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Chapter 1, pages 1-23
This prelude gives you a look into the author and his team of dogs in Alaska, training for the Iditarod. The author tells of a run where he ignored all the signs and took his team straight into a massive storm. After passing several opportunities for shelter, the author must try his best to hide himself and the team from the storm underneath a small over hang. After the storm passes and the author realizes how eerily close they had been to death, they head back to camp. Read 23 pages, 545 total -
Chapter 1, pages 23-55
The author, Gary Paulsen, gives a better look into his background in running dogs. He lived in Minnesotring this time and had a small team of dogs that he would take on runs for days. After returning from a run in which he witnessed incredible acts of nature, Gary decides he is going to run the Iditarod. Read 32 pages, 577 total -
Chapter 2, page s 55-72
Gary adds three dogs from Canada to his team that prove to be quite the behavorial challenge. The dogs shredded their kennels less than 5 miles into their trip home and Gary's wife, Ruth, had to drive home while he sat in the back with the dogs and was essentially mauled by them. After getting them home he took them on their first run during which the team raced after a rabbit
and Gary lost them for hours. Read 17 pages, 594 total -
Chapter 3, pages 72-89
This chapter focuses on the major wrecks the team created almost daily when they tried to run. Mistakes were made that led to these wrecks and most of them revolved around the poor decision to make a light rig for the dogs to pull and running the entire team at once, they were far too strong for the rig. After one dreadful accident when he was sprayed by multiple skunks and his wife made him sleep in the kennel, he may have made a breakthrough with the team. Read 17 pages, 611 total -
Chapter 4, pages 89-95
Gary realizes taht sleeping with the dogs may have been the best thing that could have happened when trying to gain their trust. He had to mark his own territory with them and respect theirs as well. By living with them he built a respect amongst the team to the point where even the ruthless Canadian dogs did not want him to leave the kennel. Read 6 pages, 617 total -
Chapters 4-5, pages 95-116
Snow begins to fall in Minnesota and Gary finally gets the opportunity to run the dogs, but again, he makes rookie mistakes that almost cost him his team and his life. He is receiving generous donations from people all over the state trying to help him run the race. After someone donates an old pick-up he drives to Alaska to begin training for the race. Read 21 pages, 638 total -
Chapters 5-6, pages 116-130
Gary learns through another musher that the most important thing you can have while running the race is a tight tug with the dogs. He also receives lots of advice from people in Alaska and he learns the hard way that you have to sort out the ones that think they know what they're talking about and the ones who actually do. Also, he gears up and ships the dogs to Anchorage to start the race. Read 14 pages, 652 total -
Chapters 6-8, pages 130-148
Gary's unfortunate ignorance is evident when he realizes how little he knows about the course and the difficulties of the race. He is required to attend the banquet the night before the race and to get at least some sleep, takes a 4 hour nap during it. He switches Cookie from lead dog which turns out to be a colossal mistake when the dogs start early and lead him crashing off course. Read 18 pages, 670 total -
Chapters 8-9, pages 148-174
The first day of the race proves to be incredibly long for Gary and the team as they face new challenges at every turn. Gary's team leads a string of others off track and while truing to get back on they encounter a moose who attacks and kills a dog on one of the other teams. Gary loses all ties seperating him from the dogs when he eats some of their slumps. Read 26 pages, 696 total -
Chapters 9-14, pages 174-224
Gary crosses over Rainy Pass with a well rested and hyper team and possibly the only thing that saves him is falling and using his body to pull back on the team. Gary's lack of knowledge of the trail is continually evident when he hits an ice chute at full speed without knowing it was even coming. As he gets more and more tired he has to prepare for the challenges of the Yukon River approaching. Read 50 pages, 746 total -
Chapters 14-18, pages 224-256
The team finally makes it across the bone chilling and challenging Yukon River. The finish line is bitter sweet because Gary has had a new connection with the dogs and almost doesn't want it to end. At the end of the book he finds out he has coronary heart disease and the doctor tells him he has to live a normal life, no dogs, and Gary wonders if he can live without them. Read 32 pages, 778 total