Don Bowers Memorial Race

putting booties on the dogs

We spent time on Friday at the Don Bowers Memorial Race.

This is a "rookie" race that is run by local mushers.  (It's a training race... hence the "rookie" title.  Mushers learn to follow race guidelines and the dogs get experience running with other teams.)  Our tenant Beth is one of the key organizers, and she asked us to help.   It started at the Willow Community center (same place the Iditarod starts).

a snack before we go

At the starting area we caught all the team preparations... 

harnessing the team

then we moved over to the other side of Willow Lake.  Officially, we served as crossing guards as the teams came off the lake and onto neighboring streets, but the real advantage was that we could get great shots of the teams as they came up the hill.

  

I put together all my photos for a "video" that will be shown at tonight's musher's banquet.  

Next up... the Iditarod!