Dog Days of Winter and 30-Mile Sled Race on Saturday
BROWNVILLE JCT — On Saturday, Jan. 26 the town of Brownville and the Maine Highlands Sled Dog Club will present the fourth annual Brownville Dog Days of Winter and 30-Mile Sled Dog Race.
THE JUNCTION GOES TO THE DOGS — On Saturday, Jan. 26 the town of Brownville and the Maine Highlands Sled Dog Club will present the Brownville Dog Days of Winter and 30-Mile Sled Dog Race. The event will include races starting from the edge of Railroad Avenue and other events throughout the day in the Jct
The day begins with breakfast at the American Legion on Railroad Avenue starting at 5 a.m. and going through 9:30 with breakfast sandwiches and beverages being served. Mushers arrive from 6-8:30 a.m. and equipment checks will take place from 8-9:45 a.m.
Dog sled teams will start the 30-mile race at 10 a.m., departing from the edge of Railroad Avenue with teams scheduled to be on the trails until the middle of the afternoon. The 30-mile trail is a scenic out-and- back course, traversing varied terrain. Race entry forms can be found at www.mainesleddogclub.com.
The Brownville Snowmobile Club maintains the trail, assists with marking the route and is providing sweep sleds for the safety of mushers. The Piscataquis Amateur Radio Club is manning radio communications safety checkpoints along the trail.
HOUNDING THE OFFICIALS — A team of dogs is held in place by volunteers prior to the start of a previous year’s sled dog race in Brownville.
A mushers’ fun run starts at 11 a.m., and lunch will be served at the American Legion from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The Dog Days of Winter will include a number of other events during the early afternoon along Railroad Avenue, such as turkey bowling sponsored by the American Legion with participants trying to hit 10 frozen bottles of soda with a frozen turkey; snow art competition, also sponsored by the American Legion; scavenger hunt sponsored by DeWitt-Jones Realty; snow sledding sponsored by the General Store and More; the Maine Highlands Sled Dog Club’s human mushing to drive and pull a sled as a team; and one dog event as participants of all ages are invited to try their hand at mushing.
The day will conclude with a public spaghetti dinner and musher awards ceremony taking place at the Brownville Jct. United Methodist Church from 3-5 p.m.
PROPER PAWWEAR — Many of the entrants in the sled dog race wear booties to protect them from the ice and packed snow along the trail.
For more information on the Brownville Dog Days of Winter and 30-Mile Sled Dog Race, please call the Brownville Town Office at 965-2561, Race Coordinator Terry Knowles at 965-8120 or go to www.trcmaine.org/dogdays.
WHO LET THE DOGS OUT? — A team in the race departs from Railroad Avenue to head out and back. This year entrants will be on the course from mid-morning through the middle of the afternoon.