I’ve always been fascinated by the Iditarod dog sledding races in Alaska. A children’s book about it was one of my son’s favorites we used to read night after night.

The Aspen Daily News reports on Bill Pinkham of Glenwood (formerly of Aspen) who is #37 among the 82 “mushers” in the race.

The Iditarod got its start in 1973. It commemorates a shorter race by dog teams to Nome in 1925 to deliver diphtheria serum after an outbreak of the disease threatened the lives of the Eskimos living there.

The trail goes through dense forests, over two mountain ranges and along the windy Yukon River, then across dangerous sea ice along the Bering Sea Coast.

It’s Bill’s fourth time in the race. You can follow his and the others’ progress here.