Pine Barrens, NJ – A flurry of frenzied dog barks cuts through the hush of winter’s chill in the woods.
The clinking sounds of metal ring out with each restless jump and spin as the clouds of condensation emanating from their snouts grow bigger. A few seconds pass, then comes the call: “Hike!” The pack takes off together in perfect sync, aligned in rows of two, and they dash across the frozen terrain.
It may seem like a scene from the movie “Iron Will,” or the starting line at Alaska’s iconic Iditarod race, but not so fast. This pack of dogs isn’t a bunch of huskies; there’s golden retrievers, hounds and Great Danes. And that frozen terrain? It’s not the Arctic Circle. It’s the Pine Barrens of New Jersey.
Sled dog racing is full of misconceptions — something the Jersey Sands Sled Dog Racing Association(JSSDRA) has been battling to grow the sport’s visibility since its founding in the late ’60s and early ’70s. It’s been tough sledding for the association to gain traction with the masses given its unexpected nature in New Jersey, but President Bryan Freeman emphasized just how easy it is for residents to participate in the joys of the cold-weather sport.
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