Weekly Mushing News Round Up (July 13)

Happy Friday the Thirteenth! It's been a quiet week online for mushing news, but there are a few tidbits worth sharing, so let's get right to it, shall we?

Retired Iditarod Musher, Karen Ramstead was in the news in Calgary talking of her newest passion - border collies - the article details her life as a musher and how she went from recreational musher to Iditarod musher and back. Karen still has a kennel with a few Siberians and is still active in the mushing community having been a race official for Iditarod several times now.

Newly retired Iditarod musher Scott Janssen - aka the Mushin' Mortician - was awarded by the State of Alaska yesterday for his act of bravery during this year's race. You may remember that Janssen came accross fellow musher Jim Lanier in the infamous "Blow Hole" very close to the finish. Lanier and team were forced down and stuck due to high winds. Both Lanier and Janssen flirted with hypothermia, but Scott refused to leave his fellow musher. He ended his race to get help for his friend.

Mushing Legend and Alaskan hero, Leonhard Seppala's house has been a mainstay in Nome for decades. Seppala, of course, is long gone having moved to the lower 48 after many year's in the "frozen North" before passing away in 1967. The house has become run down and was set to be demolished until a group of mushing enthusiasts and historians came together to try and save the building. Headed by Jon Van Zyle - artist and former Iditarod musher - the house has been saved and the restoration is underway. The house will become a historic building housing a museum of mushing and the history of the serum run that Seppala and his famed dog Togo ran to save Nome from the Diptheria outbreak of 1925








There are still only 29 mushers signed up for Iditarod 2019. Iditarod officials and fans are all hopeful at least once Seavey will add their name to the list soon.

Like I said, it was a light news week... though I am sure I missed something - if there's some news I missed or you feel I should have included, please send me a note! Chances are I just didn't see it.

Disclaimer: all of my blog posts are my own opinion and do not reflect anyone else's viewpoints unless I share a direct quote. I am in no way related to, or employed by, any musher or member of their family/crew. 

Mushing News Weekly Round Up (Dec 22)

Merry Christmas weekend! Not sure if why one of the reasons there wasn't a whole lot of news the last couple of weeks is because it's the Holiday season, or because the weather's been less than ideal and so not a lot of excitement has surrounded mushing because of it. Either way, makes it hard to do one of these but I'll do my best. Oh, and MERRY CHRISTMAS! :)



The Nome Nugget is reporting that of several structures approved for demolish, on the chopping block is a house that has ties to famed musher Leonard Seppala. If you aren't familiar with that name, Seppala was the original Jeff King of mushing (aka the most winningest musher). Seppala's dog lines are still going strong in kennels, with many of Iditarod kennels sharing in at least partial bloodlines. If you're at all familiar with the Balto legend of the Nome Serum Run you know of the musher named Gunar - well, he was actually one of Seppala's "handlers" and it was only after Seppala and team (lead by Togo) drove over 100 miles that Balto and Gunnar were tagged to take the cargo into town (Balto was actually HIS dog). Seppala is synonymous with mushing in this state and world wide. Personally, I would hope that someone could buy the property and restore it and preserve history.




The Yukon Quest is revamping their education program adding features much like Iditarod's teacher on the trail. They will be on the trail answering questions of students all over the globe who are watching the race in their classrooms.

Lance Mackey took to facebook this week to update fans on his racing plans for the season. Mackey will no longer be traveling to the states, but noted that he's still planing to run races in Alaska.
I thought I'd mentioned that a photo of mind was published in a Wisconsin newspaper last week, but I can't seem to find that, so I apologize if this is a repeat. Ryan Redington is down in Wisconsin for the winter and last week hosted rides for the local kids free of charge. Like most of his family he's a dog man and a great ambassador for the sport.

MERRY PUGMAS!!!

Merry Christmas to all of my readers. I am not sure how much I will be on in the next week. I'll try to get another round up together for next Friday, but as I'll be getting ready for my trip outside I make no promises.



Have a safe weekend and a very happy time with friends and family!