Preparing for the Iditarod requires more than the daily training runs with
the dogs. All of the supplies that both Paul and the team will require
during their 1,100 mile journey must be packaged and shipped in advance of
their leaving the starting line. Paul will be on the trail an average of
9-10 days during the Iditarod, so this is no small factor in the success of
the team.

Since sled dogs are truly canine athletes, the nutrition they receive needs
to reflect that. Over 2,200lbs. of food and supplies will be shipped out
in Paul's food drops. A working sled dog will burn between 10,000 to 26,000 calories in a twenty-four hour period. To replenish this, their diet
consists of a high protein/ high fat ratio commercial dog food. This dog
food has a much higher ratio than normal "pet" dog food. Paul also supplements this kibble with various meats. In this photo, you will see
packages of sliced fish and meat ready for packing. The dogs eat meats such as lamb, beef and horse, as well as fat and a great deal of salmon. Our kennel is located in an area with several commercial salmon fishing
canneries, which allows us access to salmon and salmon parts for our dogs. One of the favorite treats of our Alaskan Huskies is a frozen fish head.

On the race trail, Paul will mix meat with the dry food and top it off with
hot water. This makes a savory broth that both hydrates and nourishes the
dogs. He heats the water in a special "cooker" he carries in his sled. It
is a self contained unit that has a spot on the base that holds a small
piece of fiberglass insulation. The fuel that is used is automotive "Heet"
- the same alcohol base that is poured into a gas tank in cold climates.
This burns hot and quick, and serves to heat the metal container that sits
above it which Paul will fill with water or snow. All of the mushers carry
some variation of this same type of cooking device, as it is required race
gear.

The mandatory race gear is purposefully selected so that a musher has all of
the necessary supplies they will need to effectively care for themselves as
well as their team out on the trail. There are sections of the Iditarod
that are over 100 miles between checkpoints, with no resources to turn to
other than what the musher is carrying in their sled. Some of the standard
race gear a musher will have keep with them at all times include: the
self-contained cooker, feeding dishes, a cold weather sleeping bag, an ax,
snowshoes and extra food for the dogs.

They will also carry enough dog booties for every dog on their team. These
are specially made sock-like boots that fit over a dog's paw and are secured
on their ankle with a wrap of velcro. During the course of the Iditarod,
Paul will go through about 1200 booties, as they are replaced each time he
stops to rest the team, or if they get wet. The booties are important in
protecting the dogs' feet from bits of ice and the snow that would otherwise
push up between the pads of their feet. These used booties are a popular
memento to Iditarod fans.

In addition to the food the dogs will require during the Iditarod, Paul also
needs to pack sufficient food for himself to last over 10 days. Although
the mushers normally have access to soup or stew at the checkpoints, they
need to be prepared to be self efficient on the trail. We will package
Paul's personal food into vacuum sealed bags. When he is heating the water
for the dogs in his cooker, he will toss that sealed bag of his own food
into the hot water, which will heat it right up. Everything from McDonalds
cheeseburgers to homemade breakfast burritos and pork sandwiches go into
these packages.

It is also extremely important for Paul to stay hydrated on the trail.
Every year our sponsor Blockbuster Video helps out in providing the snacks that Paul will eat on the trail. One of the key things they provide are the juice bags that Paul uses. These too will be packaged into vacuum sealed bags for heating in the hot water. As dehydration is the main cause of hypothermia in the cold, Paul maintains a regimen of drinking one juice box or bottle of water for every 10 miles he travels. He also drinks cartons of chocolate milk, as the calcium aids in alleviating leg cramps that come from running from behind the sled and standing on the narrow runners in the cold. (Paul enjoys a carton of chocolate milk at the end of the 2008 Iditarod in Nome, Alaska)

Paul is as much a veterinarian as a coach to his team on the trail. His
food drops also contain an array of different ointments that he carries to
treat any ailment the dogs may have. He will spend a tremendous amount of
time rubbing ointment into the dogs' feet when they are resting, as they are
like the tires of the team. If the "tire" goes bad, the dog will be flown
back home and will not continue in the race. To keep the tubes of ointment
pliable at below freezing temperatures, Paul carries them close to his body
inside his jacket. (in this photo, you can see the many pockets built into Paul's parka to carry ointment and juices to keep them from freezing)

In addition to the food for the dogs, the ointments, Paul's food, his extra
clothing and gear, extra plastic to put on the runners of the sled and dog
booties that we ship out to the checkpoints, there is also straw that is
shipped out to the checkpoints. The dogs will sleep on this when they rest.
Sometimes Paul will leave a checkpoint without resting the dogs there, and
will carry the bale of straw out on the trail. He may do this to allow the
dogs to rest quietly away from all the media and bustle at a checkpoint, or
it may be that the team is at a certain point in their run schedule that
they are not ready to rest when they arrive at a checkpoint. Ideally, Paul
maintains a run/rest schedule that has the team running about 6 hours and
resting 4-6 hours. He takes advantage of the "warm" part of the day to rest
the dogs when possible, and will travel deep into the hours of midnight to
provide them the opportunity to move while it is cooler.

Are you interested in supporting the team? teamfan@aspenhollowlodging.com