Dog Mushing lessons

My husband told me to be more consistent with my writing when I talk about a picture. Seems in the past I typed words above the picture and other times I typed words below the photo.  I will work on being more consistent this time.

Last month, Beth treated me to a day of dog mushing lessons.  It was AWESOME!!! We drove to Alyeska Ski Resort to meet Dario Martinez for a day of fun.  I know you have heard about our record breaking year of snow and you will see some more pictures of these amount of snow.  11.8 feet to be exact which broke the 1975 record and I got to experience it!  Awesome!!! You can see the snow covered ski rack which has so much snow there are no skis parked here.

This is a truck that was stranded along the road to the ski resort.  It will be there a while longer!

Our day began leaving Eagle River a bit early in the morning and we were not sure what the weather had in store for us.  You can see the sun trying to shine over the Chugach Mountains but it was gray and foggy on our way to Girdwood (about 50 minute car ride south).

No worries. We found out way and had to hike to the "old dog sled" to meet Dario.  You can see from Beth leading the way, the snow was above her knees.

I wore my hand-made quiviot headband.  I wore it every where.  It was very warm and several times had to put it in my pocket so cool off.  Sunglasses should give you a hint that the weather turned bright and sunny.

Here I am talking to Dario.  He figured out Beth and I were teachers pretty quickly. We told him "lucky guess".  He said "no, you both ask so many questions."  I really like to know every detail about what I am undertaking so I can be prepared.  I get to drive the sled with Beth the rider.  Then Beth gets to drive and I am the rider. 

Here we go!!! Mush.  Gee means turn right, Gee Gee means a hard right turn, Haw turn left, haw haw a hard left turn, On by means pass the team ahead, and Whoa means slow down.  These dogs don't really need me or a musher on their familiar trails.  Once I did notice the lead dog, Bruce, look back to Dario to see which way to go at the cross road.

Don't I look so professional like I have done this a million times before.  The dogs are so relaxed and could care less what I am doing back there since I threw down the hook.

Mushing dogs don't seem to mind having snow freeze on their faces.

We took a trip to Dario's kennel.  He has 45 dogs so it is considered a medium kennel.  He is using his dogs and teaching mushing to elementary and middle school kids who don't make the best decisions.  This program is part of the Social Emotional Learning curriculum in the schools.  If a student is accepted into his program, the student has to be fully committed which means cleaning poop, feeding, laying straw, walking them, etc every day of the year.  There are no days off in a kennel.  The students don't get behind a sled for at least 6 -8 months.  I got behind one my first day!!!!

Again, looking at these mushing dogs you will notice how lean and small they are versus big husky dogs.

These dogs know exactly where their master, Dario, is at all times.  When the dogs pick up his scent they start barking like crazy. All 45 dogs bark loudly so they will attract Dario's attention and get selected to go on the sled.  These dogs live to pull a sled.  We asked if it was true that if a dog got free from the sled or kennel it would run, and run, and run.  He said perhaps but they know where their food is and will eventually come back - at least he hopes they will.  Dario shared that one dog got free and went running around the ski resort for a couple of hours.  Then all of a sudden it came running into the kennel and right next to Dario.  Why?  A moose was chasing the dog right into the kennel.  This caused a safety risk to all the dogs and Dario had to shoot in the air to get the moose off his land.

Yep, I want my own Dog Sled card (you know like a baseball card).  Mushers have them for trade and I think I need one!

After mushing we went up to the top of the ski slope (Alyeska - has more double black diamond runs than any other US ski resort) to eat lunch.  It was so picturesque.  This is the snow ripples next to the restaurant windows.  Amazing  The gentleman told us it was the best ski season ever at Alyeska.  He said the base was over 750!  that is a lot of snow.

Looking down the mountain.

This is what you see when you exit Chair 7.



The tram takes us up the mountain and after eating back down the mountain.

We stopped at a well-known local hang out Bear Bar.  These icicles measured over 4 feet according to the owner of the bar.

This pool table picture is a bit out of focus but I had to take it for Jere D.  It is the FIRST pool table in Alaska.  It goes way back to the 1700's and Russian background.

Here is what the corners look like up close.  Pretty neat.

David gave me a Viking School cooking class and we made Paella. It was delicious.  Oyster, clams, shrimp, mussels, scallops and so many seasonings.  It was spectacular. I can't wait to make it for my friends.

One of the appetizers was heated olives. Gosh this was such a tasty treat I never thought of.

The girls night out was to go to Tito Peuentes, Jr. concert.  It was wonderful Latin jazz and our feet were dancing the entire time.  People were dancing in the aisles and we had great seats.  He is quite the entertainer. The band came to the same nightclub we went to and had a quick chat with them.

Yvonne and I had fun doing the salsa dance in the aisles.

Tito's dance group provided free salsa dance lessons prior to the concert.  Beth and Kara did a great job.

I danced with one of the professional dancers. I was intimidated I could hardly keep the smile off my face.



One of the things we like to do to each other is pull pranks.  Here is one Niki pulled on Beth and myself.  It was very creative.  I applauded her except I was running late for my appointment and had to untie my boots to retie my boot. I was a bit late!

Niki got me again when I was out exercising up the hill.  Nice job Niki!  Do you all know how many balloons it takes to fill a Volvo XC90?  I do!!! 140 balloons to be exact.  Open door and they can't wait to escape into the garage.

No fear I always believe in retaliation.  Do you know how many balloons it takes to fill Niki's shower stall?  Yep, 140 balloons.  Touche' 

The next girls night out was to Dirks Bentley concert.  Beth had never been to a country music concert.  She very rarely listens to country so we had to educate her a bit the few days before the concert.  She really like 5150 someone call the PoPo. 

Niki, Sheryl, Beth, Kara enjoying the pre concert of Eli Young Band.

I can't believe my three years is coming to a close. I have 4 weeks left of school and my great adventure in Alaska.  Thank you David for letting me spread my wings and learn so much. I have learned a lot and the awaking in my soul has been uplifting.

LIFE IS GIFTED TO YOU.  WHAT YOU MAKE OF IT IS YOUR GIFT IN RETURN. 

We are up to almost 19 hours of sunlight.  It makes school difficult because the kids don't go to bed.  Difficult because the teachers don't settle down to do school work until way too late in the evening.  We all need summer to come quickly.  Our playgrounds still have 4 -6 foot snow piles and packed snow everywhere.  The city of Anchorage knows May 15 begins visitor season and they have to clear the roadways.  Everyday you will find a dozen snow plows loading snow piles into dump trucks to be taken to the ocean for dumping. When you drive on the highways you wouldn't even know we had a huge winter.  But travel a few blocks off the major highway and you will see piles of snow still waiting to melt or be hauled away.

 David arrives on May 18 and we will travel Alaska for a week (Denali and Ketchikan) and then Gail arrives on May 25 and the three of us will climb the Matsu Glacier. Then David leaves and Gail and I explore Alaska and then head to Seattle for about 5 days and then Home to Memphis. 
I will see you all soon. 

I have a few more blogs and then this great adventure will come to a close.  I guess David and I will begin a new adventure together.

Stay happy, be kind, enjoy the moment and take time to reflect on your life and you will see how wonderful it is it.
Quay ya
Sheryl
Nanuq of the North

Iditarod - Nome part 1

There is no place like Nome.  There is no place like Nome.  Nome is a small bush town of 3,000 people (that is including all the nearby villages).  Nome is small and compact unlike Bethel which is spread out.  Nome has a lot more to offer to the residents such as a bowling alley, movie theater, recreation center that is used almost 18 hours a day, saunas, and library that welcomes young students. 
Nome takes on a new persona when the Iditarod arrives in town.  The small town has an additional 400+ volunteers and about 400 spectators visit to watch the winner cross the burled arch. This year was the 40th year of the Iditarod Race and it had many firsts.  The first with twins mushing, there were 5 families with multiple family members mushing, Dan Seavey mushed in the 1st Iditarod Race and now the 40th Race , and it was the 100th celebration of the Iditarod mail, gold rush trail.  Dallas Seavey won the race and he is the youngest musher to win the 1049 mile race.  Way to go Dallas.  Dallas is the grandson of Dan Seavey and Mitch Seavey (Dallas's Dad) placed in the top 10 and Conrad Seavey (the youngest Seavey 15 years old) won the Junior Iditarod race.  What a dynasty the Seavey family is to Dog Sledding and the Iditarod.

Nome is the home of the Inupiaq culture in Alaska.  At one time Nome was the largest town in Alaska during the gold rush when the population was about 30,000 people.  Nome had a mishap with the title of the city.  It was the mistake of a cartographer.  The British Officer wrote ? Nome on a map and the cartographer misread it and wrote Cape Nome.  It was referred as Cape Nome for many years.  Eventually the people of Nome wanted their town to be Nome as they knew it and the legislature returned the name of the town to Nome.

 The Board of Trade was called the "Headquarters for the Sins of Nome" during the gold rush.  I am not sure the bar has changed much since the gold rush and has the original dust inside as well.

 Alaska doesn't have a lottery but there are a lot of Bingo Parlors.

 The Nugget Inn is another famous marker in Nome.  Normally the room rate for this Inn is $70 per night.  The room is bare minimum and most of the rooms you share a bathroom.  However, during the Iditarod the room rates are $250 - 300 a night.  What happens in Nome stays in Nome!!!

That is 3309 miles to Chicago.  This is a very familiar post in almost all Alaskan towns. Each town wants you to remember which way you came to help you leave! (that is what a local told me)

 The Iditarod Headquarters is the mini convention when it is hosting the communications, reception desk, medical unit, volunteer check in and musher hang out.  It is very small but useful.

This is a gold pan welcoming everyone to Nome. This is a statue in the Park to memorialize the Serum Run.

The Serum Run was in 1925 when the mushers took the medicine from Seward to Nome because of an outbreak in diphtheria.

 This is the Burled Arch in the middle of street.  The month of the Iditarod (March) the Arch is placed in the middle of the main road and cars take a detour around it.  All other months of the year the Burled Arch is placed between two buildings on main street so any visitor can have their picture taken under the arch.  Here are the Midwest Vixens - Beth, Kara, Niki and Sheryl.

 This is an old rail car from the Gold Mine.  It sits in the park in front of the Church.

This building is the original bunk house for many of the gold miners.  This is a new building face and looks nice but walk around the side or back and you will see a fairly dilapidated building.

 This is how you have to install a fire hydrant in Nome.  The snow covered the top of the hydrant and the public works department came and removed the snow. The children have the warm bus hut to wait inside while the bus makes it way around town.  The school is about 4 miles away.

This is the ONLY grocery store in Nome.  In our taxi from the airport, there was a gentleman who was in Nome to fix the check out terminal.  When the taxi pulled up to this sign the gentleman said, "This is a Safeway"?  Yep said the taxi driver.  He got out rather apprehensively.  By the time we went to the store this man was gone and the check out terminals were printing and working.

Many of you enjoyed seeing the prices of food items in the Bush of Alaska.  Below are some items I took pictures of before the manager came to see what all the camera flashes were about.  I tried to be discrete but when we saw some of the prices we were a bit loud "Oh my goodness look at this item"

This is a unique picture of a family sled to carry all their needs and it sits outside right next to the pink toilet.

This is a very familiar scene in Nome. Many of the locals wear these beautiful parkeys.  They are so gorgeous.  Velvet material outside, down lining and animal fur ruffs.

And another pair of very warm mukluks.

This is such a great picture. In the park is the remnants of a wooden canoe that was used long ago for hunting.

Here are the grocery pictures.

Bacon $9.39 a pound

American cheese slices (David's favorite) is $7.99 for 24 slices

Folgers coffee is $19.09.  There are no Starbucks or coffee shops in Nome.  The Subway and Pizza Place offer coffee if you want to buy it out vs making it at home.

A box of cereal $7.09.  I wonder what the kids eat if cereal is this expensive.

Chocolate milk is like a dessert for Nomeites!  $5.19 a gallon.

We took some time off from working to eat at the Polaris Bar.  They have the best, greasiest, burgers in Nome.  The burger and fries cost $24.00 and that included my Dr. Pepper.

This is a very familiar sight in Nome.  A lot of trucks have these wheels when there is snow on the ground.

The siren goes off every time a musher is about 3 miles away.  We hurried down to the Bering Sea to greet the next musher arriving at Nome.  These local little boys were so excited about us taking their picture. They rushed to our cameras to see their picture as soon as they heard the click of shutter.

We are known as the "Midwest Vixens".  Here we are making the MWV on the Bering Sea with the sun rising in the background.

Sledge Mountain is viewed off the southwest part of Nome and sits about 5 miles off the coast.  Sledge Mountain is volcanic and is only one mile across.  It was named by Captain Cook for several objects he found on the island.

We spotted these crab pot hooks and didn't see any pots so my friends, Beth, Niki, and Kara want to show you how to Pole Dance in Sea using a Crab Pot Holder.

Me on the Sea

This is the golf course on the Sea.  Each team, 3 people, played 9 holes of golf using green glow balls.  There is definitely an art to hitting the ball on snow and ice verses on the Golf Course.  The families plant their Christmas trees in the ice in January. 

Frozen chopped ice on the Bering Sea.

Some of the mushers had decorated their bunny boots.  I thought this was such a great way to decorate the plain looking boot.  He used duct tape.  This musher, Brent, wanted me to make sure I knew HE did not do this but the girls on his dog handling team did the decorating.  He told me he needed something to cover up all the holes in his boots.

And here is why we were in Nome.  The winner of the 2012 Iditarod Race.

Dallas Seavey is the youngest musher to win the race. Dallas is the grandson of Dan Seavey and the son of Mitch Seavey, both very famous mushers.  Mitch is the musher I spent a lot of time with in Nome last year because he sliced his hand open and cut several tendons during last years race trying to open a bale of hay.  He was rushed to Anchorage for surgery and then he wanted to be a part of the ceremony he flew to Nome and waited for the last person to cross the burled Arch.

This is Braxton Peterson (#63)coming into Nome over the Sea.  He finished the race in 10 days, 23 hours and 44 minutes.  Nice job Braxton

Beth, Niki and Kara all volunteered to work the Dog Lot.  This volunteer position requires you stay outside and take care of the dogs (walk them, feed them, clean the poop, and make sure they are warm).  This looks like fun when you walk through the dog lot and see all the dogs resting and wanting you to give them hugs.  BUT, when the girls worked it was from 2 AM until 8 AM.  Did I forget to mention it was 20 degrees below zero.  It was COLD!!!  These are pictures of the dog lot during the day when it was about zero degrees.  What cracks me up is how most of the dogs like to sleep and rest outside their kennel.

This is how I would look if I just ran 1049 miles in about a week.  This year the mushers had a delay because the weather was so back in Unalukleet they stayed over night until most of the storm blew over.

They are so happy snoozing on hay and the sun warming their little bodies.

This guy decided to wear his coat to keep the wind off of him.

And the crowds gathered big time to greet these two mushers into Nome.  These mushers traveled the entire trip together.  They wanted a good time but they said it was more important to do the Iditarod together. And they did.

Welcome Anna (#33) and Kristy (#31) Berrington.  The first set of twins ever to run the Iditarod.  Kristy has completed the Iditarod three times but it was Anna's rookie year.  They finished in 12 days, 2 hours and 17 minutes.  The funny part was they pulled up the shoot and then placed their sled hooks down and hugged each other. While the excited and photos were being taken the Race Official kept saying, "please pull up your team".  They stopped their dog team about 2 feet short of the finish line.  Then they had to decide who was going to move their team up first.  Anna was one second before Kristy according to the race officials.

I had to have my picture taken with this awesome young lady - Kristy. 

I have become friends with Justin Savidis and his wife, Rebeca over the past 2 years.  They live in Palmer and come to Eagle River often.  If you remember Justin from last year.  his dog team stopped and would not move once they left the last check point (the clock was running).  His lead dog, Rosey, accidentally ate one of her booties and it was stuck.  After 3 hours she was so lucky and passed her booty and then they finished the race in 2011.  This year Justin and his team finished in 12 days, 4 hours and 45 minutes.  Rebeca said it was only a 2 cheesecake race.  She eats cheesecake as he races to try and settle her nerves.

Rebeca and Justin Savidis.
Justin raises Rosey to the Burled Arch because Rosey officially retired from racing after she finished the race.  Rosey has completed 6 Iditarod Races.  Nice career for Rosey.  She will now become a house dog if she wants to.  Rebeca said she will probably still want to live and sleep in the kennel with rest of the dogs.

Rosey is so tired and ready to snooze.  This is not an uncommon sight at the finish line.  A lot of dogs take a quick snooze.  According to the mushers, dogs know how to take a "nap" as they run the race.  They are very talented.

This puppy has an itch that needs to be itched.

Ryan Olson finishing the Iditarod in 11 days 1 hour and 20 minutes.

This is Ryan's dog getting checked by the vet at the finish line.  This dog is wearing arm bands probably because of arthritis and to keep him warm.  Notice he is snoozing as well.

It was St.Patrick's Day and we had to dress the part.  Beth wore this cute hat for the day.

We had such a wonderful few days working in Nome.  The rest of our trip is in the next blog.