In Gentler Valleys Roaming
A Memoir of Sled Dogs
by Julie Verrette
With a name inspired by the peaceful refuge in the song by the great Andy Williams, Summer Place Kennel provided a safe haven for retired sled dogs from some of the premier racers in the world, such as four-time Iditarod Champion Susan Butcher and Yukon Quest Champion Aliy Zirkle. They entrusted their beloved teammates to the care of Julie Verrette, the owner and founder of Summer Place Kennel in Florence, Wisconsin.
“If I can be presumptuous enough to give advice, it would be to make your own passion come true. If my story can inspire even one person to realize their vision, whatever it is, and think ‘Julie saw what she wanted to do and she did it, and so can I,’ I would be thrilled!” ~Julie Verrette
In the first chapter of her book, Julie writes about a family trip to northern Minnesota and her first experience on a dogsled: “I climbed into the sled with our guide/musher and a twelve-dog team. Our guide said he wanted to get off running smoothly and then let me drive. We took off without a hitch and I was amazed at how quiet it quickly became as the dogs settled into their work. The swish, swish of runners on fresh snow and the occasional sound of huskies breathing was mesmerizing. It was exhilarating to fly through the Minnesota winter wilderness!”
In time, that experience would change her life, as she writes in the prologue: “Long before I could define it, the concept of retired sled dogs roaming in the gentler valleys of Wisconsin, I felt the powerful need for a lifestyle I couldn’t clearly identify. I took the leap and made a home for high performance sled dogs and strived to give them their best lives.”
Julie’s love of the sled dogs took her to Alaska and the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, where she visited several checkpoints along the trail, and she came home with some of the best racing dogs in the world, retired from top kennels such as Trail Breaker (Susan Butcher) and Skunk’s Place (Aliy Zirkle). Back in Wisconsin, Julie built a life for herself and the dogs entrusted to her care.
Julie Verrette’s In Gentler Valleys Roaming: A Memoir of Sled Dogs is the inspiring and heartwarming story of one woman’s dedication to and work with retired sled dogs, and the life she and they built together in a beautiful Wisconsin valley.
114 pages, 6″ x 9″ format, b/w interior and photos, bibliography, indexed. ISBN 9798294154202. $24.95 plus $5.00 shipping.
Northern Light Media 