I'rod bike race?!

[Deerskin and Anja]

i just stumbled over a link to this, and i'm thinking, 'huh?!?'

http://www.alaskaultrasport.com/latest_news.html

it looks like they are running a bike race at the same time, and on the same route?? thats nuts! anyone know about this, or am i just sleepdeprived and imagining things...?

[Happy2BeHere]

I don't know much about it, but there are a few "alternative transportation" Irod races. This one takes placee before the dog race. And yep, I'd judge it to be pretyy "hard core!"

p.s. loved the laser pointer story Lost a Bully this year who was nuts for the flashlight -- used to run her all around the house (plus a few stairs) when she needed exercising and the weather was bad (she wouldn't go out)

[glengarrian]

I ran across that too. I dunno if I really were that allergic to dogs I still think I'd rather snowshoe.
The tracks they were leaving in the pictures left me even more concerned for their sobriety. But I guess if you want a
challenge . . .

[Deerskin and Anja]

that is nuts! but from what it said on that site, i got the impression that their race is still going on!

and yes, Anja is a pointer nut, and from what i've heard about bulls, i bet yours would have loved one too! here she is, one day when it was raining, and i didn't feel like mopping her up (she totally ignores weather, cold or hot, seems to love being out in it), so we set up an obstical course for her. by the time we were done, that jump was about 4 feet high, and i didn't want it higher, because i was afraid she would strain something and not be able to work. *she* wanted to keep going!

[Happy2BeHere]

Oh My Goodness If my RosePig had seen that, she'd have run right under it! Every stick of furniture would have flown inthe air, and then we would have had to ice her down! Pumpkin (my other bully, sitting beside me, curled in her bed, snoring, LOUDLY,) would have simpley cocked her ears as if to say: "So? Where is my cookie...?"

RosePig was a special girl. She was the runt of the litter--a bit worse for it. She was 12 years old when we finally admitted that she had earned her rest. Young for some breeds, but quite old for a bully.

[Deerskin and Anja]

i've heard a lot of good things about bullies, and often thought it would be neat to train one for my next SD. cool dogs!

anja is high maintance, and needs a lot of exercise, because she is from east German bloodlines, bred especially for police work and schutzhund....a pretty high octain dog! for my needs, its like having a forumula one race car when what i need is a practical lil VW! not what i would have chosen for myself, but she was a gift to me from my SD group.

[Happy2BeHere]

A Bully as an SD Okay, Pumpkin is up for therapy dog for seniors and others, but as a trainalbe dog that will do as it's told.....Oh nooooooo! Not the brightest bulb in the batch, but wonderful companions! Far too independant and "durrrrrrr?" Walking on a leash was a major accomplishment (and we're still not very good at that at 9 years old...) They will love you forever, however. And that's good enough for me!

[Johncn]

Hello,

Yes, there is a bicycle tradition on the Iditarod Trail, and a race that follows the route.

In fact, many more people walked and biked the Iditarod Trail than actually used dogsleds during the Gold Rush and early 1900's era. Dog sled rental or charter was too expensive for most people, and when the bicycle became popuar, there were many who biked the route. We are not talking mountain bikes here

The Alaska Historical Society has some information about the use of bicycles during the Gold Rush, as does Kevin Keeler at the BLM.

A Broken Chain and a Busted Pedal
http://www.icebike.org/History/HistBroken.htm

Here are some pictures of bicycle riders, and their snow bikes in Unalakleet this week on their way up the Iditarod Trail.

[Deerskin and Anja]

there are at least a couple folks in my group who have SDs that are part bully. they aren't for everyone, and not every dog is suitable for the work, but that is typical for all breeds. only a few are able to cope with the things a service dog deals with daily, and even when you think you have a dog in training that is going to make the grade, something can come up that the dog just can't hack. that was the case with one dog we were training for our son- Ross did just great on all his public access tests, was task trained for everything our son needed, but had one major hangup: he couldn't handle the sound of being in places like a gym or auditorium. scared the snot out of him, and since he was going to be working with our son in public high school, that was a must. so we wound up having to rehome him and try again. Diego is great, but Aric is no longer in school, because of the harassment and discrimination of the school staff against his use of a service dog for autism... so now we homeschool Aric...

[Heidi]

Most of my family are cyclists. I used to be really into road biking and regularly did 50-100 mile day rides. Kind of got out of it, but I still have one really good bike for when I get the itch. (Sold off my others.) My brother used to race and would probably enjoy something like this if it wasn't so far away.