If you need to get in touch with me, send an e-mail to jonlittle@alaska.net, or post a note in the comment box below.
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Trail Notes
Random thoughts on sled dogs and racing
Sponsored by…
Random thoughts on sled dogs and racing
If you need to get in touch with me, send an e-mail to jonlittle@alaska.net, or post a note in the comment box below.
Trail Notes 
16 comments
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October 8, 2008 at 6:59 am
Stephanie
I wanted to make a donation to Wolf for his medical bills can you please tell me where I can do that at?
October 8, 2008 at 8:44 am
kasilofmusher
Stephanie, If you want to help out, you will find my mailing address or PayPal link on my sponsor page of my kennel web site. Here’s the link: http://kasilofkennel.bravehost.com/sponsor.html. (The link is also listed under my blogroll at the top left of this page.)
I’ve been designating Wolf-related donations to his fund. Other npeople have donated saying the money was specifically for the Yukon Quest. Thank you to all!
February 15, 2009 at 7:14 am
Barbara
Great Work Lori
Your Quest coverage of Jon is a great and welcome surprise. Thanks.
Barbara Mayer
February 28, 2009 at 10:26 pm
Mike
Just passing by.Btw, you website have great content!
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March 9, 2009 at 8:41 am
Mason Marsh
Nice job on the Quest, Jon! I hate to admit that I fail to look in on you until March, so I missed the chance to root for you. I promise to get in on the front end next year, (and throw some sponsorship cash your way). Keep up the great work.
March 10, 2009 at 4:26 am
Sherry Sutherby
Jon ~
FYI, I gave you a plug in my daily picture Blog.
http://www.russ-stickacres.com/blog/
Thanks for all the great Iditarod coverage.
Sherry
March 10, 2009 at 7:07 pm
A J
Jon,
Seems to me that you had a son about 2 yrs ago during the race, please correct me if I’m wrong????
Just wanted to wish you and yours a a wonderful year, and to let you know that you are sorely missed by those of us who have read your commentary on the ” Last Great Race”.
Hope to read you again next year!!!!!!!
AJ
March 11, 2009 at 3:46 pm
Rosemary Sims
Jon, I just have to tell you how grateful I am that you gave that one clue about Buser’s strategy for this race.
I am quite fond of him: not only did he have the good sense to marry a Louisiana girl, he is among the most well rounded and loving of the “star” mushers I think. But even if he weren’t such a high caliber guy, what he did today surely gave his fans the fantastical high of a life time.
At cocktail hour, I made my gin & tonic (it is 84 F here today, 3 hrs ahead of ADT) and sat down to look at the standings. I had listened to your not-so-subtle hint to watch Buser this time and although I always do, I have been doing so this time so very, very carefully because of you. Coupled with your hint of the other day, I also remembered your saying another time that he was quite a jokester (the gps thing last year, etc). And so that was how I have been watching his run.
So at 5 o’clock today, I pulled up to my computer with my existing window of the standings (not refreshed since mid day) and noted that Buser was #22. I looked at a few others a bit closer to the front pack as markers for who he would pass on his way to Takotna, thinking maybe even 10. He had started out at the back of the middle of the pack – I believe he ran a couple of legs in the high, then the low 30’s ranking, then he moved up to about 17 at one point, but had carefully stayed an unthreatening distance from the front of the pack. At times I could almost see him grinning, then other time I was fraught with anxiety that he would get caught up in all that bad trail later on that everybody’s been talking about. Or maybe there would be a horrible change in the weather that would block his surge to the higher standings.
So I clicked my refresh button, and he was gone from #22 and was not visible up or down on the screen. So I slowly scrolled up, saw Jonrowe was still at 17, etc, and scrolled up to about 10. I guess I sort of panicked, I mean I had only been off the computer a few hours. So I scrolled slowly all the way down to the scratch list and he wasn’t there. Then I was in a tiz’ and hit my trusty ^F key.
When it landed on Buser in the #1 slot, and said that he had shot past Tokotna, I thought my heart would burst out of my chest with excitement, and I surely will have complaints about disturbing the neighbors in my village. In all the years I’ve been following the Iditarod, I can’t remember one strategy that has been this exciting (Well, maybe except for Riddles sneaking out into the storm while the guys slept….) Man, talk about shaking up the pack!
Buser may not win this complex race this year, but I think it will certainly remain one of his grandest hours on the trail, among quite a few brilliant others. I suppose folks may have forgotten that he still holds the record for the speediest trek to the burled arch having broken the nine day “barrier”. So I think he just reminded them in his jokester way.
Again, I thank you, Jon, not only for the clue about his strategy, but also that although I have never met him, I know a little about what kind of person he is because of your lively, thoughtful writing. I am grateful for your blog.
Rosemary
March 12, 2009 at 7:28 am
judye
Hey Jon, Do you know anything about this rumored accident of Bjorner Anderson’s just outside Rohn? “He was an hour with the doctor in Takotna, trowhing up and peeing blood.
The doctor suspect some kidny damage, but not so critical that he has to withdraw.
He is currently still on his “24”, and has one more appointment with the doctor.” from http://mushingloon.blogspot.com/
Thanks for any insight you might have,
March 12, 2009 at 9:30 am
kasilofmusher
I just heard that Bjornar scratched. I can’t comment on why, because of my location here at home. I’m on the outside looking in and don’t have direct contact with Team Norway. Maybe they can fill us in from their web site. Major disappointment! And it shows just how challenging this race is physically to the mushers.
March 12, 2009 at 6:38 pm
John Kotar
Thank you John for running this web site, I missed you on the Iditarod site, but a forum member alerted the rest of us to your site. I have always relied most strongly on your reporting and am glad you are still involved.
March 15, 2009 at 12:39 pm
Paula
Hello Jon,
Thanks for the report on the Grayling log gam! Even with Current Updates and GPS tracking we were not exactly sure of what was happening there. I think technology has made us here at home worry about family members even more than when we didn’t know anything!
Thanks again,
Paula
March 20, 2009 at 10:03 am
Jan Vidar Dahle
Thank you for giving us, the fans, what’s missing on iditarod.com, some depth. When Doug Swingley dominated from 1999 to 2001 Joe Runyan gave us a lot of insights on borth his training, feeding and breeding program. Now a lot of us are curious about your understanding of what Lance Mackey actually do different from the other great mushers. What is it, in your opinion, that makes him number one? What about trying to describe not only his personality, comitment and hunger, but what he actually do to prepare his team on a higher level than his competitors?
October 8, 2009 at 4:39 am
Dan
Tuuli…
small girl?…what are we talkin? at the withers she would measure what? excellent build…gee/haw leader, or or just trail? thanks, Dan
October 8, 2009 at 4:39 am
Dan
Tuuli…
small girl?…what are we talkin? at the withers she would measure what? excellent build…gee/haw leader, or or just trail? thanks in advance, Dan
January 7, 2010 at 7:40 pm
John Carkner
54 yr old thinking I might finally work towards iditarod dream as part of bucket list.
You said in your pod cast interview that at times you may place leaders in suitable homes.
please consider me for 2011 – older leader that can bring the rookies along.
All the best
John