Melanie Gould-Iditarod Dog Musher

"In wildness is the preservation of the world.....life consists of wildness. The most alive is the wildest.
In short, all good things are wild and free."
- Henry David Thoreau -

Photo by Doug Gualtieri

News - January, 2008 - Melanie Gould withdraws from '08 Iditarod

 Mel and the dogs have decided to take a break from racing this year to focus on some other aspects of their lives. They may well return in the future, but for now they  will be enjoying the peace of their cabin in the mountains...

News from the Dogstead, Spring, 2007
 

The story of Iditarod 2007 - what happened at Rainy Pass...

Spring is here and with the new green growth and long daylight hours, I reflect on the long, eventful winter. The dogs and I placed 1st, 4th, and 5th in our mid-distance races and we were looking forward to a great run to Nome. Well, the Iditarod had a surprise in store for us. Two miles out of Finger Lake, my left runner snapped in half. I hadn't hit anything - I guess the metal was just cold and fatigued. (I had used this same sled for my last three Iditarods.) Using my hose clamps, tuna line (a small strong rope used for lashing), and even duct tape, I did everything possible to keep the broken piece from sliding completely off. Nothing worked, and I lost the entire thing.

Steering a sled pulled by fifteen dogs, on one foot, one runner, through the windy, steep treacherous trail to Rainy Pass was the roughest, worst and wildest ride of my life. In many spots it was impossible to steer around steep downhill corners and the sled and I crashed numerous times. There was very little snow, so there was sidehill glaciation and stumps and trees sticking out everywhere. I used my left leg as a ski and ran on the left side where the runner was supposed to be. This proved to be the best way to keep some control.

After 30 miles of crashing and running behind the team, I was completely exhausted when we reached Rainy Pass. My body was numb, not from cold, but from over-exertion. The adrenaline hid the pain and kept me from sleeping for days after. Discouraged, I watched the hours tick by as I tried to clear my head and focus on getting another sled to keep going. Two other mushers had injured themselves on the way and decided to scratch. Neither one of them wanted me to take their sled. This didn't help my spirits. My other two racing sleds were on their way to McGrath and Unalakleet. After 24 hours with no sleep, no sled, and little food, my motivation to keep racing had dwindled. Scratching from a race had never before entered my mind. At this moment it seemed like the logical option.

Suddenly, there I was, driving my howling, unbeatable strong dog team to the airplane who was to take us home. It was only then that the tears came. The reality of leaving too soon our beloved trail, this premature ending to our journey, struck my core. I apologized to the pilot for the tears I could not hide. I have always believed that everything happens for a reason, so this experience held its own lessons to learn from. In my 8 years of mushing and racing, I have been incredibly lucky. I guess a little bad luck was due!

It didn't take long for my race spirit to be rekindled and a few weeks later we flew to Kotzebue to run the Kobuk 440. We took 8th place in a very competitive field and had a wonderful time doing so. Now we are looking towards next year.

A few words about the treatment of Iditarod sled dogs... for PETA and others concerned...

Over the years, the Iditarod and sport of dug mushing has been controversial. Some people question the care and conduct between mushers and their dogs. As someone who cherishes my dogs and enjoys racing, I feel it is my responsibility to address these concerns. Just as parents have different ways of parenting, so mushers choose to train their dogs differently. Most of us dedicate our entire lives to caring for these sled dogs. As for myself, there is no greater bond that exists than that of my dogs and I, who I've raised since birth. Their well-being is my highest concern - always above winning a race. To those of you who question the integrity of this sport - especially PETA - remember there are "bad apples" in all walks of life. And until you truly understand something, you cannot fairly judge it. If you are sincerely concerned, then please, I invite you to meet my yard full of happy, exuberant dogs and we'll go for a ride. You may then judge for yourself!

I believe that beyond the competitive aspect, beyond the egos and dollar signs exist the deeper values that embody the Iditarod experience. Humility, Compassion, Perseverance, Foresight, Honesty, and Trust should be leading the teams who participate in the Last Great Race. These values should be leading us as a human race as well. Planetary change is born within each one of us and the choices we make everyday. Maintaining integrity and balance in our personal lives is the greatest contribution we can make towards a stable and peaceful world.

CONTRIBUTIONS
to Melanie Gould’s effort in the Iditarod Sled Dog Race: