For those of you are getting excited about the Iditarod here’s a taste of last year’s. The ceremonial start of 2009 Iditarod took place today in Anchorage; the real race starts tomorrow from Willow.

Libby Riddles hails from Madison, Wisconsin and came to Alaska at the age of sixteen and never left. In fact she became a true Alaskan. Her courage and determination fill the pages of the book. Her ability to persevere under extreme conditions is admirable. Although as she says herself, “I had never thought much about being the first woman to win the race. I thought of myself as just a sled dog racer, not a woman sled dog racer.”; she is an undeniably strong role model for young women. Mushing is an unusual sport in that men and women can compete as physical equals; to a large extent age isn’t even an issue. Perhaps the same intangible element powers both the successful mushers and their dogs, the will to keep going forward.

In addition to winning the Iditarod that year Libby received the humanitarian award, a prize given by the veterinarians for the driver who was most conscientious in the care of their dogs during the race. All along the way, through blizzards, over ice and in darkness, Libby Riddles never falters in her appreciation for the abilities and the sheer heart of her dogs. Her pride in them particularly near the end of the trail pulling into Nome is wonderful, “…they broke into a lope. Not bad for a bunch of dogs who had just come twelve hundred miles. The sudden burst of speed gave me a thrill. What heart these dogs had, after so many days on the trail. Oh, the things I was going to do for them when this was all done! A box of dog biscuits and a steak for each one, mountains of fresh straw to lie on, days of leisure to soak up the sun.”

There is a lot of mutual trust in the relationship between an outstanding musher and her dogs. It is all recorded here in this vivid account. For Iditarod fans this book is educational and inspiring; for anyone this book reads like a thrilling adventure yarn with one difference, it is a true story.

I have read now a number of books written by well known mushers and have found them to be by and large informative and entertaining but I will concede that as far as laughing out loud is concerned Paulsen’s book wins hands down. There are many obstacles to be overcome and constant challenges; Paulsen greets these events, sometimes painful and frightening, with plenty of pluck and a wonderful ability to laugh both at circumstances and at himself. The episode involving multiple skunk sprayings is simply hilarious. The author is on a learning curve, this is a process and he isn’t shy about sharing the details of his mishaps, most of which seemed to be unwittingly self-engineered, with the reader. This is all about ingenuity and perseverance. Gary Paulsen’s ingenuity is astounding not only with the dogs but in building sleds and various devices for training in the off season. He also needed to fund raise and scavenge and improvise with the materials at hand. This is a man with drive.

He completed that first Iditarod in 1981. Health concerns forced him to make some changes in his life and set off in some new directions. He became one of America’s most prolific writers of fiction for young people, writing wilderness adventure and coming of age tales. Twice his books were selected for the prestigious Newberry Honor Award. He now lives in New Mexico where he trains dogs for the Iditarod. He competed in the 2008 race and was slated to run this year also but the official Iditarod website lists his name among those who have withdrawn from this year’s race. If you are interested in finding out more about this remarkable individual you can visit his website.