For more than a week, I’ve been bunking in Fort Kent and writing about a dog sled race and the world Paralympics championships for Nordic skiing.

And for the past week, I’ve been discovering – again – exactly why folks from the northern part of our state are so proud of their heritage and their hometowns.

Those of us who don’t live in the County may be equally proud of our own towns, but that pride sometimes manifests itself in unattractive ways.

Since I returned, for example, several people have chuckled and poked good-natured fun at the site of my extended work trip.

To many non-County residents, the mere mention of a trip to Aroostook County sounds odd.

“It’s the middle of nowhere,” many will often tell you.

If that’s true, then nowhere is a pretty cool place to visit, as far as I’m concerned.

I have found that most people who try to convince you how remote and backward northern Maine is haven’t spent much time there.

I love the greater Bangor area and live here by choice. It’s home, and always has been, and I’m comfortable here.

But in Fort Kent, I found the same thing I always find in Aroostook County … and in many of our state’s other more remote areas.

Life may move at a slightly slower pace, but it also seems that the small things are appreciated a bit more.

Things like family. Friends. Lending a helping hand.

Once again hundreds of County residents banded together and pitched in to make a splash on the world sporting stage.

That attitude wasn’t missed by those who attended, nor by the athletes who competed in the IPC World Championships.

Each weekday, hundreds of school children were bused to the 10th Mountain Division Ski Center, where they cheered for their favorite athletes, danced, chanted, and made the event special.

And athletes noticed.

“The kids were great,” U.S. sit-skier Monica Bascio said on Thursday. “They make all of us feel like superstars.”

In the world of disabled sport, there were, in fact, superstars present. People like Brian McKeever and Steve Cook and Robert Wator and Anna Burmistrova.

Each of those athletes was victorious, and their athletic feats were impressive … with or without accounting for their various disabilities.

But there were plenty of others who aren’t superstars. Those athletes were just people with disabilities who have worked their tails off to become competitive with their peers.

The people of Fort Kent didn’t really care much, either way. If you competed, you were treated like a star. Flags waved. Signs were painted and displayed. Your name was chanted, and your autograph sought.

The people of Fort Kent rolled out the red carpet again this week and capably hosted yet another big event.

They have plenty of reasons to be proud … and the rest of us have plenty of reasons to notice.

Maine’s Hessert still mushing

Most casual observers of the annual Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race pay attention to the epic journey only until the winning musher crosses the finish line in Nome, Alaska.

This year, Robert Sorlie won the race and finished on Wednesday. But let’s not forget that there are other mushers still on the trail … including one from Maine.

According to the official race Web site, John Hessert was in 50th place as of midday on Friday and was making good progress in his quest to finish his first Iditarod.

Hessert, who graduated from North Yarmouth Academy and grew up in Cumberland Center, is racing a team of young dogs from the kennel of Martin Buser, an Iditarod regular.

As of Friday Hessert had arrived at the Elim checkpoint and completed 1,038 miles in the 1,161-mile race.

In all, 79 mushers started the race, and 63, including Hessert have finished or are still running. The other 16 have scratched.

Hessert’s family shares his passion for mushing and is living in Big Lake, Alaska, and working for Buser in order to learn more about the sport.

Moose permit deadline nears

For years, you’ve entered the moose permit lottery. For years, you’ve been certain that this year, you’ll finally get the chance to go on a hunt.

And for years, you’ve been passed over when the names are drawn.

Don’t fret. Don’t give up. And most importantly, don’t wait: While this year’s moose season is still a long way off, if you hope to hunt in the fall, you’ve got to enter now.

The deadline for this year’s lottery is 11:59 p.m. on April 1, and you can send in a paper registration form or apply on the Internet at www.mefishwildlife.com.

If you apply online, it won’t take long. You will, however, need a credit card, the birthday of your subpermittee, and (if you want to apply for more than one chance in the drawing) a valid big-game hunting license for 2005.

The process is quick, relatively painless ($23 for six chances for in-state applicants), and the payoff could be the hunt of a lifetime.

If your name is drawn, you’ll be assessed another fee to actually buy the necessary permit. Mainers will pay $53 for the moose permit, while those “from away” will have to pony up $478 for the privilege.

Good luck.

Sportsman’s Show begins

Friday marked the opening of the 67th edition of the popular Eastern Maine Sportsman’s Show, and if you enjoy hunting, fishing, or other outdoor activities, chances are you’ve got a trip to Orono planned for this weekend.

As we have the past two years, the BDN will have a booth at this year’s show, and we’ll be giving away our third straight driftboat trip with guide Dan Legere of the Maine Guide Fly Shop.

I’ll be there with my springer spaniel, Pudge, for much of the morning today and for most of the show on Sunday, and I hope you’ll stop by to say “hello.”

And if you do stop by and miss me, check the seminars on turkey hunting. I’ve got a lot to learn, and time is running out before my first-ever turkey hunt.

I’m sure that the assembled gobbler gurus will have me talking turkey like a pro in no time.

John Holyoke can be reached at jholyoke@bangordailynews.net or by calling 990-8214 or 1-800-310-8600.