Back of the Pack: An Iditarod Rookie Musher's Alaska Pilgrimage to Nome

by Don Bowers

Once infected with the mushing virus, there is no cure -- there is only the trail" Don Bowers learned the truth of these words as he lived his dream of running Alaska's grueling 1,100-mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. With no mushing experience and little money, but with a spirit of adventure and support from friends, he started from scratch to put together a team. Over the next two years, he discovered that becoming a serious musher is not to be undertaken by the faint of heart, or by those who cannot learn to laugh at themselves and keep going in the face of daunting difficulties and dangers. By the time he eventually pulled under the famous burled arch at the end of Front Street in Nome, his perspective on life had been changed forever by his dogs and by the staggering scope and intensity of the Iditarod. This is Everyman's Iditarod, a tribute to the dedicated dreamers and their dogs who run to Nome in back of the pack with no hope of prize money or glory. This is truly "the rest of the story" of the Last Great Race on Earth.

396 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

Reviews

[Rick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great blow by blow of a rookie Iditarod musher who puts together a dog sled team on a shoe string budget. With plenty of experience flying his own aircraft for the Iditarod Airforce he's bitten by the sled dog bug and pursue a career/hobby in sled dog racing. Starting his own kennel we follow his races to qualify for running the big race. It's clear to the reader than Don is in love with Alaska and dogs. We get plenty of detail on the trails and background history with his journal. After I finished the book I was interested in his other Iditarod and kennel exploits and was so sad at his unexpected death. Don Bowers was killed in a crash piloting a plane along with 3 other National park employees taking them to abase camp at Denali. It was an exceptional freak storm that apparently lead to the crash.

[Susan Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finally understand my Don Bowers was so revered in AK.

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were a bit too many flowery descriptions of EVERY moment in each and every race for my taste, but as usual, I overall enjoyed hearing new dog sled & Iditarod stories.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting look at what goes into the running of sled dogs and participating in the Iditarod. A nice combination of history and memoir and travelogue and an honest look at mistakes made and lessons learned along the way. I was particularly pleased toward the end of the book when the author referenced John Wayne's movie North to Alaska and the title song by Johnny Horton, since it was playing in my brain throughout my entire reading of the book.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

My uncle knew Don so it added a little more to the story for me. It was a great book!