Welcome to Happy Trails Kennels:
Home of four-time Iditarod Champion
Martin Buser, and family!

For more info go to:

http://dsc.discovery.com/tv/iditarod/iditarod.html

Todd Palin is getting lots of press about his involvement in the Iron Dog Snowmachine Race but here's a little known fact. He is also a pretty good dog handler. In 2006, soon after she was elected Governor, Sarah was supposed to be Martin's "Iditarider." That's the person who gets to ride through Anchorage with the team during the ceremonial start of the race. Well, Sarah got weathered in in Juneau and couldn't leave capitol so Todd stood in for Sarah. We gave Todd the job of holding out the leaders as the team was hooked up. He's comfortable with sled dogs as well as iron dogs. He managed the 8 miles through town easily; however, he must have felt like he was in slow motion compared to his usual mode of transportation.

The dogs are finally out on the trail again. After several weeks of free running, the harnesses were rolled out of the garage and the dogs hooked up and SO ready to go. The temperatures in Alaska have been unseasonably warm and wet so the training begins before daylight to ensure that the dogs don't get too hot. At 47 degrees, they can still overheat due to their work ethic. Right now we have 36 adult dogs in training. 30 are still at summer camp (on the glacier outside Juneau) but will be coming home in the next two days.

Then we'll have our full team compliment. Martin, two new helpers-Magnus and Sean, and our 80 athletes will be focusing on the 2009 Racing Season!!!!

Martin, Sarah, Rohn, Piper at Iditarod SignUp for the 2008 Race

Some friends and I have put together this little website so people can get some info about Sarah from the point of view of people up here.

All I can say about the media is don't believe much of what you read or hear. Listen to the speeches, debates, and interviews of the candidates and make your own decision. Don't let the media's regurgitation of information (not even facts) have much to do with your decision. We are shocked by some of the simplifications, rewording, and downright inaccuracies being presented. I guess you don't usually get this kind of reaction because most candidates aren't really part of a real community with real people who know them.

http://alaskansforsarahpalin.blogspot.com/

So many of her actions are being blown totally out of proportion and context. I guess we can thank the media when no one wants to run for political office.

BTW: Alaskans all received their energy rebate today. $1200 for each Alaskan. Many in the Alaska legislature thought that they, in their infinite wisdom, should decide for us how it should be spent. Sarah felt Alaskans should be able to make decisions for themselves. That's what she's really about - having families decide instead of career politicians. Do you want government deciding for you?

Because so many of us know what's real about her, this entire crusade to dismiss her credibility is very difficult to witness.

Outside of our friend, Sarah Palin being nominated for Vice President of the United States, our big news is that Martin signed up to race in the Yukon Quest, another long sled dog race. Yep, the one Lance Mackey has run and won for many years.

The decision to run the Quest was made for several reasons, the major reason being that research done on our dogs last year indicated that long distance running improved overall metabolism. Martin is also looking for a new challenge and excited about researching a new trail and traveling in new country. With the Iditarod reducing it's purse there are financial considerations as well. Nancy Marty and Jim Davis have signed on as Official Handlers, a requirement of the Quest rules. I'm going along for morale support which will be a blast as we will be driving to most all the checkpoints.

We are looking forward to cooler temperatures that will facilitate 4-wheeler training. Right now, the dogs get their exercise by free running in the hay fields down the road.