Arctic Women's Challenge and Bachelor Auction

You just won't believe what a great time I had this weekend!!!  My friends and I went to Talkeetna to participate in the Arctic Women's Challenge and Bachelor Auction.  It was such a blast!  The Bachelor Auction started 30 years ago to raise money for the Victims of Domestic Violence.  And 25 years ago one of the Talkeetna Hotels, Fairview Inn, decided to host a "Challenge" to show off the unique Alaskan skill sets of the Alaskan women.  The Bachelor Society has raised more than $10,000 each year and they have been able to expand their donations to the local Health Center and the Victims of Domestic Violence.  The event has grown from 6 lady participants to 30 ladies this year.  You are about to view some very technical wilderness skills that are much needed to survive in the wilderness of Talkeetna.  Talkeetna is about 2 hours north of Eagle River and about 90% of the population of this town live "off the grid".  This means they don't have electricity or plumbing and live by hauling water and running generators.  Very wilderness.  The town of Talkeetna has a population of  under 100 people in the winter and about 300 people in the summer months.  We arrive just in time to register at the Fairview Inn. A very famous bar with hotel upstairs .I say famous with the understanding that there are 4 bars in this town which has only 2 streets!! The rooms are one bed and a window - very simple. Talkeetna is also kind of unique with the fact that the mayor is a tabby cat named Stubby. Stubby can usually be found on the pool table.  Yep, that is Stubby.  There is no police force, no fire department, and everyone just takes care of their own business.  Did I mention that Talkeetna is know as the town where smoking pot, drinking and meth are just the average way of life?  A great little town because everyone is very friendly and they take care of each other. The burger is a 5 pound burger stacked about 9 inches high and comes with a huge plate of french fries.  Adam Richman, the host of Man Vs. Food, was in Talkeetna to taste and rate the Mega Burger.  We watched a few patrons try to eat this Mega dinner but they did not get it done in the required 20 minutes. 
 The Wilderness Challenge requires the female participants to carry two empty 5 gallon pails to the end of a 50 yard dash. They receive two FULL pails of water (a gallon of water weighs 8 pounds = 40 pounds per pail).  That is 80 pounds of freezing cold water on a slippery icy 50 yards of road.  For every inch of water spilled, the contestant is penalized 10 secs.  The winner of this round is the contestant that crosses the finish line with the fastest time and not loose water.  Beth, Vanessa and I did well.  Kristi unfortunately fell on the return route and was covered in freezing cold water.  Ouch!!! Then a local person came up to Kristi and said "Here, I found a pair of jeans and sweater for you to change into and get warm."  Wasn't that so kind? This lady didn't know us but she was one of the 250 spectators for the event.  The top 5 contestants got to advance to the second round.  Unfortunately, none of our team advanced. A girl, Korine, also from Anchorage kind of joined our group so we cheered her on.  Korine advanced to the second round.!! The second round consisted of running to the sandwich table and making a bologna sandwich using 6 ingredients (two pieces of bread, mustard, mayo, cheese, meat) and open a can of beer while wearing huge mittens.  Then deliver the sandwich and beer to the "guy" sitting in the lazy boy chair. Some ladies threw the ingredients and beer at the "lazy man" while others ran and tossed them at the "lazy man".  Then the ladies had to pick up a bow saw and cut through a 10 inch. thick white birch branch.  Hand the saw over to the man, pick up a pile of logs and toss them into the sled behind the snow machine (aka snow mobile). The pile of  logs is about 8 pieces each 2 feet long.  Drive the snow machine around the town park and unload your load of "wood" into a marked circle.  Korine did so well. She was Number 1 at this moment.  Round three of the event was fishing (the fishing reel with a Velcro ball at the end of the line) and catching your "gold fish", reel in your fish,  put the fish in a backpack, with the aid of two men who put your snowshoes on your boots so the lady run to the shooting area.  The shooting area is a board full of balloon representing Alaskan Ptarmigan (the state bird).  Did you know BB's bounce of super cold balloons. (It was about -2 degrees outside at this time in the late afternoon).  After shooting two birds, the lady ran with snowshoes to the white birch tree, climb a ladder about 12 feet tall and ring a bell.  The bell wakes up the moose and the contestant has to shoot the moose with a Nerf ball shooter then run across the finish line!!  Korine came in second place and completed all of these specialized skill sets in under 5 minutes!!! The winner, a young girl, crossed the finish line in just a couple of seconds before Korine.  Korine will be back next year to try and win the Challenge.  So will the "Midwest Vixens" (that was our team name).  After the Challenge you had a few hours to get ready for the Bachelor Auction!!!  We went to the cabin and left our winter gloves on the table and we were ready for the Auction.  All the women of the town showed up - some in full length formals, cocktail dresses, and jeans.  Let the fun begin! 45 men strutted the run-way and were auction off for a good cause.  The top bachelor went for $2500.  The youngest bachelor went for $100 and his shirt (I love to f'ing cuddle) went for more than he did!!! He was very young.  I am sure you will enjoy the auction pictures. Nick(blue tux) was the auctioneer, Gino was the Candy Cane Man and Felix was the fur jock strap gentleman.  The catalog that was for purchase was well-read by every women there to select the man of her choice. We didn't know that their was a prize for the person who got the most Bachelors to sign their catalog.  The prize was a beer coozie made from fur.  That was neat. I will try to get as many signatures as possible next time.   The men gave such great comments.  Andy's favorite pick up line is "Do you work at Subway, cause you just made me a foot longer." Charlie, a bartender, favorite pick up line is "Excuse me, Miss: would you mind telling your breasts to stop staring at me!", Gerry is looking for someone with black hair and blue eyes. She needs to know how to fly bush airplanes, play pool and cheers for the Ottawa Senators. He has quite the list of requirements or wants.  The Bachelors were from ages 22 - over 70 so there was quite a variety to choose from during the auction. It was fun. We all bid on the gentleman that came with a bonus package.  Not that kind of a package! Several gentlemen came with a flight to Denali and landing on the Ruth Glacier, several fly fishing day trips, or a Denali Lodge stay and Denali flight, and fishing tour for 4 on a halibut boat.  Those were worth bidding on just to get the bonus package.  Unfortunately, these gentlemen went for over $500 and we were not willing to spend that much money.  Several groups of women pooled their money and purchased the bachelor with the bonus package.  After the Bachelor Auction the Bachelor and Women had a dance and drink. Then the whole town went to the Fairview Inn for more drinking and dancing.  From midnight until 3 am the town folk went to the Road House for breakfast.  It was an entire community event. So before we could retire for the evening ( it was 3 am), Beth and I went around town and placed signs round town to let the local folks remember we were (The Midwest Vixens) and how much fun we had.  Fun, silly, delicious food, good music, lots of laughing and just plain girl fun! This year's Auction was thought to have raised the most money ever.  We will keep watch in the news to see the final results of the Wilderness Challenge and Bachelor Auction. 

Stubby the Mayor of Talkeetna

                                      King of the Pool Table



Carrying water is difficult



Me and My Moose - Moose are my totem (my good luck charm)
The four contestants ready to run!



making the sandwich



Fishing for gold fish                                Shooting the ptarmigan balloons

Great pair of wooden snow shoes



Man Vs Food Mega Burger



Fur coozie for the signature champion

The Winners Alaskan Tiara (fox fur hat) She is so lucky, I want one.

 The Blue Tux host

County sheriff stopped in and was auctioned off! No handcuffs allowed

Bachelors with their gifts

 Professor for auction.

 The Candy Man was purchased for $550!!!

The famous Fur jock strap.

Paul, the fishing tour guide.  We hope we will get a trip with him in the spring.

 Box wine goes for about $40 in Talkeetna.  Do you like his tattoo on his neck?

                         He looks innocent.  He was in the Moose costume during the day.

Girls having fun for a great cause!

I hope you enjoyed hearing about my "girls" weekend for a great cause.  I wish you and your families a very happy holidays.  Ti's the season to be merry.  Think about all the wonderful things we have to be grateful for this year.  Take a moment and enjoy the small things and give someone a hug.  Have a joyous and happy New Year.  Remember, friends don't let friends drive who have been drinking.  Be safe and I will see you in 2011!!! Happy holidays from Sheryl the Nanuq of the North.