Had a blast today hiking into the forest and setting up shop along Dago Creek north of Two Harbors, Minnesota. The weather was crystal clear and warm (32F or 0C). For a few hours I watched sled dog teams race by from my vantage point on the frozen creek bed.

The John Beargrease Sled Dog Race runs from Two Harbors up to the Gunflint Trail, and then back down to Duluth, and is the longest race in the lower 48 states (400 miles). Many mushers use it as a tune-up for the longer Alaska Iditarod. Although our race may not be as fierce as Alaska’s, the racers can expect the temperatures to plunge below zero (-16C).

The race itself is named after and commemorates the Native American, John Beargrease, who first delivered mail and packages by dog sled team along the North Shore of Lake Superior. Learn more about the man.

Here are photos from my outing.

On the 367th day, I did not photograph a bird, but I did take pictures of a lot of dogs!

This afternoon I drove north of the Stewart River to watch the John Beargrease Sled Dog Race. The mushers are now racing through the wilderness night. This race (300+ miles) is a qualifier for the Alaska Iditarod. We saw the mushers at one of their only two road crossings this afternoon.

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John Beargrease Sled Dog Race