From
State Senator Janet Bewley
Chasing
Away Those Winter Blues
February, the time of year that
sometimes tests our love of winter. There’s nothing quite as beautiful as
a fresh blanket of snow on the pine trees that line the roads in northern
Wisconsin. But that snow comes with responsibilities and hard work.
Whether it’s the residual road salt or the inevitable scraping of the windshield,
there are a few downsides. But I like to focus on the good during the
sometimes long wait for the warming of spring to arrive.
In addition to being beautiful, this
year‘s abundant snowfall brings with it tremendous opportunities to get out and
enjoy a variety of outdoor activities that our neighbors in the southern parts
of the state can only dream about. From the solitude of snowshoeing to
the excitement of snowmobiling, there is never a lack of recreation to be found
if you’re willing to bundle up and brave the elements.
During the month of February, there
will be two opportunities to chase any winter blues away by getting out and
seeing mushers from throughout the country compete in Bayfield County. On
February 1st and 2nd, you can attend the 25th Annual Apostle Islands Sled Dog
Race. Multiple races over the two days begin just north of the City of
Bayfield at the Echo Valley Gravel Pit on State Highway 13 with the course
following The Sand River Trail System of Bayfield County. In years past,
I’ve volunteered as a dog handler, guiding excited teams to the starting
gate. This year I’ll be presenting the winners with their awards on
Sunday afternoon. And later in the month, on February 15th, the Northern
Pines Sled Dog Race will begin at the Northern Pines Golf Course in Iron River.
This is a newer race, but equally fun and exciting.
In addition to being a great
opportunity to get out and experience the outdoors, attending a sled dog race
is a great way to connect with the heritage of both indigenous peoples and
early settlers. Many historians believe that the Inuit people of what we
now know as Northern Canada were some of the first to use sled dogs and that
the practice spread throughout the northern parts of the continent.
People are sometimes surprised to find out how many families and individuals in
Northern Wisconsin are keeping this practice alive. I count myself lucky
to have watched young mushers Talia and Morgan Martens from Brule as their
skills and confidence have grown from year to year. Talia says she was
running dogs before she could walk and recently competed in the 158-mile 2018
Junior Iditarod.
I know the cold can be a deterrent,
but if you’re interested I hope that you will stop by and enjoy either of these
races or any of the other winter events that will be ongoing throughout the
months to come. To see more of the events going on statewide, I encourage
you to visit www.travelwisconsin.com. Hope to see you
at the races!