2/ Don't remember if I've posted this before but you might enjoy it - it does tell the story of what it took three mushers to get to and run the Yukon Quest, and one of my all-time favorite Eagle Summit stories, at about 15:40
1/ I tend to think that they need to raise a lot of money to be able to spend a lot of money on things that don't have directly to do with the race itself, like the circus in Anchorage on Saturday. So I agree with you but I think they've painted themselves into a corner.
Well, FWIW I think that's what they hired him for, and honestly I think the race has improved a lot in terms of things like dog care over the past 5 years or so. Back under Stan, when stuff went wrong they'd just circle the wagons and do damage control rather than fix things, and that's changed.
3/ are running their dogs just for the joy and beauty of it (for example, Team Tsuga Siberians), and sharing some of what they experience. Iditarod is crass but the sport is not. And if you're able, come on up and volunteer at something like the Copper Basin. It'll take your breath away.
2/ every dog is very good. I think social media has been bad for the sport, with even some small races chasing clicks and likes. But still, the local races give you a chance to see people at the beginnings of their careers, and if you're on Facebook you'll find people who
1/ A lot of what they choose to show us is "hokum for the yokels" and I think the race makes a lot of decisions that are not in the best interest of the dogs, but underneath all that is a very good race with some of the best dogs in the world. And that's not a small thing, given that
Aker Biomarine was the outfit behind the failed Qrill PAWS series of distance races - he's been whacking away at being involved for quite some time.
I'm good with the notion of an expedition class but this business of selling what dignity the race still had to some billionaire bucket-lister by giving him a bib is by no means the worst thing happening at the moment but it's definitely low-key gross.
You know when your eyes get to rolling and they roll so hard they roll right out of your head? I hate that.
GLORIOUS 🐣 🪶
And poor fishing, of course
I won’t defend Markwayne, but I’ll defend his goddamn name. It’s a fuckin name. People get assigned and/or choose names that other people think are weird enough to make fun of all the time due to no shortage of race and class and gender asininity
His name is fine; his politics suck
This is why you need photojournalists
'Big, Beautiful' auction for drilling rights in Cook Inlet is a bust alaskapublic.org/news/2026-03...
Hey, shitcoins are making a comeback! Maybe it's time for Iditacoin redux. (I still wonder how much they lost on that)
Interesting that McCabe thinks that there's a law mandating it.
This week's hearings on the Dunleavy administration's decision to hand over Alaska's voter rolls, including confidential information like private addresses (you're allowed to list a mailing address in the public-facing file), have been fascinating and a bit frustrating.
My write-up:
#akleg
AI is undermining labor power.
We need leaders in Washington who not only understand that, but will fight to protect collective bargaining and support workers through the AI revolution.
Dunno, but it looks like it's going to be cold in the interior midweek.
I'm willing to try to find common ground with people with whom I've got significant differences on policy but draw the line at folks who don't respect the value and dignity of other people. I'm not sure what I'd do if I lived in Maine and he was the nominee but I do think Platner is a huge problem
Accepted, but still, the general notion that bigotry is to be expected from rural folk and that we can and should make room for it in order to grow the coalition is pretty noxious. There are plenty of lefty rural people without Nazi baggage.
It bothers me no small amount that there seems to be some notion among <gesturing vaguely> that if you're going to find a rural and/or working class progressive, *of course* they're also going to have antisemitic/homophobic/whatever baggage and we just have to live with that. Not so.
Inshallah. It'll be here for you, if we can ever dig our way out to it through this ridiculous snow!
Hey, I see we're expecting some -30F next week.
2/ And it's a storied, historic trail through some amazing country, and if they're running to Eagle this year they'll be crossing an international border. But basically it's what dogsled races used to be like.
1/ Well, Dawson is a special place, and these very northern small towns become incredibly celebratory in the spring. It's a very old-school race that attracts a mix of up-and-comers, trapline teams, and established kennels, and it's just a lot of fun.
This weekend is, of course, one of the best dogsled races of the year - the Percy DeWolfe Memorial Mail Race, in Dawson City (YT). Starts tomorrow. Used to run to Eagle and back but it looks like it's turning around at 40-Mile rather than crossing the border. We'll find out soon enough!
That’s precisely how advanced the AI is
@borealchrys.bsky.social
