Okay, before you read this diary entry, you need to watch this video....

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5av4m1hD_Tg

Don't worry about how it relates the dogs yet, it will all become apparent in time...

So, yesterday we had a cameraman from the Discovery Channel out following us around for the day. Actually, this is a bit of an ongoing project (hey, I don't tell you guys EVERYTHING! *VBG*). I ran into a crew at the vet checks last year and got chatting with them. They came out to the kennel for a visit and to get some footage of the dogs and I and then did some filming of us in Rainy Pass last year before the wind blew them away.

Really nice guys - very keen on this project they are working on and very fun to work with. They will be following a number of mushers on the race this year and then use footage on about ½ of us for a documentary that will air in October. No guarantees that we will make the show (and no need to inundate the Discovery channel with emails requesting I make the show - what will be will be), but we are having fun with them anyway.

So, yesterday Brian came out and tagged along after us with a camera. He filmed the dogs being fed, then he and I puttered through the dog yard with me introducing and telling him a bit about the individual dogs. The question of 'my favorite' (of the Iditarod team - so Kara wasn't even in the running here!) came up and of course we headed over to meet Crunchie. Crunchie batted his big, brown eyes at Brian and Brian moved in for the close up...

Okay, is the relevance of the ferret video becoming clear????  No?? Watch it again -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5av4m1hD_Tg

Got it now?

Yes, the rare buff footed, black faced Siberian saw his moment and made his move. In a flash he had pulled the fuzzy cover off Brian's mike and headed as far away as his chain would let him. All the while inflicting 'fatal' bites to it. I gasped. Brian assured me it was okay. Crunchie began inflicting the death shake. I sharply called his name. Brian assured me it was okay. Crunchie hunched over his prize.  After about a minute or two of wrestling, Crunch realized that I was not letting him keep his fuzzy victim and grudgingly surrendered it.

I told Crunchie he was a nerd. Brian shook the spit and snow off his cover and stuffed it back on the mike. Crunchie stared at the cover without blinking.

The rest of the day was spent playing with dogs and running dogs. Brian proved to me he was dedicated to getting the shot he wanted when he crouched in my sled bag, facing me as we loped down icy, skittering trails. I don't know that I could have kept my balance facing forward in such a situation, let alone facing backwards. He hung off the back of Jamie's snowmachine, out the side of my sled, and off the back of my runners.

Brian left convinced he got the shots he was looking for. Crunchie didn't blink for the whole day - he just stared at the fuzzy microphone cover wherever it went.

Brian said he see me out on the trail somewhere this race - Crunchie will be waiting and biding his time!

Karen

by Penny Blankenship