Gerhardt Thiart - Iditarod 2022
Donation protected
FROM AFRICA TO ALASKA
PART I
It was a chilly Sunday morning, the norm for wintertime in South Africa. Despite the weather, Gerhardt and Al-Jo Thiart were up at 4 AM with their coffee, three Siberian huskies, dog harnesses, and gang line ready. They piled into their old Ford pick-up and drove an hour to a desolate dirt road, an ideal location for their mission.
Gerhardt and Al-Jo knew the drill. They worked in sync, as a team. Gerhardt stationed his aluminum scooter in front of the truck and secured the safety line between the two. Then to the scooter, he added the gang line, onto which Al-Jo hooked the Siberian huskies. The dogs barked, ready to run. Their paws lifted and pounced on the muddy ground.
Gerhardt hopped onto the scooter and looked back at Al-Jo. He too, was ready. Al-Jo released the safety, releasing the dogs' energy. And off went Gerhardt on his own mini-Iditarod, a total distance of 10 kilometers (6.25 miles), but he was not alone. He had his dogs, Al-Jo following behind in the pickup, and a road lined with spectators.
The spectators watched in utter silence. A rusted barbed wire fence drooped between them and Gerhardt, the only separation. A flock of sheep grazed in the pastures on the left, and on the right a herd of cattle. The dogs could not decide whether to go left (a lamp chop) or right (a ribeye steak), so instead (thankfully) decided to move forward and ignore the potential meals.
After the run, as Gerhardt and Al-Jo drove home, the sun peeked over the dark mountains behind them. Through the mud-streaked windshield, they could see the City of Cape Town with Table Mountain towering above the city, keeping guard. The year was 2005.
The journey began in 2002, and now, 19 years later, after crossing a battlefield of obstacles, Gerhardt and Al-Jo are standing before the door that leads to the Big One, the real deal, the 1,000-mile Iditarod® Sled Dog Race.
Taking part in the Iditarod is not for the weak. The qualifiers alone cull the field of potential starters. Mushers look upon with awe at anyone who can say: “Yes, I've done it.”
The cold. The calm. The cost. The road to the Iditarod is quite frankly expensive. From dog food, dog booties, veterinary care, gear, traveling expense, training costs, etc., the list goes on of needed goods. A veteran musher once said: “Looking down the Iditarod trail, and you don’t even have to look very hard, one sees many pension plans scattered across the trail, camouflaged as brown speckles.”
Let’s continue helping Gerhardt and Al-Jo. This time with dog bootie expenses:
20 dogs = 80 paws
80 paws x 3500 miles
@ 100 miles per bootie (reusing)
= $2,800 just on dog booties.
You have the key to unlock the door for Gerhardt and Al-Jo to take part in the Iditarod® 2022. They have dreamed about it for 19 years. They have worked tirelessly for it for 19 years. One day at a time, year after year.
Make a donation and be part of their journey. Help Gerhardt be the first South African to run the Iditarod®.
From Dirt Roads in Africa to the Icy Trails of the Iditarod in Alaska.
The big question: WHY? – Find out at www.gatfoundation.org
Credits:
GoFundMe Narrative Reviewed & Edited by Lara Kittelson
Video Edited and Narrated by Andre van der Merwe
PART I
It was a chilly Sunday morning, the norm for wintertime in South Africa. Despite the weather, Gerhardt and Al-Jo Thiart were up at 4 AM with their coffee, three Siberian huskies, dog harnesses, and gang line ready. They piled into their old Ford pick-up and drove an hour to a desolate dirt road, an ideal location for their mission.
Gerhardt and Al-Jo knew the drill. They worked in sync, as a team. Gerhardt stationed his aluminum scooter in front of the truck and secured the safety line between the two. Then to the scooter, he added the gang line, onto which Al-Jo hooked the Siberian huskies. The dogs barked, ready to run. Their paws lifted and pounced on the muddy ground.
Gerhardt hopped onto the scooter and looked back at Al-Jo. He too, was ready. Al-Jo released the safety, releasing the dogs' energy. And off went Gerhardt on his own mini-Iditarod, a total distance of 10 kilometers (6.25 miles), but he was not alone. He had his dogs, Al-Jo following behind in the pickup, and a road lined with spectators.
The spectators watched in utter silence. A rusted barbed wire fence drooped between them and Gerhardt, the only separation. A flock of sheep grazed in the pastures on the left, and on the right a herd of cattle. The dogs could not decide whether to go left (a lamp chop) or right (a ribeye steak), so instead (thankfully) decided to move forward and ignore the potential meals.
After the run, as Gerhardt and Al-Jo drove home, the sun peeked over the dark mountains behind them. Through the mud-streaked windshield, they could see the City of Cape Town with Table Mountain towering above the city, keeping guard. The year was 2005.
The journey began in 2002, and now, 19 years later, after crossing a battlefield of obstacles, Gerhardt and Al-Jo are standing before the door that leads to the Big One, the real deal, the 1,000-mile Iditarod® Sled Dog Race.
Taking part in the Iditarod is not for the weak. The qualifiers alone cull the field of potential starters. Mushers look upon with awe at anyone who can say: “Yes, I've done it.”
The cold. The calm. The cost. The road to the Iditarod is quite frankly expensive. From dog food, dog booties, veterinary care, gear, traveling expense, training costs, etc., the list goes on of needed goods. A veteran musher once said: “Looking down the Iditarod trail, and you don’t even have to look very hard, one sees many pension plans scattered across the trail, camouflaged as brown speckles.”
Let’s continue helping Gerhardt and Al-Jo. This time with dog bootie expenses:
20 dogs = 80 paws
80 paws x 3500 miles
@ 100 miles per bootie (reusing)
= $2,800 just on dog booties.
You have the key to unlock the door for Gerhardt and Al-Jo to take part in the Iditarod® 2022. They have dreamed about it for 19 years. They have worked tirelessly for it for 19 years. One day at a time, year after year.
Make a donation and be part of their journey. Help Gerhardt be the first South African to run the Iditarod®.
From Dirt Roads in Africa to the Icy Trails of the Iditarod in Alaska.
The big question: WHY? – Find out at www.gatfoundation.org
Credits:
GoFundMe Narrative Reviewed & Edited by Lara Kittelson
Video Edited and Narrated by Andre van der Merwe
Organizer
Gerhardt Thiart
Organizer
Cheboygan, MI