Local man travels north to experience dog's life

TAKING IT TO THE STREETS-The "Red Rockets" mush through the streets of Chinatown during the Urban Iditarod last week. The race, which traverses three miles of downtown San Francisco, is a parody of the 1,000-mile Alaskan Iditarod. The clank of shopping carts across rail lines, the howls of revelers and the eccentric costumes left the tourists walking the streets of San Francisco with stumped expressions.

"A dog's life isn't always easy," said Evan Sherman, a 22year-old resident of Oak Park.

Sherman, a physical education teacher, made the 400-mile trek from Oak Park to San Francisco to participate in the 12th annual Urban Iditarod. The event is both a mockery and a celebration of the Alaskan Iditarod, a 1,000-mile dog sled race across the frozen tundra between Anchorage and Nome.

In the Urban Iditarod, the frozen tundra is replaced with the tourist-packed streets that run through China Town and Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco. Party seekers stand in for the dogs and the sleds are replaced by shopping carts packed with beer and boom boxes.

The event originated in San Francisco 12 years ago by Tommy Kramer.

"The phrase 'Urban Iditarod' came to me in a dream. When I awoke, I created the concept of the race," said Kramer.

The race covers a 3-mile course that begins on Market Street in San Francisco and ends by Fort Mason. Every mile, the "dogs" and mushers are encouraged to take a 20-minutes break to "re-hydrate" and chat with other participants.

"San Francisco is a really friendly city and this event is a great way to have some fun and meet people," said Sherman.

While the event focuses on having fun, it is not without hazards. Cracks in the streets can topple carts and cause beer to become foamy, while San Francisco's steep hills can send carts darting into people's heels.

"Like any other sport, there are some definite risks involved," said Sherman.

Participants are encouraged to decorate their cart and wear costumes during the run. Themes often center on dogs, with some examples of teams as the Sea Dogs, the Fire Station Dalmatians, and the Hot Dog Carters. Sherman, who had participated in the event once before, ran with team Red Rocket.

The race has grown in size since its inception. This year it attracted more than 1,000 participants in more than 100 teams. A police escort was required to help the teams safely cross busy intersections.

"I had a great time and I think it would be wonderful if events like these would spring up in Oak Park or Agoura," said Sherman.

Until then, the experienced Iditarod runner plans on taking some time off before he begins training for next year's event.

For more information on the Urban Iditarod, go online to www.urbaniditarod.com.