Archives from Melanie Gould's website

"News From The Dogstead" Archives
Fall 2004
Fall 2005
Spring 2006

Iditarod Archives
Iditarod 2005
Iditarod 2006
Iditarod 2007

News from the Dogstead, Spring, 2006

It is my dream that through my Iditarod experience, I may somehow spark a passion in others for what I hold as true:  Nature - in all its simplicity and all of its complexity.  Our roots are nourished by the riches of the earth, but we live today without reverence for this connection.  We live within a system that encourages us to use more than we can possibly return.

It seems to me that all that we do to the earth, we do to ourselves.  Humanity is at stake as we lose our balanced natural environment.  As I experience the peace and clarity of wild Alaska with my team of dogs, I wonder why we have come so far from this reality.  On a personal level, I feel  we need to do everything we can to slow our consumption so that we can interrupt this destructive cycle.

People have long depended on animals in order to exist.  Whether by dog team or horse, with sheep or yak, animals have helped secure our chances of survival.  Our working relationship with animals shows that we are merely another strand in Nature's delicate web, completely dependent on all the Earth provides.

I wish everyone could experience the solitude, feel the rawness, and know the wisdom that exists within our natural world.  To be aware of these things makes one truly feel alive.  Perhaps you can come along on this natural journey with my dogs and I, absorb some of this vitality, and be inspired to connect in your own way with Nature.

I anticipate the journey of the Iditarod with more enthusiasm than ever.  I value this time alone with my dogs and the vast Alaskan landscape more than I can express.  I'm so grateful to all those who support our endeavor, time and time again.  You help us reach the starting line of the Last Great Race on earth, but you also help support our lifestyle.  A life of learning self-reliance and sustainability.  An existence that demands physical awareness and mental clarity.

As you follow the dogs and I to Nome, I hope these ideas follow you, too.

Happy Trails,

Melanie Gould
 

News From The Dogstead, Fall 2005

2006 Iditarod Photos and Articles can be found here.

Golden leaves are falling; the change of season is in the air. Endless summer days are quickly turning back into nights. The dogs and I feel winter in our bones… let the training runs begin!

Summer was beautiful, fast and furious here in Talkeetna, Alaska. Daily swimming trips with the dogs and tending to our expanded garden kept us busy for a while, and then… surprise! Jerome and I were given the opportunity to open a café on Main Street in Talkeetna. A chef for over 20 years, Jerome’s long break from the kitchen abruptly ended in mid-July. The Wildflower Café has been a demanding but fun project - as we enjoy creating and serving fresh, delicious homemade food.

The dogs have also been eating especially well lately, thanks to Dr. Tim Hunt who has created Momentum, a premium athletic dog food. We are sincerely excited to be feeding this great new product to our entire kennel, as well as distributing it here in Talkeetna. Please feel free to contact us with any questions. You may also check out www.drtims.com for more information.

I admit I was hesitant in signing up for the 2006 Iditarod Race. The financial and practical aspects of getting to the starting line always feel overwhelming. Again, I considered my motivations, knowing full well that I’m not the fierce-competitor type.

It all comes back to the dogs. Their undying passion for running and their spirit of adventure fuel mine. The Iditarod Trail has been stamped into our hearts and our minds. There is no escaping the clarity, the challenge, the wildness, the beauty that is found on the trail; a rite of passage into a world traveled by few.

As our social and political worlds are falling to disaster, as our environment is preyed upon by our own greedy hands, I live with a sense of urgency – as if knowing that within my lifetime, the last of the wilderness could be gone. I want to immerse myself in the world of the wolves, caribou and grizzly bears; feel the tundra under my toes, the chill of relentless Arctic winds. I want to travel the rivers of the mighty salmon, feel the ice of the Bering Sea move and moan beneath me. Passing over majestic mountain peaks and through country of the buffalo and polar bears, I sense a time that remembers life akin to Nature.

Like the dogs, my spirit lives within my natural surroundings. To understand Nature is to know perfection; to be human is to accept responsibility for its well-being. Together we run, towards a future where people and animals may live in balance with the Earth which sustains them…. Thanks for listening and joining me - in your own way - on this adventure, 

Happy Trails,

Melanie and the 2006 Racing Team

News From The Dogstead, Fall 2004

2005 Iditarod Photos and Articles can be found here.

Dear Friends, Family, and Dog Lovers,

As my team and I prepare for our 5th Iditarod Race, I’ve been thinking about why I’m driven to mush 1200 miles through the Alaskan Wilderness once again. I find myself in constant pursuit of truth and understanding, trying to figure out how I fit into a changing world. It seems that as society progresses, we have gradually left behind the natural order of things. On a global level, we have trouble recognizing our simple commonality as human beings. The thing is, while we focus on our differences, our basic needs remain the same. Throughout time, the goals of basic survival and some kind of inner peace have been superseded by our attachment to power and material possessions. And so we forget the symbiotic relation between nature and man. That’s why I mush to Nome; I don’t want to forget…

Being in the presence of a vast, majestic wilderness, the dogs and I look forward to facing the challenges of Mother Nature. I’m repeatedly humbled by the spirit, stamina and fortitude of the dogs. Leaving behind the modern world, the dogs and I embark on a long journey of self-realization and endurance. Out on the trail, life’s priorities become apparent, as do our strengths and weaknesses. The complications of “normal life” no longer exist, and their irrelevance to our basic survival is clear. We persevere through sore feet and icy winds, frozen noses from exhausted breath, and the sick stomachs of sleepless nights. Good attitude, food, water, and rest will bring us through anything. “Basic needs….”

The trail teaches me to constantly seek challenge beyond my comfortable confines, and to continually question the integrity and necessity of my thoughts and actions. With the distractions of modern existence, it’s easy for all of us to lose sight of the beauty and bounty that surrounds and supports us. The Iditarod experience symbolizes the quest we all have for self-reliance, meaning, and harmony.

Six years ago, I had barely heard of the Iditarod. As a lifelong animal lover and outdoor enthusiast, I was immediately captured by the positive energy and drive of Alaskan Huskies. Born as natural athletes and nurtured with an adventurous spirit, they grow into incredibly strong individuals. They love nothing more than to run and travel new terrain with their musher-best-friend. Their strength of character is astounding. Oftentimes it’s the dogs that keep me going when I’m ready to call it quits from exhaustion. They are always wagging their tails, raring to go.

And so this brings me to the practical side of things. 365 days a year, all of our time, energy and financial resources are invested into the care of these wonderful animals, and the maintenance of the simple lifestyle which supports them. To be honest, it’s expensive to feed the dogs and support racing costs. No one runs the Iditarod without the help of sponsorship. Thousands of dog booties, countless doggie jackets and blankets, handmade foot ointments, and top of the line foods like liver and fish, are just a few of the ways Jerome and I  take care of our beloved athletes. They are the reason we reach out for your help in the 2005 Iditarod.