Iditarod Musher Dramatically Revives Fallen Dog

[jsmirman]

123. Well, *we* are world's apart

and I don't expect everything to be similar. As I said, I'd like to see a shorter race, better precautions, and I don't think there's anything wrong with trying to string together a few years where none of the dogs die. And I understand the concept of "working dogs" - my sister has a "working dog" - but the problem we're going to have with the Iditarod is that it just doesn't strike us as work. It's hard to see what functional thing is being accomplished. Maybe there's something functional I'm missing here. I certainly hope that there isn't an attitude that the race isn't "tough enough" if a few dogs don't die every now and then. I'm not saying it's like that, I just hope it's not. What would be the worst thing about a shorter race and more checkpoints if it meant less dogs dying?

You Alaskans are funny, though - it's a shame you don't live next door to Minnesotans, who come from a place I have spent a bunch of time. Something about living in inhospitable climes, I mean, if you guys could work some twisters into your daily privation, I swear it would be like God's only children on earth would hail from your two climes, lol. Like I told you, I grew up in a pretty tough place, too. Like I said in another thread, though, it's not like all New Yorkers would faint at the site of a blade of grass. I've actually been around most of the country, with regard to the continental part, and I don't get an allergic reaction in the absence of concrete.

As I mentioned, I learned a thing or two about Alaska from my roommate, who told me stories of bears walking through the middle of town and the shit you'd better bring when you go driving anywhere in Alaska. I used to like being cold, but the thrill in that left me when I moved out of my teens, so, as I noted, I think a short vacation is the most that's in the cards. Still, I would like to see Alaska. It seems like quite a place, just nowhere I would want to live.