| It was a medium day in Alaska. The sky was a bit | | | | landscapes under the Northern Lights, through tundra |
| overcast. The air was cool. | | | | and spruce forests, over hills and mountain passes, |
| Frantic activity was visible in all directions as the | | | | and across icy rivers. |
| drivers prepared for what could arguably be called | | | | His wife, Clarissa, came over. Her sky-blue eyes were |
| the toughest race in the world. | | | | smiling. |
| The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog race is an annual event in | | | | "Well, she said. |
| Alaska. Mushers and dogs cover 1,100 miles. It can | | | | "Joy will come, "said Mike. |
| take them 8, 14, to 21 days to complete the | | | | She nodded. |
| distance. | | | | He continued: "I used to imagine that I would lose |
| Teams must race through blizzards that cause | | | | myself if I gave myself away and keep myself if I |
| whiteout conditions, subzero weather, and gale force | | | | hid myself away, but now I know that the contrary |
| winds. | | | | is true. If I could do it all over again, I would." |
| The trail runs through Alaska, from Anchorage in the | | | | "I admire your faith," she said. |
| southeast, up the Rainy Pass of the Alaska range, | | | | "It's because I have learned to love what I do. When |
| through the sparsely populated interior, along the | | | | you have love, faith comes, sadness passes, and |
| shores of the Bering Sea, and finally reach Nome, in | | | | solitude breaks. Even when I lose, I love, and rather |
| the northeast. | | | | than finding myself in hell, I find myself in heaven." |
| Musher Mike's marathon runner stamina and | | | | "That's all a person needs," she agreed. "Faith, |
| mountaineering strength and ferocious agility were | | | | courage, and love." |
| evident as he ran through the gangline, harnessed | | | | "Yes, " said Mike. "I refuse to fall down." |
| them, and hooked them to the four wheeler's | | | | "That's what I love about you, Mike. If you fall down, |
| gangline. The dogs were happy and enthusiastic, all | | | | you refuse to stay down. If you get pushed down |
| psyched up and ready to go. He undid the retainer | | | | again, you raise your heart to heaven and make the |
| hook and they were off like a speeding bullet. | | | | impossible, possible." |
| Then 17 days later, the Iditarod was over, and he | | | | "Let's get some hot coffee," he said. Hooking his arm |
| had lost, for the third year in a row. | | | | in hers, they walked toward the coffee shop to |
| He had crossed over harsh and starkly beautiful | | | | make plans for the next Iditarod. |