March 9, 2005
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Wolf Pack Update:
This week, a biologist flew over the range of the Toklat/East Fork wolf
pack in and around Denali National Park. He saw two of the
estimated eight surviving members of the pack. It is thought by
some people that the pack split up and scattered after their alpha
female was trapped and killed recently. The state game board is
considering instituting a trapping buffer zone on state lands
surrounding the national park.
Iditarod race update:Throughout the day, I can keep up with the latest standings at iditarod.com, but what I most enjoy are the daily updates from aprn.org,
the Alaska Public Radio Network. This morning, I listened to
Jacques Philip explain why he had scratched, and heard Dallas Seavey
talk about the rough trail that broke one of his runners, allowing him
to be passed by Rachael Scdoris and her minder Paul Ellering, whose
average speed is 4.8 MPH.
Dallas then borrowed Philip’s sled and continued the race. He is
training one of his family’s puppy teams this year. His father
and one brother are also in this year’s Iditarod.Doug and I both got some laughs out of hearing Hugh Neff talk about how
he “loves up” his dogs to keep them happy, and about the one “girl” who
is in heat now, running out in front keeping the “boys” going.Robert Sorlie of Norway, the 2003 winner, is still out in front with
all 16 dogs, averaging 7.4 MPH. He, Martin Buser, and Ramy Brooks
(with 15 dogs each) are out of Takotna. Dee Dee Jonrowe (with 14
dogs) and five other mushers are in Takotna.Judy Merrit, running last and averaging 4.6 MPH is on the trail between
Rainy Pass and Rohn, the stretch that includes the challenging Dalzell
Gorge. All the rest of the mushers are in Rohn checkpoint or
beyond. Nobody has yet completed the mandatory 8 hour layover.
Trivia Contest
Question #3:True or False –
A number of drugs such as anabolic steroids, central nervous system
stimulants, muscle relaxants and opiates are banned from the
race. Mushers and their dogs are subject to urine and blood tests
for drugs during and for six hours after they finish the race.
Comments (5)
Geez, I hope that would be False just because I hope people wouldn’t even consider pumping their dogs with stuff like that. But somehow I suspect that it would be an issue…
I’ll answer later so you don’t have to delete it
true!!!!
AP story raises important questions about testing dogs for drugs:
“Dogs, not mushers, are tested for steroids, stimulants and other performance-enhancing drugs in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.”
“When the teams of veterinarians examine the dogs at the checkpoints, they go around with cups attached to sticks to collect urine samples. Dogs are subject to collection of urine or blood samples at the discretion of the testing vets at any point from the pre-race exam until 6 hours after the teams finish in Nome. No one has been found to be doping their dogs, but there are suspicions among some mushers that it’s been done, if not in the race, then in training.”
- Steve Wilstein, Associated Press, March 8, 2005
I can’t tell if you’re generalizing or trying to trick us
Mushers are not subject to most of those test, only the dogs. Mushers may be tested for illegal drug use or excessive use of alcohol (hmm, by who’s definition?) until 1 hr after they finish the race. So true if you’re generalizing, otherwise false.