There is really not much more to say, other than: Power Units. Some of these drivers running their dog teams in the Quest have definately proven that these dogs are being used for merely nothing more than units of power with one objection in mind and that is to win--money, money, money.

A lot does lay within the hands of the media, I believe. With comments like those of Lance Mackey; to be glorified by the media and then build up the contender's quotes by making his efforts to the finnish seem more strategic only because he chose to rest his dogs less than what should be desired--this is absurd. When certain events and moments like these pop up, we really have no reason for complaint projected against those damn animal activists when they raise such a hot fuss over race tactics and animal wellbeing/morals as these facing this season's Yukon Quest mushers. Lets hope he damn well does cash in his gold winnings and buys dog food,
because after all: "The dogs are the ones who earned it".

Thanks for this series on the Yukon Quest. I was under the (apparently mistaken) impression that the Quest was still the less competetively driven race of years past.

Someone in the media should be offering a kind word for those who withdrew or accepted evacuation by air, too. There is no shame in choosing not to risk your wellbeing, or that of your teammates (the dogs), in the name of sport...even old soldiers say it's sometimes better to live to fight another day.