Dad, It’s Father’s Day, and I wanted to take the opportunity to thank you for passing your sense of adventure on to me. After all, it was you that bought me my first pair of hiking boots and took me to the woods with you for the first time. You showed me how to hunt and fish, and took me on long hikes and you instilled in me a sense of wonder at the World and a healthy curiosity and respect for nature.
You were also the one who took me to the mountains for the first time, and I’ve been fascinated with them ever since. Your love for those high places was contagious as well, and I remember sitting in your chair reading Alaska Magazine and staring at pictures of Denali for hours. We called it McKinley back then, but those images sparked our imagination, and we both knew that some day, we would go there. You introduced me to the Iditarod, The Last Great Race, but you also told me about Adventure Racing and the Eco-Challenge, which was a great race in it’s own right.
When we were kids, you told us great tales of adventure, with amazing heroes like Davey Crocket and Daniel Boone. You told us about a place where The Rivers Ran East and entertained us with stories of your own adventures in far off places. I mean, how many other guys’ fathers returned from Canada with two live bear cubs in tow?
Sure, you took us to Disney movies like the other fathers, but you also took us to see The Mountain Men and Jeremiah Johnson, but while other dad’s were teaching their sons how to catch a baseball, I learned out to shoot a bow and load a muzzle loader. I loved every minute of it.
So on this Father’s Day, I wanted to tell you dad, that you’re the one who inspired me. The one who encouraged me and the one who taught me. You gave me this sense of adventure that inspires me to explore the World even to this day. I can’t thank you enough for that gift. It’s something I can never repay. I only hope that when I grow up, I can be just like you.
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Your father must not have known that the Iditarod is cruel to dogs. For the facts, please visit the Sled Dog Action Coalition website, http://www.helpsleddogs.org
Your assertion runs counter to the evidence displayed during the race. For example, mandatory rest stops, vet checks, and mushers pulling themselves out of the race rather than risking their dogs says something different. For the vast majority of those sled drivers, the dogs safety is the most important consideration during all legs of the race.
Oh, and thanks for choosing this post to make celebrate your cause rather than one of the many Iditarod posts I’ve made in this blog. (That was sarcasm by the way, in case you couldn’t read between the lines.)
Very nice Father’s Day comments and appreciations indeed…
I also watched Jeremiah Johnson with my Dad… One of my most favorite shared movies…
I have been out with Sled Dogs on a few long trips up here in Canada. There is a very big difference between those that train and run with their Dogs as members of the ‘family’ and those that just ‘break’ their Dogs to run… We only went out and ran with the former and have no time for the latter. I’m not sure if the ‘Coalition’ sees this difference.
And by the way, as I’ve visited and enjoyed your Blog so much, I thought to post about it too. Hope I got the details right and you get even more visits.
DSD
Thanks for the kind words about my blog DSD. It wouldn’t be the same without you offering up your comments and insights as well. I appreciate your stopping by and regularly posting your thoughts. 🙂