Dog Days of Winter
That time I almost ran the Iditarod + the usual Sunday Sip goodness
Dog Days of Winter
It has been a true winter this year in Michigan! I have become a champion cold wimp. With temps in the single digits, the morning walk outdoors has been curtailed a bit. However, that all changed this weekend. And no, not just because the weather is a little bit warmer. We headed up to Marquette to watch some dogs and their mushers run like the wind.
This past weekend was the 36th running of the UP 200 dog sled race, which featured teams of 12 dogs covering a distance of 228 miles through the forest and trails of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. The race starts in downtown Marquette and runs out to Grand Marais and returns for a finish at the Ojibwa Casino just east of downtown Marquette. On top of the big race, there are two shorter yet still challenging runs: the Midnight Run (an 8-dog race covering 82 miles) and the Jack Pine 30 (a 6-dog race covering 26 miles).
I’m always shocked at the size of the dogs that run these races. They aren’t massive. In fact, the name “husky” isn’t even close to an accurate description. A better name would be “lean”. The best word for these fine animals is lissome – slim, supple, and graceful. These dogs are ultra-marathon super athletes built to run for miles, and miles, and miles.
Ever since reading Winterdance: The Fine Madness of Running the Iditarod by Gary Paulsen way back in the 90s, I’ve been intrigued with the sled dog, and in some respects wolves, as the sled dog and the wolf share the genetic traits of endurance and resilience. While I never had any crazy ideas about participating in a dog sled race, the notion of running with these beautiful animals has always been something I wanted to experience.
That dream of running with the pack became a reality back in 2014 when we headed up to Marquette over the Christmas break for some winter fun. We snowshoed at Pictured Rocks, received an adventure map from Down Wind Sports for the Yellow Dog River, and came down with the flu just in time for New Year’s. Yet in the midst of this, we had one of those unforgettable experiences that lasts a lifetime.
The night before and into the morning, it snowed. A lot. We probably had a foot of fresh snow that morning. This meant that normally groomed trails were now wild and somewhat untamed. That, however, didn’t mean that we couldn’t give it a go. The dogs were yipping and ready to rock. Our guide hooked them to the sleds, then situated Brenda and our friend Angie in them. He then gave me and my buddy Jeff driving instructions which were basically: hold on, the dogs know where to go, and be sure to set the brake. With the prep complete, we were off.
The start was fine as the first couple of hundred yards were on the plowed road. Then we took a turn toward the trail through the woods. Our guide led the way on a snowmobile, trying to break the trail for us. It sort of helped.
Aside from a snowshoe race or a treadmill stress test, this was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. While the dogs were more than ready to do their work, with me and Brenda on the sled in deep snow, they would hold up and look back. The look back said, “Dude, you are going to have to run with us.” Boy, did we run. I’d ride on the rails for a minute, kick with one leg for another, then jump off to run behind the sled for a few.
Through the woods we bumbled along. I may have panted down to Brenda riding in the sled, “I’m not sure how much longer I can do this!” If you’ve ever done a stress test, you’ll know this feeling. You are running and running, and the technician tells you, “ok, we are increasing the level, you need to keep going for one more minute. Can you do it?” The answer is no, but you keep on keeping on for one more minute. Thankfully, we’d reached the turning point where we stopped for hot chocolate. I may have plunked down into the snow; I’m not sure, given the workout delirium.
Meanwhile, my dogs looked as fresh as spring puppies. No panting, just a calm and easy look in their eyes. I imagined them thinking, “What? That was a breeze, buddy. Want to do a few more miles?” We returned to the start using pretty much the same route, so the going was a little easier. The last section was a little more of a plowed road, which let my furry friends show off their speed and power.
Being back in Marquette to see these dogs race brings that ride of a lifetime with those sled dogs back to life. I’m still astounded at the power and beauty of these most excellent animals. Watching them this weekend, they seem to absolutely love being out on the trail, just running and running. I imagine that, like us, they enjoy sharing something they love with their friends (both canine and human). We’ll have a bunch of photos and a story to recap the entire UP 200 dog sledding extravaganza for you soon.
Upcoming Events You Won’t Want to Miss
Our events calendar on Life In Michigan is a treasure trove of events we’ve scoured the interwebs to bring to you. There are a ton of great events coming up. From that list, here are a few highlights:
The Manchester Underground Music and Art series continues its tradition of intimate, community-driven performances with a special “Music in the Round” event featuring Ann Arbor’s own Dave Keeney
Michigan Music Alliance - Industry Mixer Lansing at Stage One at Sycamore Creek Eastwood on Feb 24
The Michigan Music Alliance at Tania Watt Creative invite you to join us for Industry Mixer - Lansing on Feb 24, 2026 at Stage One at Sycamore Creek Church.
Beer Fest Pre-Party at the Pyramid Scheme in Grand Rapids on Feb 27
Rock out with brewer bands Braxton Hicks and the Contractions, Moto, Death By Lions, and Drama Team as we get ready for the main event.
20th Annual Michigan Brewers Guild Winter Beer Festival at LMCU Ballpark at Comstock Park on Feb 28
Celebrate Michigan beer with your beer family!
In Other News
While it wasn’t much warmer than here in Michigan, we headed south for a few days for a winter break in St. Augustine, FL. Lots of great history and some dandy craft beer too.
GIG - The Art of Michigan Music 2026 is happening in Chelsea as part of their annual Sounds & Sights festival on Friday, July 24, and Saturday, July 25. The Call For Visual Artists is open. If you or someone you know is interested, please send your submissions in now. We will close out submissions on March 1, 2026
More from Mitten Music - this time, the graphic artists get to share their stories.
Our friend and fellow artist, Bree Stillwell, answers the question on where to meet up with other creatives in the Ann Arbor area in her monthly column called What She Said on the Ann Arbor Observer.
Heads up, artists!! Geek Brush Studio in Chelsea is spearheading an effort with the city to turn the alley between 105 and 107 Main Street into the Chelsea Art Gallery. They are currently seeking artist submissions to display in this new outdoor art space. Submissions are due by April 1, 2026.
Finally, Sun Times News has a fun story about an amorous donkey named Zeppy.
Life In Michigan Podcast
The Flagstar Strand Theater has survived for over 100 years, in part because of XXX movies and, more importantly, key community members who invested 20 million to save this vibrant art space in Pontiac. We talked with Executive Director Alex Resnick about the Strand’s history and future.
Substack Restack Attack
Substack is where it’s at. Check out these other superb publications:
I love the song “Lovely Day” by Bill Withers, and so does Jorge Garcia with their tribute to this gem on Geekatune .
Queen Kwong shares a very thoughtful piece on the ways in which music artists try to survive in a digital world that undervalues art.
While up in Marquette, we did a bit of cross-country skiing. Reading this great story by Jenn Woltjen on Jackrabbit Johannsen and the trail named after him in New York was a perfect fit.
Chef Alexis Gauthier shares a note from his colleague James on the importance of dining at your local restaurant. Chains suck. I’ll add a bonus note that drinking at your local brewery is the bee’s knees.
Adventures Yet To Print
We’ll have a recap of the UP 200 coming up soon. We’ll have to see what other random stories pop out of that adventure.
What Are You Reading?
I finally finished The Master and His Emissary, and now I’m about a third of the way through The Alienist by Caleb Carr. I’m not sure how I missed reading this book back in 1994 when it was released, but I’m glad Brenda downloaded it for us to listen to. The story is great, with scenes from late-1800s New York City and the beginnings of criminal profiling. So far, the pacing is great with just the right amount of tension and forward momentum to keep you glued to the story.
What Are You Spinning?
Not much this week as we are out and about. However, Vic from Dystopian Dogs Records sent me a copy of Wrong Way Rockers Volume 1: Peninsular Metal. The track listing includes:
Dungeon Beast - “To Shatter What Binds”
Sauron - “Infernal Sword”
Low Magic - “Sinister Barrier”
Locust Point - “City Sharks”
Seihdr - “Hellthrashing Death Brigade”
Acid Witch - “You’re Melting”
Nuke - “Crossfire”
Jail - “January”
Cruthu - “Set Fire to the Dawn”
Anguish - “Celephaïs”
Prelude to Ruin - “Take it Away”
Time Gambler - “Stalemate”
My first impressions from a quick listen before heading up north are that this compilation is stacked with heavy gems. In particular, the tunes by Sauron, Cruthu, and Locust Point rip. My Portuguese brother, Nuno, and I are going to give a full report on a special episode of Fans With Bands. I’ll also have a review for you coming soon.
That’s A Wrap
As my buddy Sturgill once said:
“Keep your head out of the clouds
And remember to be kind
And just stay in school
Stay off the drugs
And keep between the lines.”
Thank you for reading. I hope your week is awesome! Don’t forget to kick out the jams!
Now, here is your moment of zen:
That story about the dogs looking back at you like "Dude, you need to run with us" had me cracking up. Makes me wonder though - do the mushers in the actual UP 200 have to jump off and run behind their sleds much, or are they skilled enough to stay on most of the time? Seems like trail conditions would make a huge difference in how much human power gets added to the mix.
Thanks for the mention and the picture of the cute squirrel!