Mush Will Go On – Boundary Waters Blog

(Gunflint Trail, MN) The long awaited Mush for a Cure weekend is just a few days away and according to event organizer Mary Black, “Rain or shine, or in this case, snow or no snow, the show will go on.” Gunflint Trail business owner and trail boss for the Mush for a Cure Bob Baker says, “There might not be snow anywhere else but there is snow on the Gunflint Trail. The trail we use for the event is still packed with snow and there’s snow in this week’s forecast.” Sunshine and warm temperatures are also predicted for the week but it doesn’t matter since 2/3 of the course is traveled over frozen lakes so the mushers will have a place to run their dogs.

The Mush for a Cure is a fundraiser for the National Breast Cancer Foundation whose participants raised over $25,000. at last year’s event. This year event organizers added a Pink Prom Pasta Party and The Bald, The Brave and The Beautiful for Friday night before the race. Organizers are hopeful this will help achieve their goal of raising over $30,000 this year even though they are not sure what to expect with the economy.

Sarah Hamilton, owner of Trail Center where the majority of the weekend’s events take place says, “My crew and I are pumped for this weekend, everyone’s going to have a great time for a great cause.”

With men and women dressed in pink prom dresses Friday night Trail Center will be the place to be. Live music by the Trail’s End Band will add to the fun of the crowning of the King and Queen and the shaving of heads. Whether it is Cook County Sheriff Mark Falk or his deputy Leif Lunde or the Gunflint Trail’s Volunteer Fire Department Chief Mike Prom or his deputy Bob Baker one of each pair will be going home bald depending upon who the public would most like to see bald.

Saturday, March 13^th the fun begins early at Gunflint Pines Resort on Gunflint Lake. Ten skijor teams are signed up to Skijor for a Cure before the mushing begins at noon with a sourdough start. It’s a sight everyone should see as mushers scramble out of sleeping bags, slip on their boots and hurry to get their teams hooked up. There are 37 teams signed up making this year’s event bigger than ever. No doubt this year’s event will be better than ever too, no matter what type of condition the trail is in. The fun is in the name, Mush for a Cure Sled Dog Fundraiser, March 12-13^th on the Gunflint Trail.

###

More information can be found at http://www.mushforacure.

Please call to request photos. 218-388-2224

Schedule of Events-

5:00 – 8:00 p.m.: Pre-Registration for the mushers that are in town and have their pledges ready. Registration coordinator Phyllis and her crew would appreciate pre-registering as many teams as possible on Friday night. That way she and her volunteers aren’t rushing to tally at the last minute and you won’t have to stand outside the fish house on Saturday!

5:00 – 7:00 p.m.: Cut For a Cure Andrea Peterson from Studio 61 Hair in Grand Marais is back with chair and shears. Haircuts are $10 each with monies going to Mush For a Cure!

5:00 – 8:00 p.m.: Pink Pasta Party open to the general public wanting to meet the mushers running on Saturday that are in town and available on Friday night. Cost $6.00, MFAC participants eat free!

5:00 – 9:00 p.m.: The Bald, The Brave and The Beautiful(?) Competition. We have a few brave souls that are willing to literally “put their heads on the line” by having their heads shaved if enough money is raised! There are two competitions going on at once…the man who raises the most money in each competition gets to “take it all off” (their hair that is). You don’t have to wait until Friday night, send in your vote now. Make your check out to Mush For a Cure and put in the memo “BBB and the name of the guy you would MOST LIKE TO SEE HAVE THEIR HEAD SHAVED. The contestants are:

Ring #1
Cook County Sheriff, MARK “I Don’t Want to be a Cueball” FALK
vs.
Chief Deputy, LEIF “Remind Me Again, Why I Said I’d Do This” LUNDE

Ring #2
Gunflint Trail VFD Chief MIKE “Good Thing I Sleep With My Hat On“ PROM
vs.
Deputy Chief, BOB “I’m Good Looking Enough, I Don’t Need Hair” BAKER

8:00 – 10:00 p.m.: NEW THIS YEAR…Pink Prom!!!!!!! at 8:00 there will be a Grand March for everyone who wishes to attend The Pink Prom. We’ll have a band playing music as an appetizer to Saturday night’s Finisher’s Party.

9:00 p.m.: Pink Prom King and Queen Crowning come and see who is most popular in pink and voted King and Queen. While the royalty is enjoying their victory dance, the Bald, Brave and Beautiful monies will be tallied. (King and Queen get “first shave” on the heads of the BB & B competitors)

9:30 p.m.: The Bald, The Brave and The Beautiful HEAD SHAVING!!!! Whoever has more money in their bank account at the end of the night between the two pairs will have less hair as he will have his head shaved.

SATURDAY, MARCH 13TH

9:00 a.m. – 11:00: Musher check-in/Registration and Pancake Breakfast at Gunflint Pines.

10:00 a.m.: Skijor Start at the Cross River on the Gunflint Trail and finish at Gunflint Pines.

11:00 a.m.: Musher Meeting on Gunflint Lake (location TBA).

12:00 noon: Sled Team Mass Sourdough Start on Gunflint Lake.

Noon-3:00: Opportunities to see the dog teams along the trail. Suggested sites: Start: Gunflint Pines, Gunflint Resort. Along the trail: Gunflint Lake boat landing, Iron Lake Access, Old Gunflint Trail (both west and east ends) Poplar Lake: Windigo Lodge, Nor’wester Lodge and the finish at Trail Center Lodge.

2:00-5:00: Finish at Trail Center Teams coming into the finish line at Trail Center Lodge. Finisher’s bonfire, hot dog/marshmallow roast and party tent sponsored by Sarah and the gang at Trail Center Lodge.

5:00-6:00′ish: Awards/Prizes Prize selection to largest pledge collector(s) in order, and fun trophies for special awards at the big tent on Poplar Lake in front of Trail Center

7-10:00: Finishers Dance Hang out on the Gunflint Trail for a great time with Sarah and the gang at Trail Center and your mushing friends and dance the night away to Cook County’s Most Wanted: Rod ‘n Real!