It was this spirit of perseverance that inspired Joe Reddington. He noticed that with the invent of modern forms of transportation, the trail was being used less and less, causing it to become dilapidated and forgotten. In an effort to save the trail and preserve the spirit of Alaska's heroic men and dogs, he spearheaded the Iditarod Race.
The confusion in the Iditarod and the serum race arose when Joe made a comment about Leonard Seppala. Seppala had participated in the great serum race in 1925, traversing treacherous countryside and through unbelievably harsh weather, in order to bring the serum to Nome. In Joe Reddington's mind, Seppala displayed the ideal of perseverance and Alaskan toughness, and said as much to the press when articulated his reasons for establishing the race in 1973. Hence, the connection between the Iditarod and the serum race (which actually followed a different trail called the Yukon River Route) and the misconception was born.
Keep on learning!
Mrs. David and Ms. Coffield