We Are Home

Wow! That was cold! I will give you all the details when I have had a chance to rest for a few days, but here is a synopsis. The Canadian Challenge was the coldest ever, with extreme temperatures and windchills that never gave up. Race Marshall Terry Hinesly said it was colder than any Iditarod he had ever been to. Organizer Dave Young called it an extreme sport with real danger to the participants.

I survived and finished and came in fifth. Many people scratched. I am relatively unscathed although a little bit of skin is peeling off the end of my nose, and the tips of my fingers feel sore. One of my male dogs suffered frostbite on the tip of his sheath, but he is recovering without complications so far.

I never wanted to run in such extreme cold and wind, but I am glad that I persevered and finished the course. It is just as well that I did not know how cold it was at the time. Reports were anywhere from 30 to 70 below (F) windchill for the entire four days of the race.