Kobuk 440

As I think I have mentioned before, dog sledding is a huge past-time in Kotzebue. In fact, back in the 60's and 70's, we have heard that there were twice as many dogs as people. The Kobuk 440 is a 440 mile race that takes off and end in Kotzebue, and races in a circle through many of the villages around the area. Some of the local racers who compete in the Iditarod also take part in the race. The neat thing about the start of the Kobuk 440, other than the fact that it was 3 blocks away, is that they do a mass start. In most races, they do staggered starts so that each team has it's own space. But, not in the 440. So, they basically just say "1-2-3-GO!" and all the teams take off. It was incredible to watch the dogs; Theresa described them as Olympic caliber athletes. To give you an idea: if you have ever tried walking in knee-deep snow, it's nearly impossible. But, these dogs are literally running as fast as they can pulling a sled with their feet sinking in on every step. Amazing to watch! Here are some pictures from the start:







This is me and another kindergarten teacher named Tammy. As you can tell from her eyes, the wind was quite strong and chilly that day!


Definitely an amazing experience that we would not be able to have in many places!