Nome, Alaska (The Finish Line)
My Application to Be a Lead Dog in the Iditarod
The Iditarod is a sled dog race of about 1,000 miles across Alaska. Every team needs a lead dog. I applied.
The Iditarod, the famous sled dog race across Alaska, ended in Nome. The defending champion won again, the first repeat winner in about a decade, after nine days and seven hours on the trail. Twelve dogs pulled his sled over the finish line. I applied to be a lead dog.
My Application
Position: Lead dog. The lead dog runs at the front and finds the way. I’m always at the front, and I always know the way.
Experience: A lot of leading. Very little running.
Strengths: Loud. Confident. Excellent in photos.
Weaknesses: Snow. Cold. Running. Pulling things.
Special skills: I can bark on command, as long as the command comes from me.
The Musher’s Reply
The musher said a lead dog has to listen to commands. I said I’m much better at giving them. He thought about it and offered me a different job: sitting in the sled, being pulled. I accepted. It’s the most important seat, the one with the view.
The champion’s twelve dogs did a wonderful job over all those miles. I’d like to thank them in person, with twelve biscuits. Maybe thirteen. One for the seat.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is the race?
About 1,000 miles this year, from Willow to Nome. I've been on longer car rides, but not many.
What's a musher?
The person driving the sled, mostly by talking to the dogs. I talk to dogs too. Mine don't listen.