IPSSSDR

 

 

 

What an envigorating morning we have had. We drove up to South Pass (check out the web cam-that place is wintry) this morning to watch the beginning of the second stage in the International Pedigree Stage Stop Sled Dog Race (IPSSSDR). Inspiring it was. So much excitement, beginning with Charlotte the entire 30 minute ride there asking all about it and mostly "are we there yet??". Really she talked the entire way. She also looked at one of our favorite books on the way there: Togo. The book is based on a true story from 1925 and is about the famous sled dog Togo who led his team 300 miles across Alasksa in January to bring much needed Diptheria serum to the town of Nome. She was sure we were going to see him at race and insisted that we were goint to his house. She even got Timothy mumbling about it.
As we neared the start line for the race the wind picked up and the snow was blowing across the road. Reid and I were getting nervous that we would drive all this way and not even be able to get out of the car. We were skeptical and even Timothy was saying brrr, brrr.
We arrived and luckily found a very close parking space, we bundled up, stepped out of the van, and were greeted by a chorus of barking dogs. It was windy and snowy, but everybody was happy and excited. Charlotte eyes were darting back and forth between the teams looking for Togo.

-We watched people running here and there with the dogs.
-We watched the mushers hop on the back of the sleds.
-We watched the dogs getting harnessed up and led up to the start line.
-We watched our friends Sandy and Jerry take off with their dogs.
-And we visited with the dogs that were staying behind for the day.

As cold as it was, 45 minutes was about all we could take of the cold blowing snow. We thought we were heading off a kiddo melt down by leaving before anybody got too cold. But as soon as I made tracks towards the van, Charlotte began crying. She wanted to stay, she wanted to go with them, and she wanted to see Togo. She was definitley not satisfied by our brief visit and was not convinced that we really saw Togo. Truth be told, I wish this event were more than once a year, I would have liked to have stayed longer, I wanted to go with them, and I wanted to meet Togo too. Maybe Charlotte and I will sneak back there this afternoon to wacth them cross the finish line for this stage of the race.