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The John Beargrease sled dog marathon is the longest & touted as the toughest dog sled race in the lower 48 at 411 miles over some very rough and hilly terrain. It is also a qualifier race for the Iditarod and we have mushers here right now from all over the world. What a way to break up a sometimes monotonous and very long winter here on the tundra of northern Minnesota!
Why the name Beargrease and who the heck is John Beargrease?
John Beargrease was born in 1858, the same year Minnesota became a state. He may have been born near Cass Lake or Beaver Bay. His father was an Ojibwe chief named Moquabimetem, who also went by the name of John Beargrease. He was a leader of a small group of Ojibwe that settled in Beaver Bay in 1858 to work in the sawmill.
John Beargrease and his brothers started delivering the mail in 1879. Their main route was between Two Harbors and Grand Marais. Occasionally, they would take the mail all the way to Grand Portage. They could make the Two Harbors/Grand Marais trip about once (sometimes twice) a week. John was best known for his mail journeys by dogsled. His fastest trip by dogsled from Two Harbors to Grand Marais was 28 hours.1 He once made the trip in 20 hours by boat!
The mail carrier was the link to the outside world for the people living along the North Shore.2 Everyone awaited his arrival with anticipation. He was the weather broadcaster and news teller. News of national importance or letters from loved ones were in his pack.
The only trail along the North Shore was a footpath that was first traveled by the Anishinabe and later by the fur traders and the fishing families that settled on the North Shore. It was called the Lake Shore Trail and followed the coastline all the way between Duluth and Thunder Bay.
John Beargrease died of tuberculosis in Beaver Bay on August 10, 1910. Some sources mention that he died from pneumonia caused by saving another mail carrier, Montferrand, by diving into the frigid waters of Lake Superior. Tuberculosis is listed as his cause of death on his death certificate. It is unknown if the heroic save in the cold waters had something to do with him catching tuberculosis.
The above in italics is quoted from
Minnesota History Center
Alrighty then. This years event is the 25th running and was met with much anticipation by us fans as last years marathon was postponed then canceled for the first time ever in it's history due to a lack of snow.
Sunday was marathon start day. The weather was perfect for us spectators at a balmy 30 degrees but it was far too warm for the sled dogs. They like it best when it is -10F below. Well, they will get their cold and then some but I am getting ahead of myself here. More on that later...
Why the name Beargrease and who the heck is John Beargrease?
John Beargrease was born in 1858, the same year Minnesota became a state. He may have been born near Cass Lake or Beaver Bay. His father was an Ojibwe chief named Moquabimetem, who also went by the name of John Beargrease. He was a leader of a small group of Ojibwe that settled in Beaver Bay in 1858 to work in the sawmill.
John Beargrease and his brothers started delivering the mail in 1879. Their main route was between Two Harbors and Grand Marais. Occasionally, they would take the mail all the way to Grand Portage. They could make the Two Harbors/Grand Marais trip about once (sometimes twice) a week. John was best known for his mail journeys by dogsled. His fastest trip by dogsled from Two Harbors to Grand Marais was 28 hours.1 He once made the trip in 20 hours by boat!
The mail carrier was the link to the outside world for the people living along the North Shore.2 Everyone awaited his arrival with anticipation. He was the weather broadcaster and news teller. News of national importance or letters from loved ones were in his pack.
The only trail along the North Shore was a footpath that was first traveled by the Anishinabe and later by the fur traders and the fishing families that settled on the North Shore. It was called the Lake Shore Trail and followed the coastline all the way between Duluth and Thunder Bay.
John Beargrease died of tuberculosis in Beaver Bay on August 10, 1910. Some sources mention that he died from pneumonia caused by saving another mail carrier, Montferrand, by diving into the frigid waters of Lake Superior. Tuberculosis is listed as his cause of death on his death certificate. It is unknown if the heroic save in the cold waters had something to do with him catching tuberculosis.
The above in italics is quoted from
Minnesota History Center
Alrighty then. This years event is the 25th running and was met with much anticipation by us fans as last years marathon was postponed then canceled for the first time ever in it's history due to a lack of snow.
Sunday was marathon start day. The weather was perfect for us spectators at a balmy 30 degrees but it was far too warm for the sled dogs. They like it best when it is -10F below. Well, they will get their cold and then some but I am getting ahead of myself here. More on that later...
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