By GB Jones
GB Jones has never finished In First Place in The Iditarod, or any other dog sled race. In 2002, and again in 2004, he completed the 1,100 mile sled dog race near the end of the pack. And he scratched from the 2003 race. This is GB's account of his journey to Nome-proof that winning can occur for those who don't arrive first.
The near-last-place finishes in 2002 and 2004 make for a far more gripping read than any champion’s memoir. I read the whole 1,100-mile race tension in one sitting, and his dry take on being at the back of the pack had me laughing out loud. It’s refreshing to follow a real musher, not a legend.
The author’s honesty about never winning really sets this apart—it’s not a victory lap, it’s a raw look at what it takes to finish a 1,100 mile race near the back of the pack. I only wish there were more photos of the trail itself, but the story kept me turning pages.
The writing pulls you right into the grit of the trail—loved the raw detail about him finishing near the back of the pack in 2002 and 2004. Just wish it dug a little deeper into the race's strategy, since the 1,100 mile distance feels almost glossed over. Still a solid read for anyone curious about