Husky News

When it’s 48 degrees below zero in Alaska, your saliva can freeze in mid-air and your skin can freeze solid within three minutes of exposure.

“I have frostbitten my hands twice; I almost lost my thumb,” said Alaskan dog musher Doug Ruzicka as he talked about the weather to more than 300 students at Jackson’s Dibble Elementary School on Friday.

The students were in awe as Ruzicka, an Alaska resident who gives presentations to schools around the country, told them about the sport of dog mushing and the state of Alaska.

“Alaska is the largest state in the country, not Texas,” said Ruzicka, 52. “It’s a huge, huge state.”

He brought along one of his Alaskan huskies, Nightlight, and the dogsled he uses in races.

He also talked about the sights of Alaska and some of its claims to fame.

For example, he said people can only fly a plane or take a boat to get to the state’s capital, Juneau.

“Juneau is the only capital city that you can’t drive a car to,” he said.

“There are no roads to Juneau.”

Ruzicka, who has participated in about a half dozen dog-sled races since 1992, also showed the students what gear he needs to participate. He said anyone could be a dog musher.

“You can be older, you can be younger, you can be a boy or girl … it doesn’t matter,” he said.

Two of his children, Mark, 20, and Rebekah, 16, have competed in the Junior Iditarod Sled Dog Race, a 150-mile trek for mushers ages 14 to 17.

“You’re going to work as hard as the dogs are,” he said. “It’s not just a ride.”

Ally Trolz, 9, said, “I thought it was cool how he explained how he got ready (for a race).”

Ruzicka visits about 120 schools a year. This was his first time presenting in Jackson.

“I hope they get a sense of what Alaska is about,” he said of the children.

Source: Mlive