WEDNESDAY - MAY 17, 2017
This was 11:00 PM last night!!! It will probably be lighter longer tonight since we are quite a bit further north!!!
The welcoming committee at the Best Western in Wasilla, Ak.
The view out of the back of the Best Western!!
Early morning -- well, 8:00 AM and that IS early!! The sun is behind the clouds and is having a hard time getting up too!!! I can understand - he didn't go to bed until after 11PM last night!!
Mickey - a very admirable guy who was in Wasilla, all the way from Florida, to do a conference on Christian Home School Material. We had some very nice conversations with him.
This cute little duck was out swimming in the water this morning. I just don't know how they can stand all that cold water on their behinds!!!
This is the headquarters of the Iditarod Races. The races are held every year in March and they run from either Fairbanks or Anchorage all the way to Nome, Alaska for a total of 1049 miles.
This was such an enjoyable place to visit - did you know that I LIKE dogs???? The dogs are Alaskan Huskies and are really nothing more than a hybrid or mutt - a combination of several different breeds. They have been bred from the various breeds for endurance, strength, coats, and a number of other characteristics that make them the best dog to run the Iditarod. They are trained to 'mush' or run for very long distances. The temperatures can get to -50 degrees out on the trail and the dogs and their 'mushers' are out there. The winner of the race receives a $70,000 cash prize, a trophy and a new truck!!!! BUT --- to get a team that is conditioned and trained to run the Iditarod can cost up to $50,000 or more. The entry fee alone is $5000.00 per team. There are usually 100 or less teams that enter. A lot of the teams are sponsored by the big name oil companies, AT & T, and other big boys!!!
This is the Bootie Tree. All of the dogs are trained with these booties on and of course, they also wear them during the race. They protect their feet and pads from cold and also they keep snow from accumulating on the fur on their feet, which could cause sores and cuts. There are 16 dogs on a team so that is 64 little Booties that need to be put those cute little feet. The cost per bootie is about $1.00 so not too expensive -- except that is times 64!!!! And they have to be changed several times over the 1049 mile race.
The newest Iditarod Team is ready to roll!!
This is Howard with Ray & Barb Remington Iditarod trainers and 'mushers'. Ray's late father is the one that was instrumental in starting the Iditarod race.
Joe, their right hand man!!
AHHH!! I got my puppy fix!!! A cute little Alaskan Huskie puppy!!! These little dudes can sell for up to $10,000 - depending on their pedigree.
A musher in training!!
After spending quite a bit of time at the Iditarod headquarters we thought it was time to venture on down the road towards Fairbanks. One just never knows what will be seen out on the road ----- here is a happy dog ---- his own private sun roof to poke his head out of!!!
North to Fairbanks!!
What a variety of scenery along the way - from trees bursting with their new spring leaves, to fields that have trees that are very sparse, to rocky cliffs along the road and creeks and rivers, to the mountains in the background and the small glacier that is close to the road! What an imagination the God of the Universe must have - and it all works in perfect unison in the system.
Denali National Park
We went into Denali and were hoping to see Mt. McKinley, now known as Mt. Denali. We were told that there is really not a good place to see it in the park and that the best spot was about 20 miles back along the road that we had just traveled. We saw no signs anywhere that pointed out Mt. Denali ---- so let's just pretend that one of the pictures is in reality, Mt. Denali!!!! We drove about 20 miles back into the park and talked to a ranger at the barricade. He said that the road, which is all dirt and gravel, goes about 60 more miles back into the park. We decided that we had come far enough and so we turned around to see a little male Ptarmigen - the Alaska State Bird, in the middle of the road.
WE had to stop for gas along the road. There was a little run down gas station right outside of Cantwell , so we stopped there. $3.43 per gallon!!! I went inside to pay and there was an old - or should I say older - Indian man in there. I gave him some cash to pay for the gas and he could not get the computer to work properly. He said it is easy with credit cards but cash through him for a loop!! So I got behind the counter with him and figured out which buttons to push so that Howard could fill the car with gas. So I guess I can add 'gas station attendant' to my resume' - just in case I ever look for another job!!!
And now on to Fairbanks ----- but wait --- are those dogs on that yard????
They are!!!! 40+ more Iditarod in training dogs. We talked to Tony for quite a while about them. He told us that there are several breeders of the Alaskan Huskie in the Fairbanks area. A very interesting fellow to talk to!!!
And now after a lot of miles again today --- we are in a Best Western in Fairbanks!! Breakfast included!!!! And it is 11:15 PM and still very light outside!!! I bet the people that live here get a whole lot of work accomplished!!!! When the sun is out -- there is always one more thing that can be done!!!
Stocking Hat #7.
Have you seen any dogs?
ReplyDeleteA few - why do you ask????
Delete