Do you want to know what the greatest athletes in the world are doing right now?

[justwannano]

IDITAROD 2000

Those dogs can run 150 miles a day. WOW

[Michael Masterson]

I wouldn't even post a topic this lame!

[Omniscient]

Yet, here we are....

[Babar714]

Hey. I think the Iditarod is cool. Great sport. Sure, dogs get killed every once in a while, but it's in the name of... sports.

[Bluepony]

The original intent to honor the running of smallpox vaccine by dogsled to Nome is commendable. If dogs are dying at present to keep this tradition going, then the meaning of Iditarod is lost.

------------------
...send lawyers, guns, and money...

Warren Zevon

[justwannano]

I onyl know of one dog that has died and it unfortunately fell through the ice.
I would bet that more dogs die from being hit by suvs on the streets of LA than die in the Iditarod.
They are constantly being checked by Vets .
Fed the best food.It is obvious that those dogs love what they are doing.

[psycat90]

Where is the money in this sport? Dog trainers, riders, if thre is money to be made, who profits the most? I don't doubt the dogs are treated well, but I'm pretty sure they aren't out buying fancy cars and stuff. Or is it just a love of the sport type of reward? (All sports should be, IMO) I'm assuming pet product companies sponsor it and possibly winter clothing companies and such. What is PETA's take on it?

------------------
How 'bout we sing 'Kyle's mom is a stupid bitch' in D minor?

[justwannano]

PETA Oh Yeh Bamby huggers
Old ladies that live in big cities whose dogs walk along the streets on a leash and shit in the gutter.But they love animals.I would rather be dead myself.

[UncleBeer]

The official Iditarod site is here (http://www.iditarod.com/).
More info about the dogs is available here (http://www.workingdogweb.com/iditarod.htm).


------------------
Here's mud in yer eye!
Yer pal, UncleBeer.

[justwannano]

Thanks Unc Haven't figured how to do that yet.

[justwannano]

Oh Yea

Tom Massey has a show on the Outdoor Channel Sat G9 channel 1 at 10:30 pm central.about the race.
The Iditarod web site has a great article about the breeding of these dogs.
I'm sure there is a lot learned about human survival wear there too.
The preferred fuel used to heat the water for the dogs is gas line antifreeze.

[DAVEW0071]

I'm confused.

I thought a lot of the world's greatest athletes were pushing up daisies right now. Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Jim Thorpe, Joe DiMaggio, Sonia Henie, Jackie Robinson, Paavo Nurmi, Jesse Owens. Dead. All of them dead.

------------------
The Dave-Guy
"Since my daughter's only half-Jewish, can she go in up to her knees?" J.H. Marx

[justwannano]

SSSHHHHH
You will just get jayburner going again (Who would win Sonia Hennie or Seargent Prestons Lead dog King)
When most of those athletes were living we had no idea about the distance a dog could run. From what they say on the websight it seems to be the norm to run for 6 to 8 hours and rest the same amount. Amazing.