In honor of Alaska Bob (Bob Parsons)

Friends (fans) of Alaska Bob - on Saturday March 5 a few of us are going to wear Overalls/Bibs to the Ceremonial Start...

Posted by Toni Reitter on Saturday, February 20, 2016

Zoya Denure: Keepin' It Classy

A few days ago I wrote a blog post about losing my friend, Bob Parsons. As the mushing community and fandom found out about his passing a lot of tribute posts went up. Bob was well loved, and the proof is in all of the tributes and posts and comments. HUNDREDS of people chimed in about the loss. Mushers, too, took the news hard and posted their gratitude for his love of the sport and his photography.

And then Zoya decided she needed to put her two cents in and play the victim. Because, we know EVERYthing is ALWAYS about her.

You may recall a few posts of mine from last year where I called her out for scratching - news flash, I'm not the only one who observed the obvious. Bob called her out around the time of "her husband's" (did he write it?) article saying those that scratch from the big races lack the heart and drive to be truly great mushers (he was basically hating on Jeff King). To put it mildly, Zoya does not take criticism (much less fact) well. She and Bob were anything but friends (when he started out actually supporting her). Whatever. I'm not friends with everyone in the sport either. Everyone has their favorites.

But she sank to an all time low last night with her comment. Look, we're all supposed to be adults. We know how to react to someone's passing. He's not Hitler or Bin Laden - he was someone's husband, friend, mentor. He was a good guy that you didn't get along with. Pull up your big girl panties and get over it. Suck it up, princess. That you attack a dead man is just a reflection on how ugly and pathetic you truly are.

Zoya messaged me a few days ago saying I was NOT ALLOWED to talk about her on my blog. I was going to "play nice" and not say anything about her (I mean it gets tedious reporting yet another scratch anyway). But after last night? Nope. She doesn't deserve ANY respect (not that I had much to give her anyway).

I think Heidi Sutter said it best last night. So I will just leave it here:

"The world lost an incredible man Friday. I lost a dear friend whom I consider family, as he was part of my family in many aspects. Alaska Bob was one of the biggest hearted men I have had the pleasure to call friend. He loved the Kid like she was his own. He was always there with a funny message, a quick smile and a long lasting bear hug just at the right times. Bob was a HUGE supporter of mushing and of many, many mushers. He was a GINORMOUS supporter of KMA Kennel.

Someone who considers themselves a role model in mushing, and an ambassador to the sport has finally showed their true colors as many of us are mourning the loss of this amazing human.

Zoya, you are indeed a despicable human who has sunk to the lowest of lows. Now that AB is on the other side, you best be watching your back, cuz honey, Karma is going to eat you up. I just hope that we are all there to see it all go down. You reap what you sow.

Namaste, bitch."

 Bob is no doubt getting a kick at seeing us all react to it. People are seeing her as he's seen her for years.
Will keep you posted if she decides to try to justify this new level of stupidity.

I lost a friend today.

I lost a friend today. We met four years ago at the Tustumena 200. He and his wife had volunteered to help with the race, and I was the official photographer. Little did we know that it was going to be -30 for most of the weekend (plus windchill. It was flippin cold) and so we were all going to get really close in a Yurt in the middle of nowhere. Bob was, at the time, a hobbyist photographer who was still getting used to the digital age. He could work computers, but he wasn't sure about the DSLRs.

Bob would go on to become a pretty popular photographer over the next few years. When he got into something he went all in. He photographed many sled dog races, sometimes while volunteering in other areas of the race, and shared his views of Alaska for all to see on Facebook.

But I knew him as a friend, not just as a photographer or a name on facebook. Bob was a take no crap kind of guy. He was a straight shooter who didn't mince words. You knew exactly where you stood with him and what he thought on any multitude of subjects. He lived life in a way most only dream of being able to. He didn't play games, he didn't keep toxic people near. If you were a friend, you knew it - and you earned it.

I'm having a hard time putting into worlds just what this big guy means to me. He and Jolene (aka "The Boss") have always been so awesome to me, and I treasure the times spent together - which were not nearly enough. Schedules being what they were, there were a lot of missed opportunities. I think I still owed him Dairy Queen.

Last month he treated me and Taylor Steele (up and coming Mushing Superstar currently helping train Mitch Seavey's yearlings) to St. Elias Pizza. We gabbed about sled dogs, past happenings and up coming events. Taylor is fresh out of high school with all of these dreams and as he listened he gave advice and more importantly encouragement and support. If Bob was in your corner, you always knew it. He'd challenge you and keep you going.

No one saw this coming, while he was a man on "borrowed time" by doctor's standards - no one I know ever doubted he'd kick cancer's butt. Getting the message this afternoon (while I was at work, and we all know how much I LOVE getting emotional in front of people, no doubt that'd amuse Bob) I just sat there staring at my phone in shock. I wanted it to be a cruel joke. One I could get upset with him about.

But it's not. And I don't know how I feel. I'm in shock. My heart breaks for Jolene, but I selfishly also feel sorry for myself. I lost a friend today. Cancer took him away. Cancer Sucks.

See Bob Parsons' photos by going to his gallery here.