Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Got up at “our parking place” in Iron River (from when we were broke down there in January with the tire/wheel problems…) to another sunny day – Steve and Deb from Windago came to visit and brought our old wheels with them so we could take them home – they had held on to them while we were in Alaska – and Randy went to the garage that had put the new wheels (the ones that broke in Alaska…) on the trailer to find out that the dealer in Minneapolis that we had purchased the new wheels from would not cover them in a warrantee – they said that it was on the recommendation of the sales person that we were sold the wheels and they should not have been used in that manner – what kind of an answer is that????!!!!!!
Finally left Iron River about 11am and drove to Wakefield, MI for the second drop. Kept on driving til midnite and finally made it home!!!! Took 45 minutes in the dark with the dog yard lites on to unload 33 dog and get them in their circles!!!
Randy is already making lists of things that need to be done for the trailer and truck for next year……….it’s kind of like delivering a baby (for those of you that can relate….)- after time passes you only remember the good parts – so for us we remember the old and new friends we made, the beautiful trails we got to run on, the good times with our dogs, the magnificent mountains and the sense of adventure we experience every time we begin our journey!!! Thank you all for caring enough to keep up with our high points and the not-so-high-ones – talk to you again in 9 months!!!
Monday, April 2, 2012
By the way, thanks Mark Hartum for telling us where the Starbucks is!!
After posting yesterday we drove till it was time to feed and it was getting dark – I asked “Dorothy” the gps to find a rest area and we ended up at a little “Mom and Pop” campground ½ way from Saskatoon to Moose Jaw, SK – they weren’t open so it was a great place for us to stay the nite – quiet – this morning was very sunny again and the dogs were relatively good about being quiet until we decided to get up ourselves. Dropped dogs about 12n and it was a little warm in the trailer so I opened up the “house” part which stays cooler – hoping that not dogs will get out of their s-hooked cages and take up residence on the couch! Got to customs at Portal, ND at mid-afternoon and it took about ½ hour to get thru – I told them I had an apple and an orange and the orange had to go………..they looked through the trailer back and front – we are always nervous that it will be one of those “look thru every nook and cranny” situations and were relieved when they said we could go.
Made it to a rest area east of Rugby ND for the nite – lots of flooding on the roads and couldn’t believe the amount of standing water! Got up on Sunday and drove all the way to Iron River WI and are excited about the possibility of being home tomorrow and no more dog drops!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Friday, March 30, 2012
Stopped at a Starbucks in Lloydminister, AB to use the wifi!!
This is Thursday and we are sitting in the parking lot of an arena in Dawson Creek (last time we came through Alan Jackson was going to be playing) – it started to rain and got dark about 7 last nite so we stopped here to sleep and as it turned out, it froze on the roads so it was good that we stopped.
Sunday nite we got as far as ½ way to Whitehorse – saw lots of caribou in and next to the roads and snow geese and these little white bird flocks that I will have to look up the name of when I get a chance. Monday nite we stayed just to the north of Watson Lake – we stopped there and (I will try not to get upset all over again………) at the scales we called the British Columbia Dept. of Transportation and they charged us $216 to travel through B.C. to Dawson Creek because they are still insisting that we are a commercial vehicle because we are a truck and are carrying something (dogs) that have a potential for winning prize money – I talked till I was blue in the face to no avail. We even found out that they try to jab you with having to buy their B.C. insurance because they won’t honor any other insurance!!!!!! Yup, I am still upset….
We did one “touristy” thing on this trip that we have always wanted to do but have not taken the time…..Liard Hot Springs!!! It’s just off the hiway after you go by all the wild buffalo herds on the side of the road. There are not directions when you stop in the parking lot and there was hardly anybody there so we just started walking on this wooden walkway that looked like it might end up at the hot springs, and sure enough, about 1/3 of a mile thru the woods there they were!!! At least the size of an Olympic swimming pool and about waist to chest deep and clear as a bell – smelled a lot like sulfur – the sign at the springs said it was 32 degrees Celsius – Quis time----how many degrees Farenheit is that???
The next nite we made it all the way through the Candian Rockies and were about 50 miles north of Ft. Nelson. The roads have been clean and dry and the days sunny until last nite. We stopped for a little while on Wednesday and visited with Streepers and then made it to Dawson Creek.
Today we plan to make it to Mark Hartum’s on the other side of Edmonton. Will post as soon as I can!
Friday – we did indeed make it to Hartum’s and as they were not yet home, we spent the nite at a little nature park right near their house. This morning when we got up (and didn’t use the furnace or the generator all nite long) it was 55 degrees in the “house”!! When we dropped and fed breakfast it was almost warm enough not to wear a coat and the snow is almost all gone. It was the first morning I had heard bird chirping and singing in a long time!!
Had breakfast with Hartum’s and traded some dogs and saw the 2 week old puppies that we had “with Hartums” (our dog Neenah and his dog Wyatt) on our way about noon. Hope to make it to 2 or 3 hours from the border today!!!
Sunday nite we got as far as ½ way to Whitehorse – saw lots of caribou in and next to the roads and snow geese and these little white bird flocks that I will have to look up the name of when I get a chance. Monday nite we stayed just to the north of Watson Lake – we stopped there and (I will try not to get upset all over again………) at the scales we called the British Columbia Dept. of Transportation and they charged us $216 to travel through B.C. to Dawson Creek because they are still insisting that we are a commercial vehicle because we are a truck and are carrying something (dogs) that have a potential for winning prize money – I talked till I was blue in the face to no avail. We even found out that they try to jab you with having to buy their B.C. insurance because they won’t honor any other insurance!!!!!! Yup, I am still upset….
We did one “touristy” thing on this trip that we have always wanted to do but have not taken the time…..Liard Hot Springs!!! It’s just off the hiway after you go by all the wild buffalo herds on the side of the road. There are not directions when you stop in the parking lot and there was hardly anybody there so we just started walking on this wooden walkway that looked like it might end up at the hot springs, and sure enough, about 1/3 of a mile thru the woods there they were!!! At least the size of an Olympic swimming pool and about waist to chest deep and clear as a bell – smelled a lot like sulfur – the sign at the springs said it was 32 degrees Celsius – Quis time----how many degrees Farenheit is that???
The next nite we made it all the way through the Candian Rockies and were about 50 miles north of Ft. Nelson. The roads have been clean and dry and the days sunny until last nite. We stopped for a little while on Wednesday and visited with Streepers and then made it to Dawson Creek.
Today we plan to make it to Mark Hartum’s on the other side of Edmonton. Will post as soon as I can!
Friday – we did indeed make it to Hartum’s and as they were not yet home, we spent the nite at a little nature park right near their house. This morning when we got up (and didn’t use the furnace or the generator all nite long) it was 55 degrees in the “house”!! When we dropped and fed breakfast it was almost warm enough not to wear a coat and the snow is almost all gone. It was the first morning I had heard bird chirping and singing in a long time!!
Had breakfast with Hartum’s and traded some dogs and saw the 2 week old puppies that we had “with Hartums” (our dog Neenah and his dog Wyatt) on our way about noon. Hope to make it to 2 or 3 hours from the border today!!!
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Say goodbye to Alaska!!!
Sad as it is to leave good friends and beautiful trails......the time has come!!
Friday nite’s banquet was as wonderful as usual!! I even had 2 helpings – I had saved my appetite up all day! I don’t think there were as many “local specialties” as years before, but many of the dishes were casseroles so I wasn’t really sure what was in them………
Saturday was a beautiful day for people but too warm for dogs – it was still cool out (like about 20 degrees) when the six dog went out at 9 am but got gradually very warm the rest of the day with the sun out! My race didn’t go so hot since the biggest dog in my team, Enzo, didn’t ever pull during the 6 miles – he was sore after Randy ran him in the ONAC race 2 weeks ago and we thought he was OK but apparently not – so that landed me in last place out of 32 teams.
Randy took out 13 dogs and had no problems but 4 of them didn’t work very hard so he is leaving them out day 2. He came in 17th out of just over 20.
All day long the Hartum kids were playing with our new pup,, Ghost – he was worn right out last nite!! They have him trained to jump in and out of the truck and his coop! He is getting lots and lots of leash training!
After the race we fed and went over to Dale Raito’s cabin about 5 miles from here – once again he had a big place plowed for our truck to fit in!! We had delicious grilled steaks wrapped in bacon and then I got the honor of starting the bonfire!!!! It started out about 8 feet tall!!! Before long we were ready to turn in and had to drop dogs – we planned to get up at 6:30 again but didn’t really get up till 7:30!
My run today with only 5 dogs went much better and actually I was in only 28th place for the day even with only 5 pulling ahead!! But I ended up in last ………it was a beautiful, perfect ending to my racing season!!
Randy goes out this afternoon at 1:32 and I hope his run goes at least as well as mine did!!!
Indeeed things did go well for him – he left with only 9 dogs and they ran along steady and didn’t have any problems -he moved up to 15th and the very best part of the whole weekend was that he had the 1 year old, Scar in lead and she did great!!!
The awards are handed out and people are leaving and it’s time for us to start the 4,000 mile trip home!!!!! We will be in Canada in about 2 hours so I won’t have phone service and the wifi will be iffy over the next week! Will write when I can- we love you all!!!
Friday nite’s banquet was as wonderful as usual!! I even had 2 helpings – I had saved my appetite up all day! I don’t think there were as many “local specialties” as years before, but many of the dishes were casseroles so I wasn’t really sure what was in them………
Saturday was a beautiful day for people but too warm for dogs – it was still cool out (like about 20 degrees) when the six dog went out at 9 am but got gradually very warm the rest of the day with the sun out! My race didn’t go so hot since the biggest dog in my team, Enzo, didn’t ever pull during the 6 miles – he was sore after Randy ran him in the ONAC race 2 weeks ago and we thought he was OK but apparently not – so that landed me in last place out of 32 teams.
Randy took out 13 dogs and had no problems but 4 of them didn’t work very hard so he is leaving them out day 2. He came in 17th out of just over 20.
All day long the Hartum kids were playing with our new pup,, Ghost – he was worn right out last nite!! They have him trained to jump in and out of the truck and his coop! He is getting lots and lots of leash training!
After the race we fed and went over to Dale Raito’s cabin about 5 miles from here – once again he had a big place plowed for our truck to fit in!! We had delicious grilled steaks wrapped in bacon and then I got the honor of starting the bonfire!!!! It started out about 8 feet tall!!! Before long we were ready to turn in and had to drop dogs – we planned to get up at 6:30 again but didn’t really get up till 7:30!
My run today with only 5 dogs went much better and actually I was in only 28th place for the day even with only 5 pulling ahead!! But I ended up in last ………it was a beautiful, perfect ending to my racing season!!
Randy goes out this afternoon at 1:32 and I hope his run goes at least as well as mine did!!!
Indeeed things did go well for him – he left with only 9 dogs and they ran along steady and didn’t have any problems -he moved up to 15th and the very best part of the whole weekend was that he had the 1 year old, Scar in lead and she did great!!!
The awards are handed out and people are leaving and it’s time for us to start the 4,000 mile trip home!!!!! We will be in Canada in about 2 hours so I won’t have phone service and the wifi will be iffy over the next week! Will write when I can- we love you all!!!
Friday, March 23, 2012
Update
Not too much to write about over the last day and ½ ; trained 2 teams yesterday and Randy wouldn’t probably want me to tell you, but since he did it right in front of Michael Tetzner and his wife, I won’t be breaking a “secret”! When he was training my team (he had some young dogs he wanted to try out in lead so he took them plus I am still not feeling “up to par’) he had stopped to switch dogs and when he pulled the snow hook they jerked and he took a header into the snow bank!!! Then he dragged for a while until he let go of the sled and let the snow hook stop them!
After training Jennifer Probert and Carl Erhart stopped by for some cheese and crackers and then invited us to dinner – they live just up the road a bit – if you remember she is the one we gave the dog Red to last year and this year he is in point and lead for her 8 dog team – we had delicious salmon and soup and learned more about both of their families – Jennifer’s mother is a native and both Carl’s are – very cozy cabin in the woods and for the winter they keep all their dogs in one of those “rent-an-office” trailers they got for $300 – it keeps the dogs warm when it is cold and then they have a fenced in yard for them to run free – they are going to take 2 more dogs that just don’t have a good fit in Randy’s team but might work out for them (Anna and Larry).
Mark Hartum stopped by and visited with Randy for about ½ hour and I washed my hair in the clubhouse while he was visiting…. I said “what did you talk about for that long ( and they visited yesterday for 1 hour in the trailer…) and he said “dogs……” some of you out there (like Kukals and the DeKuiper kids probably get that----but I am sure not everybody does……….
After feeding and dropping (and letting the puppy , Ghost, run around the parking lot – he even is starting to come to his name and jumps in and out of the upper box he is in!!) and packing up we are on our way to Tok – had to stop and get more diesel (cause from now on the price of everything rises astronomically!!) and some more dog and people food and then we will stop ½ way about to see Jan Fairbanks and Bill for dinner.
So all of you Michigan Family………this is the first leg of our way home!!!!!! My mother asks every day when we will be home--------
Made it to Jan Fairbanks and Bill Ridders place just north of Delta Junction about 4pm on beautiful clear sunny day - dropped and fed and walked up the hill(about 1/4 mile of exceedingly steep grade.....) to their gorgeous log cabin overlooking the mountain range and and the river (we can only pull up the very steep road about a 1/2 mile and then turn the truck/trailer around in the plowed space and then park there overnite cause we don't want to take a chance of getting stuck in their very steep drive!!) Had salmon marinted in maple syrup and soy sauce - delicious!!!! Up at the crack of 9am this morning and dropped dogs and went up to have "brunch" with Jan and Bill - back on the road about 12 and more clear roads and sunny day driving her in 3 hours all along the majestic Alaska Range!!! It took lots of pictures of Jan's house and the mountains last year on an even clearer day so I didn't get any this year. We are stopped at "Fast Eddy's" restaurant to use the wifi and then will go park at the clubhouse and get my dish-to-pass - polish roses- ready to take in to the "highlight-of-highlights in the culinary Alaskan World" the Tok race banquet - people from the surrounding area bring in ethnic and Alaskan dishes and have a community banquet that the mushers are invited to!!!! So really looking forward to that!!! Tonite we will draw numbers for going out in the 6 dog for me and open for Randy - already we see Kris Rasey, the Hnatiuk's and Bev Stevens are here at the hotel- more to come tomorrow!!
After training Jennifer Probert and Carl Erhart stopped by for some cheese and crackers and then invited us to dinner – they live just up the road a bit – if you remember she is the one we gave the dog Red to last year and this year he is in point and lead for her 8 dog team – we had delicious salmon and soup and learned more about both of their families – Jennifer’s mother is a native and both Carl’s are – very cozy cabin in the woods and for the winter they keep all their dogs in one of those “rent-an-office” trailers they got for $300 – it keeps the dogs warm when it is cold and then they have a fenced in yard for them to run free – they are going to take 2 more dogs that just don’t have a good fit in Randy’s team but might work out for them (Anna and Larry).
Mark Hartum stopped by and visited with Randy for about ½ hour and I washed my hair in the clubhouse while he was visiting…. I said “what did you talk about for that long ( and they visited yesterday for 1 hour in the trailer…) and he said “dogs……” some of you out there (like Kukals and the DeKuiper kids probably get that----but I am sure not everybody does……….
After feeding and dropping (and letting the puppy , Ghost, run around the parking lot – he even is starting to come to his name and jumps in and out of the upper box he is in!!) and packing up we are on our way to Tok – had to stop and get more diesel (cause from now on the price of everything rises astronomically!!) and some more dog and people food and then we will stop ½ way about to see Jan Fairbanks and Bill for dinner.
So all of you Michigan Family………this is the first leg of our way home!!!!!! My mother asks every day when we will be home--------
Made it to Jan Fairbanks and Bill Ridders place just north of Delta Junction about 4pm on beautiful clear sunny day - dropped and fed and walked up the hill(about 1/4 mile of exceedingly steep grade.....) to their gorgeous log cabin overlooking the mountain range and and the river (we can only pull up the very steep road about a 1/2 mile and then turn the truck/trailer around in the plowed space and then park there overnite cause we don't want to take a chance of getting stuck in their very steep drive!!) Had salmon marinted in maple syrup and soy sauce - delicious!!!! Up at the crack of 9am this morning and dropped dogs and went up to have "brunch" with Jan and Bill - back on the road about 12 and more clear roads and sunny day driving her in 3 hours all along the majestic Alaska Range!!! It took lots of pictures of Jan's house and the mountains last year on an even clearer day so I didn't get any this year. We are stopped at "Fast Eddy's" restaurant to use the wifi and then will go park at the clubhouse and get my dish-to-pass - polish roses- ready to take in to the "highlight-of-highlights in the culinary Alaskan World" the Tok race banquet - people from the surrounding area bring in ethnic and Alaskan dishes and have a community banquet that the mushers are invited to!!!! So really looking forward to that!!! Tonite we will draw numbers for going out in the 6 dog for me and open for Randy - already we see Kris Rasey, the Hnatiuk's and Bev Stevens are here at the hotel- more to come tomorrow!!
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Tuesday not very busy-
I still have a little flu bug today so am not doing much - we are at a Safeway grocery store and they actually have wifi - then we are going to the DMV so we can finally get the license plates we ordered a year ago - they have Randy's Iditarod finishing number of "90" on them!
Not much the rest of the day - we heard yesterday that it was -35 degrees in Tok so we are thinking we will wait until the very end of the week to go over - it is only 7 degrees her right now!
Will post a picture of the pup (we think we will call him Ghost because he was born at Halloween) as soon as I remember to take one!! he slept well last nite and wasn't any noisier that our "dog alarm clock - Arrow"!!
Talk to you soon!
Not much the rest of the day - we heard yesterday that it was -35 degrees in Tok so we are thinking we will wait until the very end of the week to go over - it is only 7 degrees her right now!
Will post a picture of the pup (we think we will call him Ghost because he was born at Halloween) as soon as I remember to take one!! he slept well last nite and wasn't any noisier that our "dog alarm clock - Arrow"!!
Talk to you soon!
Monday, March 19, 2012
ONAC "at a glance".......
NO computer access for the last 4 days so here it is - quick and dirty.......
Friday he went out with 17 dogs and when he came back he said it was the worst race day of his life (and that includes crashing into a tree and losing his team at Laconia, NH!!) - he had a tangle 5 miles out and then Hedwig got out of both his collar and his harness and was running loose then a driver came by shouting like a wild Indian and when Randy asked him to stop he said he had to yell.....then he had another driver try to pass him 5 different times, stopping each time until finally his team could get by - then Cowboy decided he was done running at 15 miles and had to be loaded - yes......it was a depressing day...
Saturday started with 13 dogs - the day went pretty well and he actually was in 14th place for the day- the problems he had were related to having Echo in lead (just as I had in my team at the Limited North American - when he stops to poop you really stop....)
Sunday was good but slow with 10 dogs- Echo ran his little heart out in the team and was very impressive until Randy had to load him at about 23 miles - so the Red Lantern again.....not what we had hoped for, but back to the analogy of being able to race in NASCAR - even if you came in last, you raced with the best!!
The banquet was very nice with halibut and prime rib - sat with the Hartums and enjoyed their company!
Today I have some sort of flu bug and am sleeping as much as I can - trained 2 small teams and got a puppy that is 5 months old delivered in place of the dog, Red we gave Jennifer Probert last year (he is running in her 8 dog team and does excellent!!) Hartums went out with Mark in front with 8 dogs in the front and with each of the 3 kids with a team following behind him!! You don't see that very often!!!
Had to go to McDonalds again to be able to get on wifi - even being here it is not working well - takes about 15 minutes for it to pick up the signal......any suggestions??????????
Will write again as soon as possible!!!
Friday he went out with 17 dogs and when he came back he said it was the worst race day of his life (and that includes crashing into a tree and losing his team at Laconia, NH!!) - he had a tangle 5 miles out and then Hedwig got out of both his collar and his harness and was running loose then a driver came by shouting like a wild Indian and when Randy asked him to stop he said he had to yell.....then he had another driver try to pass him 5 different times, stopping each time until finally his team could get by - then Cowboy decided he was done running at 15 miles and had to be loaded - yes......it was a depressing day...
Saturday started with 13 dogs - the day went pretty well and he actually was in 14th place for the day- the problems he had were related to having Echo in lead (just as I had in my team at the Limited North American - when he stops to poop you really stop....)
Sunday was good but slow with 10 dogs- Echo ran his little heart out in the team and was very impressive until Randy had to load him at about 23 miles - so the Red Lantern again.....not what we had hoped for, but back to the analogy of being able to race in NASCAR - even if you came in last, you raced with the best!!
The banquet was very nice with halibut and prime rib - sat with the Hartums and enjoyed their company!
Today I have some sort of flu bug and am sleeping as much as I can - trained 2 small teams and got a puppy that is 5 months old delivered in place of the dog, Red we gave Jennifer Probert last year (he is running in her 8 dog team and does excellent!!) Hartums went out with Mark in front with 8 dogs in the front and with each of the 3 kids with a team following behind him!! You don't see that very often!!!
Had to go to McDonalds again to be able to get on wifi - even being here it is not working well - takes about 15 minutes for it to pick up the signal......any suggestions??????????
Will write again as soon as possible!!!
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Problems with the wifi again………I am even sitting right in the clubhouse and I still am not able to get on!! I finished 3 loads of laundry and had lunch with Pat and Ron and then Pat brought me back to our trailer at the track clubhouse and we fed dogs and then got ready to go to Mari Hoe-Raito’s house for dinner – it took a little over 45 minutes to get down to Salcha but with Dorothy the GPS’s help we didn’t have any trouble finding her cabin – it’s beautiful – just as you imagine a cabin in the woods in Alaska should look!! And we had moose for dinner!!! She had cooked it in the crock pot and then we had it as a gravy over rice and broccoli from her last summer’s garden and then for dessert hand picked wild blueberries!!! I spent quite a bit of time with her daughter Adeline and also Marie Wynn, a neighbor, was there with us for dinner. Adeline and I played golf, bowling and baseball on the Wii (sp???) and that was my first time!!! It was very fun – I think Adeline was surprised how well I did – being my first time she probably thought I would be “lame”………
This morning we were up with our “alarm clock”, Arrow (she is getting to be a bit irritating, she is the only dog that barks……..) at 9:30 and had breakfast. Tonite is the driver’s meeting and draw at the Westmark Hotel – snacks for dinner tonite!!
While I have the time I need to tell you a funny story – I had been using a styrofoam cup to put linament in to warm up in the microwave before I applied to the sore dogs – well Randy thought he would take a gulp of milk with his Tyleon PM’s ……..you got it!!!!!! Yghhhhhhhh!!!!!! It looked like mild but sure didn’t taste like it!!!
Wednesday we spent around the track and visiting with all kinds of people including the Hartum's from Alberta - at the driver's meeting Randy drew a 7 and that actually is probably pretty good because he has 2 "medium" teams behind him and 2 "fast" teams ahead of him- so not likely to have to pass - he is still considering Echo in lead and he has only run the one race for me in lead and never passed in a race!!!! Nice appetizers and nice company at the meeting - Amanda Byrd sat with us and I finally caught on that her accent was Australian not British.....also had all the Hartums and Rob Peebles - Randy even did a little "negotiating" for borrowing 2 dogs for the race from the Erharts.....we will see how that goes..2 dogs we have never seen before! and put them in your team on day 1!!!!
Today is Thursday and this morning we went to a breakfast (burritos!) for drivers of the race and handlers - talked alot with Mya and Elle Hartum about their horses and practicing for barrel racing this summer - back to the clubhouse for the driver's meeting with the race marshal Mike McGowen and then Randy could have ridden around the trail with his sled behind a snowmobile but opted not to.......too cold and long and many hours
This morning we have been able to be helpful to several people because we carry our "house" with us.....cough drops to Dawn Brown, back pain medicine and heating pad to Mark Hartum and Randy fixed a driver's truck that just flew in to Anchorage from the bush and then drove up to Fairbanks over nite - he had to find a way to open the hood cause it would not work and then had to clean all the battery connections before it would turn over!! Makes us feel good to be able to help.....
This afternoon trim toenails and go to the store and buy petroleum jelly and mineral oil - Rocky swallowed his leg wrap (we think, cause it wasn't there in the morning and not in his box in the hay.......) per Dawn Brown's suggestion - try and "oil it out" - she said it may take a month before he passes and there is no predicting whether he will have problems with it.....so we wait.....
I don't know what my computer's issue is but I have even had trouble getting on the wifi here at McDonalds......so who knows when I will get a chance to post again - I will do my best. Tomorrow we leave the track at 11 to be downtown at 11:30 and the race start is at 1p - you are supposed to be able to follow it on the website (sleddog.org) but who knows if that will work!! We love you all!! Wish Randy luck!!
This morning we were up with our “alarm clock”, Arrow (she is getting to be a bit irritating, she is the only dog that barks……..) at 9:30 and had breakfast. Tonite is the driver’s meeting and draw at the Westmark Hotel – snacks for dinner tonite!!
While I have the time I need to tell you a funny story – I had been using a styrofoam cup to put linament in to warm up in the microwave before I applied to the sore dogs – well Randy thought he would take a gulp of milk with his Tyleon PM’s ……..you got it!!!!!! Yghhhhhhhh!!!!!! It looked like mild but sure didn’t taste like it!!!
Wednesday we spent around the track and visiting with all kinds of people including the Hartum's from Alberta - at the driver's meeting Randy drew a 7 and that actually is probably pretty good because he has 2 "medium" teams behind him and 2 "fast" teams ahead of him- so not likely to have to pass - he is still considering Echo in lead and he has only run the one race for me in lead and never passed in a race!!!! Nice appetizers and nice company at the meeting - Amanda Byrd sat with us and I finally caught on that her accent was Australian not British.....also had all the Hartums and Rob Peebles - Randy even did a little "negotiating" for borrowing 2 dogs for the race from the Erharts.....we will see how that goes..2 dogs we have never seen before! and put them in your team on day 1!!!!
Today is Thursday and this morning we went to a breakfast (burritos!) for drivers of the race and handlers - talked alot with Mya and Elle Hartum about their horses and practicing for barrel racing this summer - back to the clubhouse for the driver's meeting with the race marshal Mike McGowen and then Randy could have ridden around the trail with his sled behind a snowmobile but opted not to.......too cold and long and many hours
This morning we have been able to be helpful to several people because we carry our "house" with us.....cough drops to Dawn Brown, back pain medicine and heating pad to Mark Hartum and Randy fixed a driver's truck that just flew in to Anchorage from the bush and then drove up to Fairbanks over nite - he had to find a way to open the hood cause it would not work and then had to clean all the battery connections before it would turn over!! Makes us feel good to be able to help.....
This afternoon trim toenails and go to the store and buy petroleum jelly and mineral oil - Rocky swallowed his leg wrap (we think, cause it wasn't there in the morning and not in his box in the hay.......) per Dawn Brown's suggestion - try and "oil it out" - she said it may take a month before he passes and there is no predicting whether he will have problems with it.....so we wait.....
I don't know what my computer's issue is but I have even had trouble getting on the wifi here at McDonalds......so who knows when I will get a chance to post again - I will do my best. Tomorrow we leave the track at 11 to be downtown at 11:30 and the race start is at 1p - you are supposed to be able to follow it on the website (sleddog.org) but who knows if that will work!! We love you all!! Wish Randy luck!!
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Monday was a training day....
Randy took 12 dogs out for a "fun run" to get their attitudes adjusted!! We continued to be amazed how many dogs are hurt - though all of the 12 ran well for 8 miles Monday, at feeding time Randy noticed that Rocky (his main reliable leader) was limping - so we put a wrap on his ankle - and this morning the wrap had mysteriously disappeared........so we are hoping we don't have a gastrointestinal problem!!!! One of Bellerives has eaten booties with velcro on them twice an twice has had to have surgery!!!!!!
Right now I am at the Extended Stay hotel with Pat and Ron Hnatuik doing laundry and got a shower!! Randy took the truck over to the trailer guy at Bulletproof that fixed our wheels the last time we were in Fairbanks broke down......he wants to have him put a heater in the radiator line so he is sure the truck will start when we need to get to the race start!!! The block heater went out just after we left and then he bought a oil pan heater that you glue to the bottom of the oil pan; but it isn't really working as good as he wants...yesterday and today we had to spray ether in the air intake to get it to start - all of this is because the weather has turned colder - minus 14 this morning and should be for the rest of the week.
After we get back together, we are going to Mari Hoe-Raito's for crock pot dinner - will let you know that goes!!!
Right now I am at the Extended Stay hotel with Pat and Ron Hnatuik doing laundry and got a shower!! Randy took the truck over to the trailer guy at Bulletproof that fixed our wheels the last time we were in Fairbanks broke down......he wants to have him put a heater in the radiator line so he is sure the truck will start when we need to get to the race start!!! The block heater went out just after we left and then he bought a oil pan heater that you glue to the bottom of the oil pan; but it isn't really working as good as he wants...yesterday and today we had to spray ether in the air intake to get it to start - all of this is because the weather has turned colder - minus 14 this morning and should be for the rest of the week.
After we get back together, we are going to Mari Hoe-Raito's for crock pot dinner - will let you know that goes!!!
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Race coverage from the Limited North American Championship!!!! cont.
We managed to spend $100 at Walmart (and that wasn’t even letting me browse the Alaska souvenirs section!!) Stopped at McDonalds so we could do a post and then back to the “ranch/clubhouse”!
Up early at 8am so we would be sure to be ready for the first day of the race! I got my #10 bib and we treated feet and put Bag Balm on testicles in the trailer before even letting them out in to the ferocious weather- it went from feeling like “Florida” here yesterday with the hot sun to feeling like where-we-really-are-Alaska today!!!! Cold and blowing snow………. Got up to the start line with out too many jitters and we were off!!! I was a bit conservative cause I really didn’t remember the trail from last year – it starts off with a long, long, long downhill grade and ends up with a turn to the left/haw- for you not-so-long-time-readers, that was where I fell, lost my team, ran and found the team, couldn’t get my snow hook out even standing on it and using both hands (what a another disaster that would have been if it had come out…….then I would have not been on the sled and would have lost them again!! – but I was desperate……..desperate for all of the 6 dog class…….it finished……and then all of the 8 dogs class……and finished…….until Randy came on a snowmobile and got the hook out for me and then I finished the trail………) and that whole sequence of events set us up for what happened next…Randy missing his chute time because of me, and going out on his own with 20 dogs, missing his turn and having a tangle and then losing a finger up to the first joint………etc., etc., etc…….. So having said all that, I am very proud to tell you I made it around the trail, the only slow down was having my leader, Echo, poop several times and he does not like to be running when he does that! I found out that the reason that Karousch Partow did not pass me was because he loaded and then un-loaded a dog…. The truth is, even in 12th place out of 13 (with Katy Dajenais from Quebec being first with 18:12 min and me with 21:57 min) I m VERY HAPPY! The competition doesn’t get much better!
I was in for a shock on Friday when I crossed the finish line and heard them say on the loud speaker my time was "19:21.8!!!!!!!!!!" That made me 4th for the day!!! Bev Stevens did have a problem with her dogs chasing a "critter" off the trail for a bit but I had a great run!!! Echo in lead did not have to poop today and that makes a HUGE difference because he virtually stops when he has to go and then the point dogs run over him!!!! So even if everything goes to "you know what in a handbasket" tomorrow, I am just elated!!!!
Sunday: got up fairly early (7:30) and fed dogs - very cold - even in the dog part with the door closed and all those little warm bodies it was only 10 degrees!! Partly sunny today - I was relaxing on the couch reading a book, trying not to be nervous and Randy breaks in the door and yells "Katy Dejanais is hooking up her team!!!!" - leader in the 6 dog - you know.....I vaguely remembered them mentioning at the driver's meeting that this weekend was the weekend they turned the clocks ahead........you guessed it!!! we did NOT turn the clock ahead and in 14 minutes I got myself dressed and the dogs harnessed and feet oiled and hooked up and to the line!!!!!!!!! I had a good run but, even though he had pooped at breakfast and then again just before we left, Echo had to poop X3 on the trail!!!! once again it cost me time (I was hoping to make up 30 seconds and maybe move into 7th) but I stayed in 8th which I am very proud of my dogs for doing - when you consider one of my leaders (Birdie) is 8 years old and was just there to give the young pup Echo confidence to lead in his first race and she never even came close to having a tight line so it was like running 5 dogs, I am extremely proud!!!!! The purse isn't very big.....in fact nobody has even mentioned how much - I think the lady just ahead of me in 7th said there was $10,000 to be divided by all the participants which is probably 40 of them, I may get my entry fee back - regardless, it was the best race of my life!!!! and I think I may even be getting the hang of driving a sled.......after all these years!!!!!
I have the password for the wifi here so will talk to you soon!!!
Up early at 8am so we would be sure to be ready for the first day of the race! I got my #10 bib and we treated feet and put Bag Balm on testicles in the trailer before even letting them out in to the ferocious weather- it went from feeling like “Florida” here yesterday with the hot sun to feeling like where-we-really-are-Alaska today!!!! Cold and blowing snow………. Got up to the start line with out too many jitters and we were off!!! I was a bit conservative cause I really didn’t remember the trail from last year – it starts off with a long, long, long downhill grade and ends up with a turn to the left/haw- for you not-so-long-time-readers, that was where I fell, lost my team, ran and found the team, couldn’t get my snow hook out even standing on it and using both hands (what a another disaster that would have been if it had come out…….then I would have not been on the sled and would have lost them again!! – but I was desperate……..desperate for all of the 6 dog class…….it finished……and then all of the 8 dogs class……and finished…….until Randy came on a snowmobile and got the hook out for me and then I finished the trail………) and that whole sequence of events set us up for what happened next…Randy missing his chute time because of me, and going out on his own with 20 dogs, missing his turn and having a tangle and then losing a finger up to the first joint………etc., etc., etc…….. So having said all that, I am very proud to tell you I made it around the trail, the only slow down was having my leader, Echo, poop several times and he does not like to be running when he does that! I found out that the reason that Karousch Partow did not pass me was because he loaded and then un-loaded a dog…. The truth is, even in 12th place out of 13 (with Katy Dajenais from Quebec being first with 18:12 min and me with 21:57 min) I m VERY HAPPY! The competition doesn’t get much better!
I was in for a shock on Friday when I crossed the finish line and heard them say on the loud speaker my time was "19:21.8!!!!!!!!!!" That made me 4th for the day!!! Bev Stevens did have a problem with her dogs chasing a "critter" off the trail for a bit but I had a great run!!! Echo in lead did not have to poop today and that makes a HUGE difference because he virtually stops when he has to go and then the point dogs run over him!!!! So even if everything goes to "you know what in a handbasket" tomorrow, I am just elated!!!!
Sunday: got up fairly early (7:30) and fed dogs - very cold - even in the dog part with the door closed and all those little warm bodies it was only 10 degrees!! Partly sunny today - I was relaxing on the couch reading a book, trying not to be nervous and Randy breaks in the door and yells "Katy Dejanais is hooking up her team!!!!" - leader in the 6 dog - you know.....I vaguely remembered them mentioning at the driver's meeting that this weekend was the weekend they turned the clocks ahead........you guessed it!!! we did NOT turn the clock ahead and in 14 minutes I got myself dressed and the dogs harnessed and feet oiled and hooked up and to the line!!!!!!!!! I had a good run but, even though he had pooped at breakfast and then again just before we left, Echo had to poop X3 on the trail!!!! once again it cost me time (I was hoping to make up 30 seconds and maybe move into 7th) but I stayed in 8th which I am very proud of my dogs for doing - when you consider one of my leaders (Birdie) is 8 years old and was just there to give the young pup Echo confidence to lead in his first race and she never even came close to having a tight line so it was like running 5 dogs, I am extremely proud!!!!! The purse isn't very big.....in fact nobody has even mentioned how much - I think the lady just ahead of me in 7th said there was $10,000 to be divided by all the participants which is probably 40 of them, I may get my entry fee back - regardless, it was the best race of my life!!!! and I think I may even be getting the hang of driving a sled.......after all these years!!!!!
I have the password for the wifi here so will talk to you soon!!!
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Made it to Fairbanks!!!
Well I was right about the wifi here at the track in Fairbanks…it’s very unreliable! Right now we are sitting at the other end of the building and I can get the site as an option but I can’t remember the password….. so maybe when we go into town I can find a place to post this!
We left Tuesday morning after seeing the moose again in across from the clubhouse and then he disappeared behind the snow bank! We filled all the tanks with fuel and propane and headed out on a fairly nice day but overcast – we didn’t really leave until after 10:30 so we were half thinking we wouldn’t make it all the way here that day but we kept on driving and had pretty good roads……….until we hit Nenana and fed dogs – thinking it was only 50 more miles to Fairbanks we took off again and hit an “almost blizzard” – every time a vehicle would pass us either way it made a “whiteout”! It snowed hard and we hit the mountains just before Fairbanks and it took us almost 2 hours to go the 50 miles!
Finally got to the track and the parking lot had about 8 inches of fresh snow in it!!
Up late on Wednesday morning and didn’t do much of anything all day. Randy had intended to train dogs but the trail had about 10inches of fluffy snow on it (it hadn’t been worked on in awhile…….and we thought we were coming up here to train on an “superior” , hard , fast trail….). Made chicken and rice for the 6 o’clock potluck and driver’s meeting for the Limited Championship. Lots of people we had not seen in a long while – Katy and Martin DeJanais (spelling?) were here for the first time! I reminded Katy of the first time she raced dogs was when we were at their race in St. Agathe , a race on a lake, and she had 4 huge “horse” dogs and was scared to death of how fast she was going to go!! Of course she won… I entered the 6 dog class and drew number 10 –
Today is beautiful!!! Sunny and the sun is so hot when you are standing out in it if feels almost like bathing suit weather!!!! Randy trained one team of 13 and said the trail was pretty good after they dragged it last nite and this morning. Next we are going in to town to get more fuel for the generator since we can’t get the outside plug to the building to work – so we are running the generator continuously. Plus we need a few groceries. More later!
We left Tuesday morning after seeing the moose again in across from the clubhouse and then he disappeared behind the snow bank! We filled all the tanks with fuel and propane and headed out on a fairly nice day but overcast – we didn’t really leave until after 10:30 so we were half thinking we wouldn’t make it all the way here that day but we kept on driving and had pretty good roads……….until we hit Nenana and fed dogs – thinking it was only 50 more miles to Fairbanks we took off again and hit an “almost blizzard” – every time a vehicle would pass us either way it made a “whiteout”! It snowed hard and we hit the mountains just before Fairbanks and it took us almost 2 hours to go the 50 miles!
Finally got to the track and the parking lot had about 8 inches of fresh snow in it!!
Up late on Wednesday morning and didn’t do much of anything all day. Randy had intended to train dogs but the trail had about 10inches of fluffy snow on it (it hadn’t been worked on in awhile…….and we thought we were coming up here to train on an “superior” , hard , fast trail….). Made chicken and rice for the 6 o’clock potluck and driver’s meeting for the Limited Championship. Lots of people we had not seen in a long while – Katy and Martin DeJanais (spelling?) were here for the first time! I reminded Katy of the first time she raced dogs was when we were at their race in St. Agathe , a race on a lake, and she had 4 huge “horse” dogs and was scared to death of how fast she was going to go!! Of course she won… I entered the 6 dog class and drew number 10 –
Today is beautiful!!! Sunny and the sun is so hot when you are standing out in it if feels almost like bathing suit weather!!!! Randy trained one team of 13 and said the trail was pretty good after they dragged it last nite and this morning. Next we are going in to town to get more fuel for the generator since we can’t get the outside plug to the building to work – so we are running the generator continuously. Plus we need a few groceries. More later!
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Last day in Anchorage.....
Sad to say goodbye to "the boys" - dropped them off and got a new wheel for the trailer for a spare and then to Eagle River to get a tire for it - then back here to spiff up Pam's car for being so nice to let us use it -it made so many things so much easier!! Next we feed and take the car back to Pam and Doug's and they are ordering oriental dinner (Randy says that's OK unless he had to use chopsticks!!)
Don't know when we will leave in the morning but will try to post again - the service will be pretty "sketchy" at best until we get to the club house in Fairbanks and even then it was not reliable last year!! Talk to you soon as I can!
Went to Pam and Doug's for dinner and to drop off the car - we had order-in oriental - very good!! The kids and I played with Doug and made play-dough sculptures and drew with crayons! Back here and dosed all the "coughers" with honey and lemon syrup (not a one of them likes it.....can you believe it??!!) and time to rest up for the trip tomorrow - it snowed about and inch this evening - and there was a winter storm watch up by Fairbanks so we will see what tomorrow's weather brings!
Don't know when we will leave in the morning but will try to post again - the service will be pretty "sketchy" at best until we get to the club house in Fairbanks and even then it was not reliable last year!! Talk to you soon as I can!
Went to Pam and Doug's for dinner and to drop off the car - we had order-in oriental - very good!! The kids and I played with Doug and made play-dough sculptures and drew with crayons! Back here and dosed all the "coughers" with honey and lemon syrup (not a one of them likes it.....can you believe it??!!) and time to rest up for the trip tomorrow - it snowed about and inch this evening - and there was a winter storm watch up by Fairbanks so we will see what tomorrow's weather brings!
Monday, March 5, 2012
Sunday was pretty "low profile" - until it was time to feed....
We pretty much relaxed for the day - Mark and Austin went to the re-start in Willow so they had the car and we were not going to train until Monday - so watched movies and read books - beautiful day, sunny and warm - when we let the dogs out they stayed out over an hour and I took the ones that are injured for walks on a leash - I think they walked me, though.......
So we were going to feed them just before dark but then Randy remembered he had not put the heater in the dog water so we waited another 1/2 hour - by that time it was quite dark! So I am getting my coat on and Randy lets one dog out the pass-through door and he runs back to the door and says "Cris come quick" - not 50 feet from the trailer, there is a moose munching on the small trees!!!! We were afraid if we let the rest of the dogs out the moose would think they were wolves (that's what we have been told by the locals.....) and would get stomped!! So I get as near as I think I can and still be able to run back to the trailer and take pictures -and Randy, actually goes right up to the moose, 5 feet from his nose and thinks he is going to be able to run around the building to avoid getting stomped himself!!!!!!! Well you know, this all was like a "flash back" of the time we had to drive down this very steep and very icy hill to visit Ian McKenzie in Ontario and I decided that one of us had to stay alive if Randy crashed the truck going down the hill, so I walked all the way down!!!! So rather than both of us getting stomped, I acted as the "adult member of the team" and stood back farther by the trailer while Randy banged on the building and the fences trying to drive the moose away!!!! You now it's been a long time since he was a rodeo clown..........I don't know that he can still side step a charging animal the size of a draft horse!!!!!!!!! Be sure and look at the picture below - I got it as light as I could, but you can see the moose pretty good next to the building!
This morning Mark and Austin are here to tell us about the re-start! They left a bit early (Mark was thinking it started at 10am instead of 2pm...) but got a reallllly gooooood parking place getting there at 8am!!! They talked to all of the drivers they wanted to talk to again and got a good position to watch from!!! Also saw a moose on the side of the road and picked up some moose poop near the parking lot in Willow!!! Today we will drop them off at the Ramada and then they will catch the airport shuttle for their flight home tonite at 12:53am! First though, we will train 2 teams today - today is overcast and feels alot cooler so better for the dogs!!
So we were going to feed them just before dark but then Randy remembered he had not put the heater in the dog water so we waited another 1/2 hour - by that time it was quite dark! So I am getting my coat on and Randy lets one dog out the pass-through door and he runs back to the door and says "Cris come quick" - not 50 feet from the trailer, there is a moose munching on the small trees!!!! We were afraid if we let the rest of the dogs out the moose would think they were wolves (that's what we have been told by the locals.....) and would get stomped!! So I get as near as I think I can and still be able to run back to the trailer and take pictures -and Randy, actually goes right up to the moose, 5 feet from his nose and thinks he is going to be able to run around the building to avoid getting stomped himself!!!!!!! Well you know, this all was like a "flash back" of the time we had to drive down this very steep and very icy hill to visit Ian McKenzie in Ontario and I decided that one of us had to stay alive if Randy crashed the truck going down the hill, so I walked all the way down!!!! So rather than both of us getting stomped, I acted as the "adult member of the team" and stood back farther by the trailer while Randy banged on the building and the fences trying to drive the moose away!!!! You now it's been a long time since he was a rodeo clown..........I don't know that he can still side step a charging animal the size of a draft horse!!!!!!!!! Be sure and look at the picture below - I got it as light as I could, but you can see the moose pretty good next to the building!
This morning Mark and Austin are here to tell us about the re-start! They left a bit early (Mark was thinking it started at 10am instead of 2pm...) but got a reallllly gooooood parking place getting there at 8am!!! They talked to all of the drivers they wanted to talk to again and got a good position to watch from!!! Also saw a moose on the side of the road and picked up some moose poop near the parking lot in Willow!!! Today we will drop them off at the Ramada and then they will catch the airport shuttle for their flight home tonite at 12:53am! First though, we will train 2 teams today - today is overcast and feels alot cooler so better for the dogs!!
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Our Saturday started slow......
Both of us woke up with headaches so we decided not to go downtown or over to the Tudor Road bridge to watch the ceremonial start - instead we waited until about 2:30, stopped to get another fur ruff for my coat for both the sleeves and then headed downtown to the Ramada to meet Mark and Austin to walk over and see the Reindeer Run (supposedly patterned after the "running of the bulls......."). We waited quite a long time in 3,4 and 5-deep spectators - there may have been as many for this as there were for the Iditarod start! We watched one group of "runners" being chased and then alot of the people left, thinking it was over -but my astute husband notices there were not any men in the "first wave" - and sure enough we had much better viewing places for the 2nd and 3rd waves!!!! Hilarious costumes of just about anything you can imagine - rivaling Halloween! Then we walked over to the ice sculpture display - you can see the pictures below - of that and the reindeer run - be sure to go back several pages because I probably put up 15 pictures!!
Mark and Austin were up very early Saturday morning and just kind of acted like they were supposed to be dog handlers and got a bazillion autographs from Iditarod drivers!! It really paid off to be there early before all the hurrying and anxiety started! Several of the drivers even remembered them from visiting at the track the day before!! and called them by name!
Mark and Austin came back and fed with us and then drove themselves back to the Ramada so they could drive up to the re-start in Willow this morning - Randy figured that we couldn't get there and back without leaving the dogs alone or un-dropped for too long - it's a 2 hour drive and doesn't even start until 2pm - I think Mark and Austin were going to leave really early this morning to get there and get a good parking spot - you can imagine how many people go up there......
I have to say from our perspective, Mark and Austin couldn't be having any better a trip - they have seen and done just about everything they hoped and more!!!
So just a sit-around-and-read-and-watch movies kind of a day!
Mark and Austin were up very early Saturday morning and just kind of acted like they were supposed to be dog handlers and got a bazillion autographs from Iditarod drivers!! It really paid off to be there early before all the hurrying and anxiety started! Several of the drivers even remembered them from visiting at the track the day before!! and called them by name!
Mark and Austin came back and fed with us and then drove themselves back to the Ramada so they could drive up to the re-start in Willow this morning - Randy figured that we couldn't get there and back without leaving the dogs alone or un-dropped for too long - it's a 2 hour drive and doesn't even start until 2pm - I think Mark and Austin were going to leave really early this morning to get there and get a good parking spot - you can imagine how many people go up there......
I have to say from our perspective, Mark and Austin couldn't be having any better a trip - they have seen and done just about everything they hoped and more!!!
So just a sit-around-and-read-and-watch movies kind of a day!
Saturday, March 3, 2012
It's Friday nite.......
and we are tired.......!!!!! got up and dropped dogs and before it was time to drop again, Randy said, the Iditarod teams are here, we have to get out on the trail before they chew it up! So quickly we dropped and harnessed and did feet and he got out after about 10 teams had left here - Mark and Austin showed up just as we were hooking up (Cause Randy had told them not to come until noon or after) - so they were here in time to see: Lance Mackey, Sonny Lindner, Ken Anderson, Tim Osmar and some that I don't remember the names of = they were able to go visit with all of them with out the pressure of being downtown at the start - Sonny Lindner came over to our truck to visit saying he remembered last year when Randy helped his team get out of the crowd where they were giving out hot dogs.....His folks are still in Fremont and he spent probably 15 minutes talking with us. Quite an unexpected event having so many dog drivers her for Austin to get autographs and pictures!!
After we fed in the after noon we went to the University of Alaska at Anchorage Aviation building and had a tour by my brother's friend Paul Herrick - we saw the workshops and the simulators and Mark and Austin were able to get in a plane that holds 8 - pretty nice!!
Then we went to a very nice ITALIAN restaurant and I ordered the halibut and got it the way I love it with melted butter!! We were all stuffed!! Back here and drop dogs and now to bed!!! We love you all!!
After we fed in the after noon we went to the University of Alaska at Anchorage Aviation building and had a tour by my brother's friend Paul Herrick - we saw the workshops and the simulators and Mark and Austin were able to get in a plane that holds 8 - pretty nice!!
Then we went to a very nice ITALIAN restaurant and I ordered the halibut and got it the way I love it with melted butter!! We were all stuffed!! Back here and drop dogs and now to bed!!! We love you all!!
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Thursday
Up at 9am and Kukal's here at 12 - dropped dogs and off to Iditarod Headquarters - tried to contact Leo Rasmussen at the front desk but he must not be registered under his name so a coordinator for the Iditarod was going to give her a note I wrote to Leo at the Iditarod banquet tonite. While we were there we saw many Iditarod dog trucks - one of them John Baker's - we saw Rick Swensson, Colleen Robertia, Aly Zirkle, Mike Santos and Pat Moon and probably more but didn't recognize them!
Then we went to the famous Gwennie's Old Alaska restaurant and had lunch - expensive ($6 for a cup of chili) but very good.
After that we drove by Lake Hood and saw all of the privately owned float planes - hundreds of them!
Then we went to a park near the ocean and saw all of the landmarks located on the sign but it was too cloudy for us to see Mt. McKinley.
Driving from there we saw a guy get out of his truck with a shotgun and come to find out he shot at the ravens that were flying around and figured out that it was because they were near the airport runway and they were trying to shoo them away!
Next we stopped at the Alaska Fur Company - they have tons of mounts of all kinds of game including a lion!!! I found a purple dyed fur ruff to put on the jacket Cindy gave me that is black with purple trim - I have been wanting it for a long time but today I noticed this one at 1/2 off for $10!!!
Now we are back at "the ranch" and waiting till 5 to feed dogs - tomorrow we see my brother Mark's friend, Paul Herrick who is an instructor at the U of Alaska in the aviation department.
Then we went to the famous Gwennie's Old Alaska restaurant and had lunch - expensive ($6 for a cup of chili) but very good.
After that we drove by Lake Hood and saw all of the privately owned float planes - hundreds of them!
Then we went to a park near the ocean and saw all of the landmarks located on the sign but it was too cloudy for us to see Mt. McKinley.
Driving from there we saw a guy get out of his truck with a shotgun and come to find out he shot at the ravens that were flying around and figured out that it was because they were near the airport runway and they were trying to shoo them away!
Next we stopped at the Alaska Fur Company - they have tons of mounts of all kinds of game including a lion!!! I found a purple dyed fur ruff to put on the jacket Cindy gave me that is black with purple trim - I have been wanting it for a long time but today I noticed this one at 1/2 off for $10!!!
Now we are back at "the ranch" and waiting till 5 to feed dogs - tomorrow we see my brother Mark's friend, Paul Herrick who is an instructor at the U of Alaska in the aviation department.
Not too much going on today; yet!
Last nite we had a nice dinner at Doug and Pam's - Austin was very good playing with their 5 and 3 year olds! We brought pizza and Mark got beer - Moose Drool and Trout something......
Up this morning at 9 and still alot of dogs coughing.
Read for awhile and now it's time to drop again - we think we will go over to the Iditarod headquarters at the Millenium Hotel and look for Leo Rasmussen to see when we are supposed to help with the Iditarod mail.
Up this morning at 9 and still alot of dogs coughing.
Read for awhile and now it's time to drop again - we think we will go over to the Iditarod headquarters at the Millenium Hotel and look for Leo Rasmussen to see when we are supposed to help with the Iditarod mail.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
After yesterday's sigtseeing tour.......
Not much happening today......got up and fed the "infirmary" I call them because now we have so many of them coughing.....
Austin and Mark Kukal were here in time to help us load them back in - then Randy took out a team of 9 for 6 miles and then we helped several other drivers get out including Guy Girard - he asked Randy to double sled with him so he could get the miles that he wanted with 14 dogs - they had a great run but it was very soft with the extra 6 inches of snow we got last nite and was not groomed off the trail - we are looking at more snow coming - up to 8 inches over the next few days and even though Fairbanks is colder, we may go just to be able to train on a hard trail - more later
Austin and Mark Kukal were here in time to help us load them back in - then Randy took out a team of 9 for 6 miles and then we helped several other drivers get out including Guy Girard - he asked Randy to double sled with him so he could get the miles that he wanted with 14 dogs - they had a great run but it was very soft with the extra 6 inches of snow we got last nite and was not groomed off the trail - we are looking at more snow coming - up to 8 inches over the next few days and even though Fairbanks is colder, we may go just to be able to train on a hard trail - more later
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Tuesday
Did indeed go sightseeing - took off in the car south on Seward hiway saw lots of eagles and saw the tide going out with much of the "Turnigan Arm" down to mud by the time we returned at 5 -
Stopped once at the Beluga whale sighting parking spot and found out from a local that they are only here in the summer....
On to Alyeska, the ski mountain area that Randy and I went to before and he ended up sliding down the slope because the black diamonds in Michigan are not the same in Alaska!! He also swears to this day that he could easily go down the mountain with a dogsled1 So we went up the tram ($20 each) and much to our dismay, as we approached the top of the mountain there was a cloud cover - we made the best of it and took pictures of where we had ski-ed d 14 years ago - the most funny was when we got on to come back down and were the only ones on there and either Austin or Randy made it swing while I was standing in the tram 2300 feet in the air - a little bit "nervy".... left the ski area in search of Portage Glacier a few miles down the road and were disappointed to find out that the glacier had changed after 14 years and was pretty much up on the mountain side and pretty much covered with snow - so it looked like every other mountainside valley - but we were happy to see "para-skiiers" on Portage Lake - lots of snow there and very windy in the valley and very colder that in Anchorage - back on the drive Austin promised to be the "eagle lookout" but drifted of to sleep and snoring even with his best intentions not to do so!
Here we are back at the "ranch" the dogs being hungry and wanting to get out - will feed shortly and medicate all the new dogs with the cough and pains and aches and just some relaxation time!
Stopped once at the Beluga whale sighting parking spot and found out from a local that they are only here in the summer....
On to Alyeska, the ski mountain area that Randy and I went to before and he ended up sliding down the slope because the black diamonds in Michigan are not the same in Alaska!! He also swears to this day that he could easily go down the mountain with a dogsled1 So we went up the tram ($20 each) and much to our dismay, as we approached the top of the mountain there was a cloud cover - we made the best of it and took pictures of where we had ski-ed d 14 years ago - the most funny was when we got on to come back down and were the only ones on there and either Austin or Randy made it swing while I was standing in the tram 2300 feet in the air - a little bit "nervy".... left the ski area in search of Portage Glacier a few miles down the road and were disappointed to find out that the glacier had changed after 14 years and was pretty much up on the mountain side and pretty much covered with snow - so it looked like every other mountainside valley - but we were happy to see "para-skiiers" on Portage Lake - lots of snow there and very windy in the valley and very colder that in Anchorage - back on the drive Austin promised to be the "eagle lookout" but drifted of to sleep and snoring even with his best intentions not to do so!
Here we are back at the "ranch" the dogs being hungry and wanting to get out - will feed shortly and medicate all the new dogs with the cough and pains and aches and just some relaxation time!
Rest of Monday -
We did go to the Mac store and they didn't have any trouble getting my charging cord to work - they suggested that perhaps our being plugged in to the building with an extension cord somehow didn't allow enough power - if I do need a new battery (which they said could also be the problem since it's 3 years old) it is $129 -
cross that bridge when we get to it....
Also went to Walmart for both Kukals and us to do some shopping and then back to feed and create "doggie cough syrup" - we bought honey and lemon juice and I kept adding honey and had Randy taste it until it was palatable - they didn't really like it as much as I hoped - still have to pretty much force it on them....this morning there were about 8 dogs that were coughing - Michael Tetzner says he gives his dogs antibiotic and it gets rid of it but I am having a hard time imagining that because I thought the cough was caused by a virus and the antibiotic wouldn't help - it's pretty difficult deciphering what to do as the "DeKuiper dog doctor" because I get advice from other dog drivers, the race vets and then have my own experiences.....
Up late this morning - 9:18 a!! Dropped the dogs and gave cough syrup and said goodbye to the Cooks and Marie and Charlie - Cooks are headed to Streeper's race in Ft. Nelson. Then we watched Ken Chezik get stuck in the parking lot - his bearing seal is still not fixed so he doesn't have 4 wheel drive so it's easy for him to get stuck - Randy and the Kukals went over and pushed him out!
After we drop dogs we are planning to head for Seward for some sightseeing!!
cross that bridge when we get to it....
Also went to Walmart for both Kukals and us to do some shopping and then back to feed and create "doggie cough syrup" - we bought honey and lemon juice and I kept adding honey and had Randy taste it until it was palatable - they didn't really like it as much as I hoped - still have to pretty much force it on them....this morning there were about 8 dogs that were coughing - Michael Tetzner says he gives his dogs antibiotic and it gets rid of it but I am having a hard time imagining that because I thought the cough was caused by a virus and the antibiotic wouldn't help - it's pretty difficult deciphering what to do as the "DeKuiper dog doctor" because I get advice from other dog drivers, the race vets and then have my own experiences.....
Up late this morning - 9:18 a!! Dropped the dogs and gave cough syrup and said goodbye to the Cooks and Marie and Charlie - Cooks are headed to Streeper's race in Ft. Nelson. Then we watched Ken Chezik get stuck in the parking lot - his bearing seal is still not fixed so he doesn't have 4 wheel drive so it's easy for him to get stuck - Randy and the Kukals went over and pushed him out!
After we drop dogs we are planning to head for Seward for some sightseeing!!
Monday, February 27, 2012
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