Dog Sled Races: Part TWO ! (Otherwise known as Dog Sled Races Haute Coutures)

If you missed the beginning of this series on the

U.P. 200 Dog Sled Races in Marquette, Michigan, drop below this blogpost

to the blogpost below this one, and start at Part One (if you are so inclined).
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Part of the reason I love to attend the U.P. 200 is to "people watch".

Many of the bystanders dress in some pretty neat fur hoods and hats

and the atmosphere is fun and happy.

People full of hardiness for the winter in which we live.

And the dogs' excitement is contagious.

You can HEAR the dogs before you see them as you approach the raceway

because they yelp and yelp and bark as if to say:

"Let's get going already!"

This year, the temperatures were very cold and the wind chill was bitter outside.

I wore longjohns, heavy pants, 3 layers of sweaters, two pairs of gloves, a heavy hat and my heavy, hooded

winter coat.  And after a while, even I got numb standing out there waiting for the start of the race.

I just had to share with you some of the outfits I saw!:

I loved, loved this fur hood!:

And look at this youngster's hat.

OMG, is that a RACOON?

(Don't tell that little racoon that we saved last year from the trap that I know people

that wear them as HATS, they'd never forgive me!):

I bet this hat was warm. Just look how happy he is!:

Then, there was THIS crazy lady, bundled up so much you almost couldn't recognize her!:

Oh.

Wait.

That was ME.

(That is FAKE fur, people!! FAKE!!)

No animals were harmed for my warmth.

This guy just cracked me up.

He had fake dreadlocks to wear as a HAT!!!

Yah, mon...No problem!!:

I was realllly hoping this wasn't their HAIR:

Otherwise, we are gonna have to find a cosmetology shop for them right away!

(See?? I TOLD you the cold winters up here dry out your hair!)

Enough of the fashion show...

on

to the RACE!!

These pretty dogs are getting ready for the run:

And he is getting his sled ready:

Help me Rhonda!

Help, help me Rhonda...

Help me get him out of my heart:

We can't have a race without a MASCOT

now CAN we?:

This was the starting line, and the Officials just called for everybody to

LINE UP the dog sled teams!!!!:

(I just LOVED the people sitting on the hay on the "front row" seats to the excitement).

On my next blog post, I will show the teams lining up and taking off!!

(And for those of you that want to get back to the beach and sun of my Florida pictures

and the Savannah pictures, don't worry, they are still coming too!)

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