March 7 Iditarod - Meanwhile Back in Willow - Bet

Ok, I know I promised to tell you "The Story of Irving", and I will, but I have to get some information out there first!

To help the Musher pay for gas to get home (and we all know how expensive that is getting) and other expenses, Donna Photographer Minion is holding a one of a kind, you won't find these items anywhere ever, ever again cools stuffs and things!

Items include Eagle Pack Iditarod hats signed by Karen Ramstead herself.  Eagle Pack is a proud sponsor of North Wapiti and they make a tasty food... I like mine with a little milk in the morning.  There are pink hats and and black hats with flames on them... hmmm, it would have better if they had pants with flames... hehehehe... oh, anyway.

There are TWO available really cool Exxon's Iditarod Sponsorship posters with the picture of Karen and the Pretty Sled Dogs taken by Jeff Schultz (the official Iditarod photographer) that are autographed by Karen that are available!  And an Iditarod banquet centerpiece is also available!!!

Go check out the mini auction right now!!!  Then come back for more scoops, I'll wait for you to bid and come back.

Ok, ready for more scoops?

Ok, so.... speaking of Mooses.  I got this message from Richard today:

"Donna and I were going to run today with her 4 and 'my' 8 - just had a message back from local trail groomer that he's just been beaten up out where we were heading - black eye and broken collar bone !! MMmmm not going now !! Haven't got my big moose stopper with me, Karen has it !! Staying home, digging out kennels, watching tracker, more partying"

Of course he's kidding about the partying... well, they are playing Wii tennis tonight in the house, but that's not really partying.  I really don't like those Mooses!

Ok, I've made you wait long enough.  And now....


The Story of Irving

I've had a lot of questions about Irving.  A LOT of questions.  Mainly, they were wondering if after the Moose stomping was he really back on the team.  Yes, yes he was.

If "be on the team" you meant that he was out with the other Curly Tails training, but not scheduled to be on the Iditarod team... no, he was scheduled to run in the Iditarod, he was going to be the big wheel dog on the Iditarod team running out there right now... but...

Do you remember us talking about how much snow there was?  Do you remember a picture of Crunchie looking back in disgust at all of the snow there was?  Yeah, that was a lot of snow, and during one of the last training runs, the Pretty Curly Tails were out breaking some trail in that new snowfall.  As a matter of fact, here is a picture of that actual training run.

Exhibit A: Irving up ahead with Karen's team breaking trail

During the breaking of the trail, there was a scuffle.  Irving stuffed his head in a snow bank, Charge got angry and Irving suffered a puncture to his non-moose stomped leg.

Exhibit B: Richard's team waiting for the tussle to get broken up

 Irving was on the start list to run on the morning of the start, but the Musher had him checked out by the vet because there was some swelling and he was still favoring that leg... and both the vet and the Musher decided that he shouldn't run.  The Musher really wanted Irving to go, but there was no way she would risk his health.

So here is Irving at Willow

He is NOT speaking to Charge ever again.

Here he is hanging out with Fritter... apparently Moose stomping and puncture wounds are chick magnets.

- Bet