For Hadley resident Joe Gutowski, racing across a frozen landscape for hundreds of miles is for the dogs.
His sled dogs, that is. And Gutowski will be right along with them.
Monty, Munster, Paige, Zip, Bill and lead dog, Nat, are more than pets to Gutowski. They are the muscle behind his ambition to be a musher, his teammates, and his family.
When asked how people respond to his unconventional hobby, Gutowski laughs.
‘They wonder why I’ve lost my mind,? says Gutowski with a smile.
Gutowski said he first became interested in mushing about four years ago, after going on some guided expeditions with his company, N D Industries, where he is director of information and technology. Gutowski likened the experience to going horseback riding with a trail guide’though you may be the one riding the horse, the situation is very controlled and the path predetermined. Gutowski says guided runs were exhilarating, but he longed to have more freedom and control.
‘I wanted to experience going out on my own,? said Gutowski.
It was not an inexpensive hobby to consider. Gutowski says a team of dogs would typically cost about $10,000 just to purchase, plus the cost of care. A sled costs an additional $1,000, and training equipment, including a four-wheeler, isn’t cheap.
Even more taxing, explains Gutowski, is the amount of time’three to six hours per day? required to become successful at the sport.
Under the mentorship of Ed and Tasha Stielstra, both experienced mushers and Ed an Iditarod competitor, Gutowski decided to pursue becoming a musher.
‘One thing you should consider before getting into mushing,? says Ed, ‘is it’s been compared to being just as addictive as heroin, but more expensive.?
Additionally, anyone hoping to advance to the level of participation in the Iditarod needs more than just the necessary supplies, says Ed. In that instance, you need to have ‘the pure passion to be with and have 16 of your best friends pulling you across Alaska,? says Ed.
In March, Gutowski began getting his dog team together. And while there may well be women in the world who would be thrilled at the prospect of adding six dogs to the family, Gutowski’s wife, Sara, says she was just a bit hesitant about the situation.
‘I didn’t know what to think,? says Sara. ‘He loves animals, though.?
Despite her concerns, it’s obvious the dogs have won Sara over, especially Paige, the lone female of the pack.
‘They’re really neat,? says Sara, as Paige and Nat bound through a fenced area of their 39 acres. ‘They’re friendlier than I thought they’d be.?
The idea that Alaskan Huskies like Gutowski’s are dangerous, is, he says, a misconception likely formed because the dogs bear such a strong resemblance to wolves, themselves misunderstood to be fierce and aggressive. Wolves did factor into the genetic equation for the dogs, explains Gutowski, but only about 100 years ago when the animals would wander into Inuit villages and mate with their dogs.
However, says Gutowski, if people take the time to actually get to know the dogs, their fears are disspelled.
‘The dogs change everybody’s mind,? said Gutowski.
As Nat continues to race around the yard, Gutowski comments on the intelligence of the dog, which, like all of his dogs, he obtained from Ed, who owns Nature’s Kennel in McMillan. Nat has already run the nearly 1,200 miles of the Iditarod, the most famous race in mushing. Gutowski says he has witnessed Nat pull other dogs into line when they become distracted or disobedient, leading with brains his brawnier teammates.
‘You don’t want the (other dogs on the) team to be smart, you’d have no control over the team,? says Gutowski.
A team, explains Gutowski, is comprised of lead dogs (Nat and fellow Iditarod veteran, Zip) wheel dogs that pull 60 to 80 percent of the weight, and swing dogs, which help in pacing the team and turning the sled.
The musher directs the team from a sled weighing about 27 pounds that rides about 30 feet behind the lead dogs with a team of six, 90 feet for a full team of 16 dogs.
‘The dogs are the real heroes,? says Gutowski. ‘They are true working dogs.?
Because the sport has a history of cruelty’mushers would often whip and otherwise abuse dogs in an effort to make them run faster? there is still some controversy surrounding dog sled racing.
Gutowski insists it is a misperception born of antiquated images of the sport. Today, says Gutowski, mushers have realized dogs respond better to encouragement than punishment.
‘You get a lot more out of an animal with love, ? says Gutowski.
For Gutowski, becoming a musher is a series of small steps.
‘My goals are very simple now,? says Gutowski. ‘I want to run some 30 mile runs and get some experience.?
Eventually though, if he reaches a level where he would feel confident in doing so, Gutowski says he would like to be able to participate in the Iditarod.
‘Only 611 people have finished the Iditarod,? says Gutowski. ‘More people have climbed (Mount) Everest than have finished the Iditarod.?
The race, which stretches from Anchorage to Nome in Alaska, has proven to be a dangerous one.
Frostbite, explains Gutowski, is one of the greatest perils one faces on the trail over a typical trek of eight to 15 days.
‘I’ve seen people who have lost fingers, who have lost toes and even noses,? says Gutowski.
Sara has reservations of her own about Gutowski’s possible participation.
‘I’m worried about the cold in Alaska,? says Sara. ‘I’m not for that.?
Ed recalls his own hardships in his first of three Iditarods, in 2004. About 300 miles into the journey Ed says he crashed and broke his leg. Fearing race officials wouldn’t allow him to continue the race if he informed them of his injury, and not wanting to let down his dogs by giving up on their race only a third of the way through, Ed braced himself against the pain to finish the race.
‘I called up my wife and said, ‘I’m never, ever running this race again,?? recalls Ed. ‘Two days later, I knew I would. I think I’ll be always in search of the perfect race.?
Ed plans to compete in this year’s Iditarod and future Iditarod races.
Gutowski says he hopes to help clear away some of the misconceptions people might have about mushing.
‘I would like people to overcome their fears, and to help people who just don’t understand what it is. I would like to see the sport become more mainstream,? says Gutowski.
Most of all, Gutowski says he wants to reassure anyone who might think sled dogs are abused or mistreated.
‘Mushers love their dogs more than anyone,? says Gutowski. ‘They’re my family.?