Being a Musher

Mushing Loon Iowa Sunrise Run

Alice Waiting to Run

The Loon and His Dogs on Our Farm

Mushing in a blizzard-Iowa style

Saturday's blizzard was my first opportunity in weeks to take advantage of a little mushing. Brownie was already outside, on the loose. I went into the barn and harnessed up Biscuit, leaving Krunchy alone in the barn, crying to come along. No way was I going to let Krunchy come along with us. He ran half a mile ahead of us and did whatever he wanted to do. It is not fun when he gets the other two all excited and not paying any attention to me. After harnessing up Biscuit I brought the pretty vivid red harness for Brownie. She sat at my feet and let me put it on her. She usually is hard to get dressed but today she wanted to go for a run. Got everyone hitched and went to get the sled that hangs in the garage. We headed east to the waterway. There was about 4 inches of snow on the ground in places, and just covering the grass in others. Temperature was 12 degrees but falling. We saw a big green Chevy truck and thought it was Dad so we ran back home. It was not him. So we attempted for the second time to head east to the waterway. When we went about 30 yards and got to the same spot we were at when we saw the other truck, there was dad. So we ran back to the house to talk with him. Then we headed west out to the cornfield.The wind from the northwest was howling and blowing hard snow pellets into our face. I walked alongside the sled and let the dogs trot ahead not having to pull any wait. It is hard walking in the earth turned field. Bumpy and the remnants of corn stalks sometimes snags the sled. Alas, we made it to the waterway that goes to the timber. This was great, smooth sailing for the most part. The dogs were happy to run along and I would push off with my left foot keeping my right foot on the sled. Then we came to the edge of the timber. I stopped to get the newly made brake out because I knew the hill down to the river bottom was steep and fast as that is the one the Loon wiped out on weeks ago. So I checked out the new brakes and decided it would be safe and worked. SO mushing the dogs down the trail, ever so slowly we walked down the trail. The snow was too deep, it got caught up on the brake so every 10 yards I would have to stop to clear it. So much for going fast. When we got to the bottom of the hill I could see the river, the Wapsipinicon or the Wapsi as everyone calls it. IT was moving fast for this time of the year. I wanted a closer looked so anchoring the dogs I walked quietly and carefully to the edge of the river. IT has a steep bank and the edge of the river is frozen unlike the other side that was moving swiftly. I laid down on my belly to watch. I had to keep the dogs a distance from me or they would have given me kisses and licks and jumps and more kisses and licks and jumps. Biscuit loves to love. Getting up carefully, we left to continue on the trail. It is a snowmobile trail but no one had been along for weeks. The dogs did pretty good until we were on ice. Now, I didn't know how deep the water was where we were on. Usually during the winter months, the river is low and the bottom timber is dried up. But we were walking on ice. The dogs decided they didn't want to pull so much, so I ended up just walking behind the sled, laying my arms across the handle bar on the sled. The ice was cracking and we were watching closely, because the last thing I wanted to do was to fall into some waterhole that had just enough water to soak me, without drowning and I would have to walk back to the house pulling the sled. As we followed the river, I noticed we were below the level of the river, not sure what it meant but beginning to feel a little edgy. Just as I thought we were close to being out I slipped and fell. Oh shit. Was the ice going to break? That was my first thought. Quickly, I jumped up before the dogs could jump all over me. I notice the creaking of the ice and needed to get off this stuff right away. Looking to the south I saw we had a bank to go up and we would be high enough the water would not get us if there were a flash flood. We weren't in any real danger, but I think about stuff happening so I will know what to do if and when it ever does happen. Living on the edge. So there I was, just steps from climbing out of the river bottom and I couldn't climb up the bank, it was ice covered. I couldn't get a grip. I was yelling at the dogs, pull me pull me get going but they wanted to love me, kiss me, jump on me, and love me, kiss me and jump onto my face. WHY? Didn't they know we could be trapped out here, never to return until the spring thaw? After finally getting Biscuit to relax was I able to crawl on my knees and fingers to the top of the bank. And running as far as we could away from there. Walking thru yet another cornfield, partial plowed with cornstalks sticking up to grab onto the sled every twenty steps, and Brownie not wanting to pull at all now, it was still a blizzard and I was sore from falling on the ice, twice. About every 10 steps there would be a different smell. Rabbit? Deer? Fox? Squirrel? Only the dogs knew for sure and they wanted to check out every smell, one at a time. By now, the blizzard was rolling strong and I was having to just walk behind the sled. They would not pull me at all, not even with me pushing with my left foot. I had a good mile plus to walk. And I forgot to go to the bathroom before I left. I just wanted to get out there and forgot to go. Now I am a mile from home, beat up from falling on the ice, twice, and I have two dogs that only want to stop every ten steps to smell what lies below the snow. Needless to say, it was a long journey for half a mile until we reached the eastern waterway. Now, we were within site of home and I fell again. Into a big hole. I didn't see it, but it was there and so was Biscuit right on top of me. Love and kisses and jumping. Double duty for Biscuit. And Brownie didn't want to pull at all. I finally stopped the sled and tried to see what was bothering her. She let me take off her harness but in the process she began overly excited and ended up putting her mouth into my nose. OUCH! It hurt and she didn't mean to bite me, but that is what happened. So now she is loose, I am sore and have a bloody nose and it is a blizzard, and I have now almost wet my pants. I didn't have a phone with me and my husband was not around. I forgot to tell him where I was going and when I would be home. As good fortune would have it, he pulled in the driveway with his big-ass truck. He noticed my nose and wondered what happened. I told him he could read all about it on our blog. The blizzard continued for several hours, and I felt fine until the next day. Sore all over. My nose is ok and Brownie and Biscuit are ready for some more mushing fun. Tune in next week to see what happens.

Mushing Photos

Check out some photos of us mushing at The Loon's Mushing Report.

WHAT I HAVE DONE RECENTLY

BY ANGIE
It's Feb. 1st and I have been busy this year. Just wanted to share some of the things that have been keeping me busy. I'm sure you all are on the edge of your seats so here goes.
I got a new job. No longer am I slaving over writing promos for the news department at kgan/kfxa tv. I have been appointed at the University of Iowa as Educational Media Coordinator II at the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. When I figure out exactly WHAT my title means I will share it with you. For right now, I am the assistant to Head of the Production Unit, Bob Burns. Bob used to work at KGAN. So, it has been a blast so far. Just finished my 3rd week on the job. Tim came over after his gig on friday to get the nickel tour.
The 100s had two gigs in Janaury. One around Jan 10th. at Springville at the Legion. Good show. We went out for breakfast afterward, which meant driving to Cedar Rapids. Tim was mad at me, but I was hungry. A girl has got to eat.
Then the 100s played an unplugged gig at the Java House in Iowa City, Friday Jan. 30th. Filled the room and more. Great show. It aired on the radio, IPR so cool. They did videotape it so you can watch it somewhere, sometime, at a date which I don't know.
We have been taking the dogs out on the snowmobile, or snowmachine, trails about once a week to get them some exercise. Tim wiped out, as you may have read last weekend. We went today and had a better run. We did not let Krunchy go with us so it helped Brownie focus on leading. HEr and BIscuit did a great job. PRoud of both of them. They pulled me a long ways. Tim made a new break for him when he went down the mountian trail. He didn't wipe out, the break worked great. We are now in the house, sweaty and tired but feeling great about the dogs. They did a super job.
The daughter is performing in speech and is going to the state contest for her group mime. We are proud of her.
The teen son is using Motley Crue to wake us up ev ery morning. At 6:15 every morning. Even when he is not here. He is playing basketball, and although I have only been able to attend one game, Tim took the video camera and I was able to watch another. HE seems to enjoy it and even remembered the other guys from the other teams that he played against during football. That is the cool part about playing sports, meeting the other team and sometimes making friends.
Saw Tim's other son at the gig Friday and turns out he has class in the building I work at. Maybe he'll look me up more?
Would recommend reading the book "winterdance" by Gary Paulsen, if you like reading about life, obstacles, dogs, outdoors, dreams, and the iditarod. Good book. Easy reading, fast paced. Good. 5 stars. And I finished the book I got for Tim for Christmas, by Neil Peart "Roadshow" good book and again, easy to read, fast paced, could keep reading for hours on end if I had the time. He (Peart) is similar in many ways to Tim. Or vice versa. So I totally understood his lack of enthusiasm for being a rock star. Like I said, great book worth the read. Especially if you are a Tim Looney fan, a Rush fan, or a DRUMMER.
Now we are preparing for Feb. the time of the year when winter doesn't go by fast enough. Looking forward to selecting seeds from the catalogues, planting new trees, and baseball and softball season.
Stop in and visit friends or family. We welcome ya'll.

Mushing On Ice

By Angie
I'll admit it. I am now a musher. And in the two plus weeks I have taken out my two dogs, Brownie and Biscuit with Krunchy off-leash leading our way, I have bruised my elbows, hyper-extended my knee, and almost flipped myself over the sled onto the ice glacier of an Iowa waterway. This is the most dangerous sport I have ever done! Just when it starts getting fun, something happens and BAM! I find myself beat up. Realistically, I don't think my body can take it. It is tough. So kudos to all those mushers. I'll stick to being an amateur. And my question to you is this: How do you run dogs on solid sheets of ice?

Tonight is the Premiere of "Toughest Race On Earth: Iditarod"

Tonight is the premiere of the Discovery Channel series "Toughest Race On Earth: Iditarod".

The series will air at 10PM Eastern Time tonight, and repeat at 11PM ET, 2AM ET early Wednesday, Friday night at 10PM ET, early Saturday morning at 2AM ET, and Saturday morning at 11AM ET.

Tune in for coverage of the race start in Anchorage and Willow. Meet mushers and their dogs. Learn behind-the-scenes strategies and training methods. See exclusive interviews.

Road Creatures

This fall as you walk down an Iowa gravel road, maybe you'll notice those creatures in nature we call slimy, creepy, crawlers. As it turns out, this season there are so many caterpillars crossing the roads and the snakes as well. All summer I have been looking for the snakes. Not too often did I see them slithering in the grass and into the underbrush. I thought maybe the chickens killed them all. But alas, they are out in full sun on those dusty roads the dogs and I walk most every morning. Today was no different. About every 20 steps there is a caterpillar creeping across. The black and brown fuzzy ones. The same type I captured every fall and brought them into our house. I never knew my sister didn't like them. I would put grass in their home and sticks. Every morning they were gone. The vase I kept them in was short and shallow. I guess they escaped. The dogs love to check out each one as we walk the gravel. IT doesn't matter how many we look at, they all need to be investigated.
Speaking of wildlife, every time I drive past the hog confinement center about 3 miles from our home, I see the same coyote hanging out. He is reddish brown, kind of shaggy. I guess you would say he is living high off the hog. Loon wants him dead. I like to see him. As long as he is not killing chickens, he can stay over there.
And readers, we got our harnesses and ropes for the sled dog team. Loon and I took them out yesterday (Sunday) and walk the waterway to the neighbors road and back home. We were only out there for an hour, but we were beat after doing it. Biscuit is the leader. We tried Krunchy, he kept trying to go to the right. HE pulled pretty hard. Brownie is the best sled dog. She is so good. She just stays in line and follows Biscuit. His ropes are too long. They need to be shortened so he is not too far ahead of everyone.
We'll get some pictures and post sometime.
Keep on reading and write in your comments readers!
Angie

TOUGHEST RACE ON EARTH: IDITAROD

Discovery Channel has announced the premiere of TOUGHEST RACE ON EARTH: IDITAROD, on Tuesday, October 7 at 10 PM ET/PT.

Produced by Thom Beers, creator of Deadliest Catch and Ice Road Truckers, the six one-hour episodes will follow mushers and their dog teams as they take on the elements, the cold and the trail conditions – as they race each other over one thousand miles across Alaska in The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.

View trailer:

What's YOUR Name?

Readers. Now is your chance for some inter-active fun. Just follow the directions . You know, if it says to name your pet rock....Loon is BLUE and ANGIE is pink. I thought that would be easy to distinguish. Added is one of our FAVORITE READERS...FRANKIE! She's in orange. Pinky Brewster is PINK.
1.. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (first pet & current car)Pandy Ranger
Scooter Pilot
Cthulu Windstar
Lily Lumania
2.YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (fave ice cream flavor, favorite cookie)Vanilla Chocolate Chip
Cold Chewy
New York Fudge Snickerdoodle
Cookie Dough Peanut Butter
3. YOUR "FLY Guy/Girl" NAME: (first initial of first name, first three letters of your last name)T-Loo
A-Loo
F-Sto
D-Cla
4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal)Detective Black Dog
Detective Black Cat
Detective Purple Owl
Detective Pink Panda
5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city where you were born)Michael Solon (that sounds like a porn name LOON!)
Janine Sigourney
Diane St Luke
Rayn Austin
6. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first)
LooTi
LooAn
StoFr
Cla-Da
7. SUPERHERO NAME: ("The" + 2nd favorite color, favorite drink)The Red Whiskey
The Purple Coffee
The Orange Cola
The Light Purple Gatorade
8. NASCAR NAME: (the first names of your grandfathers)Deyo
Ham Herbert
Posey Deyo
Sam Les
9. STRIPPER NAME: ( the name of your favorite perfume/cologne/scent, favorite candy)Drakkar M&M
Obsession Free
Cabotine Snickers
Paris Hilton Starburst
10.WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother's & father's middle names )Phelan S.
Leslie Sue
Edith Smith
Janine Reinhard
11. TV WEATHER ANCHOR NAME: (Your 5th grade teacher's last name, a major city that starts with the same letter)Fiala Fresno
Heyer Houston
Casady Chicago
Higgins Helena
12. SPY NAME/BOND GIRL: (your favorite season/holiday, flower)Fall Morning Glory
Halloween Bleeding Heart
Autumn Hollyhock
Christmas Lily
13. CARTOON NAME: (favorite fruit, article of clothing you're wearing right now + "ie" or "y")Banana Shorty
Apple Pantie
Pear Crocky
Peach Capri-ie
14. HIPPY NAME: (What you ate for breakfast, your favorite tree)Coffee Cottonwood
Granola Oak
Soy Maple
Cereal Christmas Tree
15. YOUR ROCKSTAR TOUR NAME: ("The" + Your fave hobby/craft, fave weather element + "Tour")The Drums Raining Tour
The Guitar Thunderstorm Tour
The Sudoku Storm Tour
The Volleyball Snow Tour
GIVE IT A SWIRL AND TELL US YOUR NEW NAMES! I will add your new names to our list if you send them in to us.

Exciting New Blog!

Head on over to "The Loon's Mushing Report" http://mushingloon.blogspot.com/ for up-to-the-minute stories, rumors and facts about mushing and sleddog racing!

I'll still keep you up to date on the biggest stories in the sport on this page, but for a more detailed, day-to-day report, hit the link!

Hike!

No ESPY for Lance

Champion musher Lance Mackey did not win an ESPY this year, for the second year in a row. Lance was nominated for "Best Outdoor Athlete of the Year". The winner was Army Captain Scott Smiley, blinded in Iraq, he climbed Mount Rainier in Washington state in July 2007.

Not to discredit Captain Smiley, but Lance's accomplishment deserved to win. It was as if Lance Armstrong won the Tour de France twice in the same year, two weeks apart, and then did that two years in a row! Talk about an "Iron Man" - the Incredible Lance Mackey!

Oh well, we'll keep mushing as an obscure sport.

It'll be our little secret!

Groundbreaking Discovery Channel Series Chronicles One of the Toughest Races on Earth

- Premiering October 2008, IDITAROD (working title) Shows a Musher's Preparation is No Match for Mother Nature -

SILVER SPRING, Md., July 10, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Discovery Channel continues its exploration into and chronicling of the fascinating world around us with the groundbreaking series IDITAROD (wt). The world premiere of this original series is slated for October 2008. This historic 1,150 mile sled dog race over some of the world's most beautiful -- and most challenging -- terrain was documented from beginning to end through the eyes of the men and women who dared to take on the monumental challenge.

In this six-part series, viewers will get a rare look into one of the harshest races on the planet -- The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Across frozen rivers, barren tundra, mountains and thick forest in freezing temperatures, this grueling race from Anchorage to Nome puts mushers and their dog teams through the ultimate test of human and animal teamwork and endurance.

"This new series truly defines adventure programming," said John Ford, president and general manager of Discovery Channel. "Viewers will once again travel back to Alaska, one of the toughest places on earth, where they will see the sheer will and determination it takes for men and women to compete in and complete this 1,150 mile race. The stories of these competitors deserve to be told and we are proud to do it."

Mushers from around the world convene in Alaska each March to run the "Last Great Race on Earth." Some prepare all year for this legendary race while others fit in training around their full-time jobs. Some are carrying on a proud family tradition while others are first generation mushers. Discovery Channel will follow returning race veterans and rookies alike to see, through their eyes, what it takes to compete not only against each other but also Mother Nature.

Copyright (C) 2008 PR Newswire. All rights reserved

Vote for Musher Lance Mackey for an ESPY

In 2007, dog musher Lance Mackey proved the impossible is possible winning two 1,000 mile races back to back. So, in 2008, he decided to do it again.

Now the only musher on the face of the planet to win back to back 1000 mile (plus) races is headed back to Hollywood for the second year in a row as the ESPY nominee in the category of “Best Outdoor Athlete.”

“Last year I was in awe… it is a very big deal… and some of the greatest names in sports are a part of it. It’s a humbling experience to just be nominated. But this time around I’m going to soak it all up and enjoy myself.” said Mackey.

The ESPY’s are voted on by the public. Anyone can cast their ballot online by logging on to: http://promo.espn.go.com/espn/specialsection/espys2008/#/voting/bestoutdoorathlete/. Log on today and cast your vote for the athlete who best exemplifies the “Best Outdoor Athlete” in sports: Lance Mackey!

Sign up is free!

by the Iditarod.com staff