Skijoring
Cross-country canines take their owners for a ride during the Barkie Birkie Skijor race, one of many events at the American Birkebiener in northwest Wisconsin.
More than 9,000 skiers and 20,000 spectators descended on the 2,000-person town of Hayward, Wisc., the end of the Ameican Birkebeiner races Saturday, Feb. 26. The major Birkie races span 50 and 54 kilometers from Cable to Hayward, but I chose to take photos instead at the skijor (‘skee-zhor) race on Friday, because pups pulling people is a preposterous proposition. A short roll of 12 photos follows…
For more on skijoring, please watch this informative short, torn to hilarious shreds by the folks at Mystery Science Theater 3000.
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Distracted.
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Closer up.
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These birch-legged warriors (or at least civilians disguised as such) are the heroes of the Birkebeiner legend, explained here.
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The Birkebeiner legend recounts two warriors rescuing Norway’s infant prince — who would go on to end the country’s civil war in the 13th century — by skiing him 55 kilometers to safety.
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Cross-country canines take their owners for a ride during the Barkie Birkie, one of many events at the American Birkebiener in northwest Wisconsin.
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I think I still prefer this photo of my brothers, Justin and Otto, from 2008.