Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Finnmarkslopet 2009: Part 17 - The End of Trail

As with every fun, there is an end to it. And this is it for our Finnmarkslopet 2009 race coverage.
Although I haven´t been the musher participating in this amazing event, I still feel sadness about it all ending.

For a short week I had the oportunity to become part of it, by helping Mikael and Paula with preparations, organising, packing, feeding, dropping and taking care of their amazing dogs, befriended all fourteen of them, learned their personalities and watched them work, rest, recover and work again during the race.

I met many wonderful people, from the tireless volunteers and race organisers, to the devoted dog handlers and mushers. Inhaled the mutual excitement, unspoken understanding, and passion, shared tears of happiness and sorrow, and the joy of acomplishment. I learned about the toughness of mind of men and dogs. About the togetherness. I got adicited. And yes, I aim to become part of it one day... Hopefully soon...

Hope you enjoyed the words and pictures I brought you, and been able to soak in at least a bit of that atmosphere, one can´t really describe, but has to live through.

Some moments were captured in this album: http://picasaweb.google.cz/kippsiberians/Finnmarkslopet2009#

Happy Trails and Wagging Tails!

Katerina

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