,
with no previous experience in dog mushing. However, he was a pilot
who lived Alaska and had worked as a volunteer in previous races. He
knew many people who had run the race before him and they all
encouraged him to do it. Every March, since 1967, between 50 and 80
dog sled teams set out on the trail, which can take up to three weeks
to complete. Most are not competing for the front-runner prize.
Merely finishing the race is a personal goal for many. The trek is
difficult, requiring stamina, endurance and the ability to make quick
decisions in constantly changing conditions. The temperature can
vary from 40 degrees above to 65 degrees below zero and there are
storms and flooding, drifting snow and heavy winds. In some places
the trail plunges down 200 feet or more, twisting between trees and at
the edges of steep drops. At other places, there are long empty
stretches over slick icy rivers. The sled often spills, the dogs get
tangled and sometimes they find themselves miles and miles off the
regular trail. Mostly, they prefer to travel at night when the
weather is cooler and the dogs are more comfortable. The musher wears
a single beam headlight if the night is dark. Other times the moon
and stars reflect off the snow. And, on rare occasions there is a
spectacular display of flashes and colors in the northern sky. The
mushers stop at about 20 checkpoints over the course of their
travels. These are mandatory rest stops which often are no more than a
tent or a cabin with a place to put a sleeping bag. A few of the
checkpoints are towns with a place to purchase a meal. Mostly though,
the musher must rely on the 50 or more large bags of supplies weighing
2000 pounds or more which he or she personally packed and had shipped
to these checkpoints. This includes huge amounts of food for the 16
hungry dogs who must be tended to and rested at each of these
stops. The Iditarod Trail was actually used as a mail route during
the boom time of Alaska's gold rush. And the dog teams of that day
did not have the advantages of modern technology. There were no
helicopters charting their progress. Or airplanes to fly their food
to various checkpoints. There was little if any shelter. And the
conditions for the dogs were certainly not humane. I can't help
thinking of Jack London's "The Call of the Wild" and
"White Fang" which depicted the life of a sled dog at the
turn of the century. In those days dogs were whipped, beaten with
clubs, and often starved as the food they were given had to be hunted
for as the mushers went along the trail. They lived and died in their
harnesses and it was a constant fight for survival. Modern dogs are
never beaten. The dogs are trained to respond to simple verbal
commands and whips are never used. They are well fed and rested and
checked by a vet at every checkpoint. If they are injured they are
flown by helicopter to a place they can be cared for. A musher might
start out with 16 dogs, but is allowed to finish with as little as 7
if necessary. I enjoyed the book tremendously, even though Don
Bowers is no Jack London. This is his first book and he is not a
professional writer. He's good at descriptions of trail conditions
and details of the race. He's also good at discussing his own
personal challenges. I really did empathize with him when a virus
killed some of his dog pups. And I held my breath during his most
scary outdoor challengers. I also have a lot of admiration for his
adaptability and sheer determination to finish, no matter what. By
the end of the book I had really accepted his style of writing, which
is probably like his personality, which tends to be introspective. And
sometimes I felt he went on a little too long about some detail. I
must say also that I yearned for deeper characterization of the people
around him. There was a woman named Lisa and a man named Andy who
were also "back-of-the-packers". They met at checkpoints
and helped each other during the long trail. I wanted to know more
about them and wish he would have included a few personal details and
a little characterization. I did get to know his dogs though. Each
one was a distinct and interesting personality. I'll never forget
"Socks" one of the leaders, who was able to sense the trail
without any markers. Or the time the team refused to move because the
females were in heat. His love for his dogs really came through. I
thank Mr. Bowers for writing the book and definitely recommend it. It
took me to Alaska, put me right on the sled and made me feel I was
part of it all. Quite a departure for a woman who lives in New York
City. It was a great read and I loved being part of the adventure.
Rating:
Summary: Merely finishing this race is a great adventure
Review: Subtitled, "An Iditarod Rookie Musher's Alaska Pilgrimage toNome", the author, Don Bowers, shares his 1994 and 1995experience in running a team of sled dogs on the 1,100-mile run fromAnchorage to Nome in the race that has been sometimes called the"Last Great Race on Earth." He was 48 years old, a bachelor,with no previous experience in dog mushing. However, he was a pilotwho lived Alaska and had worked as a volunteer in previous races. Heknew many people who had run the race before him and they allencouraged him to do it.Every March, since 1967, between 50 and 80dog sled teams set out on the trail, which can take up to three weeksto complete. Most are not competing for the front-runner prize.Merely finishing the race is a personal goal for many. The trek isdifficult, requiring stamina, endurance and the ability to make quickdecisions in constantly changing conditions.The temperature canvary from 40 degrees above to 65 degrees below zero and there arestorms and flooding, drifting snow and heavy winds. In some placesthe trail plunges down 200 feet or more, twisting between trees and atthe edges of steep drops. At other places, there are long emptystretches over slick icy rivers. The sled often spills, the dogs gettangled and sometimes they find themselves miles and miles off theregular trail.Mostly, they prefer to travel at night when theweather is cooler and the dogs are more comfortable. The musher wearsa single beam headlight if the night is dark. Other times the moonand stars reflect off the snow. And, on rare occasions there is aspectacular display of flashes and colors in the northern sky.Themushers stop at about 20 checkpoints over the course of theirtravels. These are mandatory rest stops which often are no more than atent or a cabin with a place to put a sleeping bag. A few of thecheckpoints are towns with a place to purchase a meal. Mostly though,the musher must rely on the 50 or more large bags of supplies weighing2000 pounds or more which he or she personally packed and had shippedto these checkpoints. This includes huge amounts of food for the 16hungry dogs who must be tended to and rested at each of thesestops.The Iditarod Trail was actually used as a mail route duringthe boom time of Alaska's gold rush. And the dog teams of that daydid not have the advantages of modern technology. There were nohelicopters charting their progress. Or airplanes to fly their foodto various checkpoints. There was little if any shelter. And theconditions for the dogs were certainly not humane.I can't helpthinking of Jack London's "The Call of the Wild" and"White Fang" which depicted the life of a sled dog at theturn of the century. In those days dogs were whipped, beaten withclubs, and often starved as the food they were given had to be huntedfor as the mushers went along the trail. They lived and died in theirharnesses and it was a constant fight for survival.Modern dogs arenever beaten. The dogs are trained to respond to simple verbalcommands and whips are never used. They are well fed and rested andchecked by a vet at every checkpoint. If they are injured they areflown by helicopter to a place they can be cared for. A musher mightstart out with 16 dogs, but is allowed to finish with as little as 7if necessary.I enjoyed the book tremendously, even though DonBowers is no Jack London. This is his first book and he is not aprofessional writer. He's good at descriptions of trail conditionsand details of the race. He's also good at discussing his ownpersonal challenges. I really did empathize with him when a viruskilled some of his dog pups. And I held my breath during his mostscary outdoor challengers. I also have a lot of admiration for hisadaptability and sheer determination to finish, no matter what.Bythe end of the book I had really accepted his style of writing, whichis probably like his personality, which tends to be introspective. Andsometimes I felt he went on a little too long about some detail. Imust say also that I yearned for deeper characterization of the peoplearound him. There was a woman named Lisa and a man named Andy whowere also "back-of-the-packers". They met at checkpointsand helped each other during the long trail. I wanted to know moreabout them and wish he would have included a few personal details anda little characterization.I did get to know his dogs though. Eachone was a distinct and interesting personality. I'll never forget"Socks" one of the leaders, who was able to sense the trailwithout any markers. Or the time the team refused to move because thefemales were in heat. His love for his dogs really came through.Ithank Mr. Bowers for writing the book and definitely recommend it. Ittook me to Alaska, put me right on the sled and made me feel I waspart of it all. Quite a departure for a woman who lives in New YorkCity. It was a great read and I loved being part of the adventure.
Rating:
Summary: To finish IS to win!
Review: When I first began to become interested in the Iditarod, one of the things that most fascinated me was the determination of everyone who entered the race to finish. While all harbor hopes, however slight, of winning, just finishing this 1,000 plus mile race is one of lifes's most difficult and amazing feats, resulting in the last finisher often dragging in days after the winner has packed up his dogs, sled, and headed home, check in hand. Don Bowers, who fell in love with the sport of Alaska with no real knowledge of either, details his often painful adventures as he prepared and ran the Iditarod. Bowers, also a teacher and pilot, writes well, using detail and humor effectively, making you feel you're there beside him, slogging through the snow, searching for trail markers, and, occasionally, meeting trees and branches all too upclose and personal. You will also share his tears, as he mourns the sudden death of several puppies that have begun to emerge as loveable, definite personalites to him when parvo strikes. You'll also be there with him as he struggles to pay the bills in the face of his growing love of the sport and the dogs, a love that, sadly, brings little glory or money to those who run in the Back of the Pack. Thus, if you'd like to get a real feel for what it must be like to race in the Iditarod, I highly recommend this book. Or, if you've ever read some of the negative publicity put out by a small faction of opponents, you NEED to read this book. It will answer many of your questions and give you, via Bowers, an inside look at the pain those who sacrifice so much for their dogs feel when confronted with these false accusations.
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