Dawson City ( Canada ), Friday 15th February 2008

Being arrived in the City which has witnessed the blossoming of the Gold Rush of the Klondike ( River on which tomorrow we will mush our dogs ... ! ), the birth of Jack London's tales such as White Fang, The Call of the Wild, the heartly poems of Robert Service ...provokes an unbelievable emotion. It seems to be automatically thrown in that golden and legendary era, even because Dawson City has mantained intact all its architectural and cultural carachteristics.

But Today we have hooked our two sled Dog teams on the Yukon Quest Race Trail just out of town and we have travelled roundtrip the 25 miles ( total of 50 miles trip ) which separate Dawson City from King Solomon Dome ( the highest peak of the entire Race ). It has been a long and constant ascent towards this extraordinary peak from which there is a breath taking 360 degrees view on all these amazing and endless territories.

The Alaskan Lance Mackey and his team of extraordinary 12 dogs ( 11 males and just 1 female ! ) will leave spot on time tonight at 1:40 am after their well deserved and mandatory rest of 36 hours. Ken Anderson of Fox Alaska will follow at just 6 minutes of gap ( his delay at yesterday' s arrival ! ). This will be with any doubt a race between these two teams and their extraordinary Dogs !

Tomorrow morning we will visit the cabins of Jack London and Robert Service, taking a great chance to visit carefully this wonderful town of other ages. In the afternoon we will leave again with the two dog teams and all the gear necessary to put up a proper camp on the River Yukon.
It' s late night now and in less than one hour the great Lance Mackey will start with his 12 dogs, and I want to go greet him and tell him also that the trail from here to the King Solomon Dome is in perfect shape.

A hug from your
Ararad Khatchikian