The Iditarod is a thousand mile dog sled race across Alaska from Anchorage to Nome. It has been coined “The Last Great Race”, and it is known for its adversity. It began in 1973 in an effort to preserve the historic significance of the Iditarod trail. The dogs in the Iditarod are loved and celebrated. However, sled dogs are not only used for racing. Sled dogs played an important role in Alaskan settlement and Alaskan culture. However, the demand and necessity for sled dogs declined after the creation of the snow mobile. Joe Redington helped to revitalize the Alaskan, and therefore American, tradition of dog sledding through his role in the creation of the Iditarod. Dog sledding was an inherent part of Alaskan settlement, and following that
The trail for the Iditarod came from the trail used to transport and travel to the town of Iditarod. It was also based off the dog relay race to deliver a serum to the people suffering from diphtheria in Nome. The idea came from Dorothy Page, who was a chairman of the Wasilla-Knik Centennial Committee. Page was interested in the tradition of dog sledding and she wanted to have the memorial trail run over part of the historic Iditarod trail. Iditarod was a famous gold mining town and dog sledding was used to facilitate travel and transportation to and from the town. The Iditarod trail was the “thoroughfare through Alaska” (History-Iditarod).The usefulness of the trail declined as the gold rush and Alaskan settlement ended and the trail became somewhat vacant. By the mid 1900’s very few people were aware of the Iditarod trail or of the critical role of dog sled teams in Alaska’s settlement. Page understood the importance of making others aware of the historical trail and the role of the sled dog teams. Joe Redington also realized the importance in reviving the culture of sled dogs. Redington had two reasons for sponsoring the race; “to save the sled dog culture of the Alaskan huskies, and to preserve the historical Iditarod trail” (History-Iditarod). Redington noticed that “where there beautiful sled dogs once, a snow machine was sitting in front of a house”
He supported the race when it was only an idea. Redington’s efforts to bring attention to dogsledding and the Iditarod trail were successful. Neither of these important traditions were replaced or forgotten. Today the Iditarod is the most famous dog sledding event in American culture. The Iditarod trail is used every year, and the attention that surrounds it calls for two alternating routes because the small villages cannot cater to this event each year. The Iditarod has brought recognition and historic awareness to these important Alaskan traditions. Dog sledding had begun to fade out of modern culture, but Joe Redington helped to revitalize this tradition after it began to fade due to modern
Pit bulls are believed to have originated in the late 1700’s, when the terriers, typically small dogs bred to catch vermin, were crossbred with bulldogs, a stockier dog whose duty was to catch stray cattle. This produced a dog with a high prey drive with a medium-sized, stocky build and powerful jaws. Contrary to popular belief, the dogs were originally used in the sport of bull-baiting, where dogs would attack the cattle - not other dogs. Since the sport was executed in a pit, the dogs were dubbed ‘pit bulls’ and that name has stuck since. When the sport was banned in 1835, the people who relied on these dogs for an income turned the dogs against each other.
The Barkley Marathons are run in the Frozen Head State Park and Natural Area near Oak Ridge in Tennessee. The park is bordered by two prisons and a coal mine and is thirty five minutes away from closest the city. The course consists of a twenty mile loop, which for the most part traces the border of the park. The actual length of the course is an issue of large debate however. The twenty mile figure was derived by the race director from a topographic map. Most that have run the loop feel that it is longer, since the distance associated with elevation change and winding trails isn't taken into account. Some feel that the loop could be as long as twenty six miles. At the other end of the argument is the distance that was derived from a survey crew in who measured the park to make a new map in 1993. The distances they got for many portions of the course were actually shorter than Gary Cantrell had listed them to be. On any account the distance assumes that the runner does not get lost, which is a rarity at the Barkley.
According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), there is a “great deal of confusion associated with the label ‘Pit Bull,’” as it does not refer to a single breed of dog, but rather to a group of breeds with similar characteristics1. These characteristics include short hair, a wide skull and shoulders, muscle definition, stocky build and a deep jawline, the combination of which create a dog that manages to strike fear into a perfect stranger. The term ‘Pit Bull’ is derived from the bulldog, which was originally bred as a hunting dog for large game, but has since developed into a “loyal companion rather than a working dog.”1 Their history as “gripping dogs” for hunters follows them into modern society, as many of these dogs have been inhumanely pitted against one another as well as other animals for sport and for human entertainment1. It is because of these illegal fighting rings that ‘Pit Bull’ type breeds have become the subje...
The New York Road Runners is a non-profit organization based in New York City. It
Between 1840 and 1950, over fifty-three thousand people travelled the Oregon Trail. Native American exposure to diseases such as smallpox and diphtheria decimated the tribes, and that along with the encroachment of settlers on tribal lands, was the cause of much strife between Native Americans and the incoming Europeans. The Land Donation Law, a government land giveaway allotting three-hindred twenty acres to white males and six-hundred forty to married white couples, gave impetus to the western expansion and the American idea of "Manifest destiny." This promotion of migration and families also allowed America to strentghen its hold on Oregon, in the interests of displacing British claims.
to pull on to sleds. People needed wolves in the gold rush in Alaska to pull
The Oregon Trail was a very important aspect in the history of our country’s development. When Marcus and Narcissa Whitman made the first trip along the Oregon Trail, many Americans saw a window of opportunity. The Oregon Trail was the only practical way to pass through the Rockies. Pioneers crammed themselves into small wagons to try to make it to the unsettled land; however, 10% of these pioneers died on the way due to disease and accidents.
The roots of adaptive skiing were in war and accidental injuries. In 1942 Franz Wendel was the first person to enter a competition for people who are handicapped. After suffering a leg amputation in the war, he fashioned a pair of crutches and attached them to short skis enabling him to crutch ski. By the late 1940's the Austrian Ski Association was financing a division for handicapped skiers while at the same time European and American programs at army hospitals were developing. The Vietnam War produced many unfortunate casualties but also provided a boost to the development of adaptive skiing. Equipment and facilities have continued to grow and improve in recent years. A new era began in 1983 when the International Olympic Committee sanctioned the Third World Winter Games for the Disabled. Not only did this boost the prestige of the program, it also helped to promote fund raising efforts and program development worldwide. The Third World Disabled Ski Championships were held in 1986 in Sweden and the United States placed first.
One snowy Christmas day in Muskegon, Michigan, a young girl by the name of Wendy Poppen tried to stand up on her sled while sliding down the hill. Seeing this, her father Sherman ran into the garage and bolted a pair of skies together with wood to ""act as foot stops"" (Crane). While watching Wendy use the contraption, some of the local kids ran up to Sherman and asked him to build one for each of them. Little did he know that he had given birth to the “fastest growing winter sport” (Prosl) known as snowboarding. The history, simplicity, and rate of growth of snowboarding took the sport from being completely banned from ski resorts, to being accepted worldwide with its Olympic debut in 1998.
(ii) The pit bull was bred from the bulldog, the breed of choice in England during the 1800’s. The bulldog was used as what is known as a “gripping dog,” meaning they were companions to hunters and butchers, rounding up cattle or keeping the livestock in check. In the early 1800’s, “bull-baiting” began in the British Isles. “Baiting” was a sport in which bulldogs were pitted against other large animals like...
Paws with a Cause is a nonprofit organization in Wayland, Michigan. It was founded in 1979 by Michael Sapp, Sr. and was originally called “Ears for the Deaf”. They specialized in hearing dogs and then expanded to service dogs, seizure response dogs and service dogs for children with autism. Their mission statement is “Paws With A Cause® enhances the independence and quality of life for people with disabilities nationally through custom-trained Assistance Dogs. PAWS® increases awareness of the rights and roles of Assistance Dog Teams through education and advocacy”. Their vision statement is “Embracing innovation to address the aging population and to strengthen families living with disabilities.”
As Okimasis rides through the snow, dragged by his pack of dogs, he confronts various environmental obstacles. The imagery included throughout the passage illustrates the cutthroat and quick perceptions of the nature surrounding the situation. The sled glides over the “creaking snow” of the “one hundred and fifty miles of low-treed tundra.” The representation of the area allows for clear pictures to develop mentally. At this point in the passage, both Okimasis and the huskies are exhausted. They’ve been drained of
The Electrobat was one of several electric cars, which competed in a race sponsored by Illinois publisher H.H. Kohlsaat. He had challenged inventors to come up with a car that could travel the distance from Chicago to Evanston and back (58 miles). Electric cars and gas cars competed against each other in this competition. Although none of the cars performed in an especially notable manner, the electric cars failed miserably. It seemed that the slushy country roads generated a great deal of friction, which drained the strength of the batteries quickly.
If asked, most people could tell you that the Iditarod is a dog race in Alaska, and maybe some could even tell you that it started with a dog team carrying a polio vaccine to Nome in a blizzard, but most couldn't tell you what the Fur Rendezvous or the Open North American are. That’s because it’s a completely different category of racing that no one really knows about. Sprint racing is shorter, faster, and in my biased opinion more exciting. My opinion is biased because I run sprint races. My parents have run, and won the Open North American, and “Fur Rondy”. Sprint races vary in length and size of the teams. From small four dog teams of sixty pound dogs built like Usain Bolt who sprint for four to five miles, to thirty mile races with teams of sixteen to twenty four dogs that are built with lanky muscle and heads that won’t
This is a type of sled that was attached to the back of a horse. You would be