July 14, 2004
Iditarod Headquarters
Photo by Jeannette Belliveau
Sled dogs at the Iditarod Headquarters crane their heads to see if a run of the tourist sled is imminent.
On the weekend of July 9-11, my hosts Darrell and Rose and I began the trip up to Talkeetna for a flight-seeing trip to Denali.
On the way we stopped in Wasilla to visit the Iditarod Headquarters. Here are its sled dogs waiting to give a $5 ride to tourists on a wheeled wagon, it being summertime the option of a sled with runners is not practical.
The dogs slumber quite out of it until four tourists are loaded on the sled and a ride appears imminent. Then they scramble to their feet, some so thrilled they stand on their hind legs and pirouette. The ride is over in a heartbeat, as the dogs race at what feels like 20 mph on a circular path at the headquarters.
Inside the main building are stuffed past Iditarod champions, framed photographs and a room where a video contains aerial shots of the race. One segment captured the grandeur of the scenery as the mushers pass alone through towering mountains with no sign of human development.
