“It’s basically a razor scooter on steroids,” said Dennis Grady, a neighbor of Reyes and dog owner who got into the sport.
One of the race categories that Reyes calls “canicross” even pits people without scooters against each other to see whose dog can drag them 3 kilometers (1.86 miles) on foot in the shortest time.
Aside from the annual races, a group of the sport’s local enthusiasts meet in Fairview Park around 7:30 a.m. on weekend mornings to exercise their dogs and teach anyone interested about urban mushing.
When clueless passers-by see Reyes or Grady cruising through the park people usually ask whether they’re from Alaska and if they’re training for the Iditarod — a famous sledding race through icy tundra.
A few accuse the men of abusing their animals (which couldn’t be farther from the truth, according to Reyes, who says the dogs were bred for the activity and become antsy and poorly behaved if they don’t do it).
“And of course there’s the comment, ‘Hey where’s your dog sled,’ and the funny part is that their jaws drop when I tell them the dog sled is in the garage,” Reyes said.
He actually does own a sled, which he straps the dogs to when he takes trips up to the mountains of Big Bear Lake or Mammoth for some real mushing.
The dogs love it, Grady said.
“Especially when we see the dogs first start to do the sport and it kicks in with their instincts then they just take off and run,” Grady said.
IF YOU GO
WHAT: Third Annual (not so) Great Serum Run and Barbecue
WHEN: 8 a.m. Saturday
WHERE: Fairview Park
COST: $25 adults, $10 children
INFORMATION: www.urbanmushing.com
ALAN BLANK may be reached at (714) 966-4623 or at alan.blank@latimes.com.
