The Dog Sled Race.

The race starts at 01: PM and have to be there for noon. That morning I took Blacky and Whity out for a short run and did not feed them any seal meat that morning. They were both in great shape; I knew that morning that no one could beat us. It was a beautiful sunny day and about -15. I put the harnesses on both dogs and yes I built a new sleigh out of broken hockey sticks that I had picked up here and there. It was a nice light sled and for racing. At noon we were already tide up on the side of the road and waiting. I was having problems with Blacky he was barking and trying to get to the other dogs, he wanted to fight not race. I tied his rope a little shorter to the fence post and my buddy Lloyd came and took care of him. They gave me number 13, for me it was a lucky number. The inscription was finished and we were 17 in the race. We were allowed 1 to 6 dogs, everyone had six dogs I was the only one with two dogs. The race was one and a quarter mile. The first runner did it in 6 minutes 15 seconds. I was the last one to run and the time I had to beat was 5 minutes 35 seconds. Lloyd helped me up to the starting line and we were having problems with Blacky, he wanted to jump on everything that was moving, not to bite them, he wanted to play and because of his size everyone who did not know him were scared. I managed to get going and on our way we were. Boy we were flying and the first corner that we turned I had to tip the sled on to one runner, if not the sled would have been cut in half by the steel pole that was there. About half I saw two dogs on the side of the road and I told myself oh no and it happened Blacky jump on one to fight with him. I got off the sled as fast as I could, grabbed Blacky by the ear and said no. (That’s the way I always made him listen to me and this ever since he was a pup. I just pulled his ear and he would stop.) On the way we were again and flying. I was on the last stretch, quarter mile and I could see the people, my friends jumping up and down. I knew that my time was good and maybe enough to beat 5 minutes 35 seconds. They were running straight for the crowd and I hope that Blacky does not jump on someone. As I pasted the finishing line Lloyd grabbed Blacky and said I think you won, I’m sure you won and yes we did my time was 4 minutes 20 seconds, what a race and I was proud. I the first prize in 1960 was $100. I kept $25. for me and bought dog food with the other $75.