Tom Maslany's Visit in March

Our friend Tom came to visit and we ahd a chance to show him "our Alaska."  That is...no wild animals, no Northern Lights, no snow and relatively warm weather!!

We went all the way to the Arctic  Circle (which David casually told us was about 3 hours away).  5 hours later we arrived, having seen no animals and very little snow covered 'wonderland" type scenery.  However, we did realize that we very likely would run out of gas before we got home.

Before we left I realized that we didn't seem to have enough coffee for our morning cup.  When Tom said that was not a problem because we could simply stop at a convenience store on the way the disconnect between here and there really came home to me.  Between our house and the Arctic Circle is a lot of trees and one road!!

A local non-tourist site is the Permafrost tunnel which is exactly what it sounds like...a tunnel through the permafrost that requires a geologist guide.  David was kind enough to arrange a tour for a group of us which was a highlight of the trip.  Not only did we see ice lenses and other ice formations that were thousands of years old, but many old bones and even some thousand year old sedge.  What a great tour!

     

The Native Arts Festival took place while Tom was here so he got a great look at all of the village dancers which is always a big highlight of the winter.  

Another highlight was the local ice park which attracts hundreds of international carvers. 

    

Then it was on to the Iditerod for both the ceremonial start in Anchorage and the restart in Willow.

Here I am with Newton Marshall.  Same photo of me and the Jamacian musher as last year!

    

A quick trip to the Chena Hot Springs and to the Curling Club to and Tom was on his way back home.

Camping in February

On February 26 David and I were going to go tent camping. but we were lucky enough to be invited to share the hospitality of  a friend, Randall Miller, who has a series of cabins near us.  We drove about a mile or so and then turned off Chena Hot Springs Road and then drove for about 6.5 miles and then hiked for another few miles to a wonderful hexangonal cabin that he built many years ago.  Then several other building were added to the complex.  Randall and his friend built them all themselves!

Randall stayed through lunch and dinner and then David, Fred and I had a lovely evening and Sunday and then hiked out.  What a great weekend!

 Ellen and Randall.

 Frosty David.  It was very cold that weekend!    Notice the neat cupala where there is a little seat with a quilt for cozy afternoon reading.

        Trudging home.

In and Around Fairbanks

Well, Philadelphia is known as the mural city.  But Fairbanks has its art too.  We have many, many ice sculptures dotting the town, not to mention our world class ice park which attracts sculptures from all over the world.

The ice is delivered in huge blocks to various businesses, etc. who then pay a carver who starts in January.  The sculptures last until the end of April.  Last year the University, which has several sculptures of its mascot, Nanook (polar bear) around the campus, then took the melting sculptures and put them all in one place and it was fun to watch them shrink!

       Our census advertisement!

 This is supposed to be Al Gore.

 This is one of my favorites outside a local sports store called Prospectors.

 Outside the local Wendy's.  Go figure

        This one was an utter mystery to both us!  

 Nanook

  Ad for the local wood stove shop.

 Outside David's office.  Every year Design Alaska sponsors the holiday concert and makes an ornament and ice sculpture representing an instrument.  This year was a flute.  Each builing at UAF gets to design their own ice sculpture.  This is outside the Biology and Wildlife building.   This is outside of my building and, I think it is supposed to be Rocky and Bullwinkle.

  Outside of the International Arctic Research center.

 This is in a rotary in North Pole.

ITS QUEST TIME

Well, the Yukon Quest began in Fairbanks today, February 6.  The week started off with the Banquet during which all the mushers pick their start numbers and give a little speech.  I did the silent auction and was pleased that we raised $1000.00.

Then two days later came Meet the Mushers, a free event during which the mushers sign posters and talk to their fans. 

Then Saturday was the start of the 1000 miles race to Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada. We met at 8 am for a pancake breakfast, hung around until 10:30 and then the race started to start.  Below is a photo of our city before the crowds.

The staging area was above the bridge in town. 

  

 

         

   

      





Then when it was time, each sled to race, each sled led down the ice ramp onto the river, dragging a braked snow machine to slow the dogs down.  Then the dogs and sled were released from the snow machine and run to right before the strat line where they waited for the team before them to go off, then they had three minutes and they were off!

 I was working chute security which meant that I got to keep the crowds away from the dogs as they were led into the shoot.

The weather was a warm 18 degrees ABOVE zero, the warmest its been all winter, so everyone was quite happy.  But they did provide us with a moveable feast of fire!

Then the race started!  Here is the crowd favorite, Lance Mackey off at #11.

          

 

  

   

   

  

 



Once all the 24 mushers got off, David and I drove past our house and followed the trail to about 10 miles past our house where we could see the teams run towards the first checkpoint.  It took them about 4 hours to run the first 40 or so miles and in that time the order of the racers switched dramatically (which meant nothing in terms of the final outcome).

David and I stood watching into the woods for the first sign of mushers and then one by one they were upon us (with many minutes in between) as silent as the night.  But, so happy!  As Lance went by he said, in quite a conversational tone, "Isn't this just the greatest ride?"

 

  And then my favorite, Brent Sass rode on by, waved and again said as he ran by, "What great weather.  This is a great race."  Just the idea that these guys recognized me and talked as they ran!  Wow!

  Now we will follow the race on line as they head for the next 10 days to Whitehorse.

Then we will pack up and go to Anchorage the first weeekend in March for the Iditerod where 5 of the Quest mushers will run the Iditerod.