each day an adventure in alaska: fur rondy fun!!

woke many times last night as rio kept wanting to go outside. needless to say she is currently on a rice and cottage cheese diet. if she doesn't wake me tonight i will add back in her regular food. more womitting as well. none today and she decided to go walking with blossom and i which really surprised me

timed it all pretty well. i walked them at rovers run then left them in the car while i found a spot and watched the 15 teams go by. it was a wooded area that i settled in on. tight, i was right by the trail. the dude that was a trail monitor insisted i not walk on the mushing trail at all. stupidly, it didn't occur to me to get my snowshoes out of the car and use those to find a spot.

the first team through was lance mackey so i really totally missed them . it was kinda funny as i looked up and there he was, mackey...just he and i out there in the woods. i was surprised that he was there already and i hadn't gotten set up yet so i just looked up at him and said, "hey"...like hey that's you, dang it...but all i said was hey. he spun around on his sled as he passed, i suspect he thought he must know me from somewhere. haha. maybe i can catch him tomorrow.

was thinking of walking dogs early again and then headed to the area at the tudor/muldoon turn . i've seen them pass by there. i could snow shoe out there to that area. could look pretty with the back ground.

i like the sprint races as it kinda is a practice run for the iditarod. they do move fast though. today i was super close to the trail too. not sure i got too many good photo's, but still fun.

you can see my spot was pretty wooded so i didn't have too many chances at the shots.

it does work to get to campbell airstrip early for a walk parking fills up closer to the time of the race, this way i'm already parked there. will probably hit north biv and then drive back down and see if i can catch the racers. if not...well, there won't be many pictures for tomorrow, haha.

besides this lingering headache from the knots, my brain felt normal...even the headache is my normal one. i feel like my brain is back from vacation. welcome home brain!!

they came through this tunnel then into the trees and then popped back out right by me.

this guy is checking me out.

mostly the teams go by so fast they don't really notice me.

after the mushing i dropped dogs at home and headed downtown.

by the time i got back home i was pretty sleepy...having skipped a good sleep last night thanks to rio...don't get me wrong i'm happy she woke me rather than pooped all over the house. that would have sucked.

curled up with the electric throw and watched a few more episodes of Downton Abbey....that show is quite addicting. doubt i'd watch it over and over, but i do have to see what happens next. each episode is like a cliff hanger.

a few teams were fairly close together. doesn't seem to be too many places to pass in the woods.

you could tell this guy wanted to.

always love black and white.

last team through.

these are in downtown. as i arrived the last team was coming down 4th avenue and then they were all packing up and taking off.

this kid was on top of the mushing trailer.

should have made this my first photo...right?

the fur rondy was created years ago as this time of year the trappers and the miners were gathering in town anyway to sell their stuff, so there are furs all over out there. i'm sure comments will be made from these pictures being posted on facebook, a few anyway. always are. i did not take the pictures because i love trapping nor did i take them to condemn trapping. they are just out there in anchorage this time of year. it's called Fur rondy....everyone where's the furs they have...the more outrageous the better it seems.

wolf hides above for sale and below a few of the hats i saw today.

below is a wolverine.

i'm not a fan of trapping and/or killing for only the hide, nor am i okay with trophy hunting. if you are feeding your family and kill animals to do so, then i'm fine with it. don't waste. i don't like when people go out fishing and fill their freezers with more fish than anyone could possibly eat. it should be take what you need, use what you get and stop when you should.

furs are warm and i can totally see the use in furs, especially in some of the colder areas of alaska. they have made strides in winter wear, but those fur products can still be pretty superior. if you live where it gets super cold, do what you must. i really don't like the traps and the pain they seem to cause the animals and the pets that get caught in them super close to established trails.

only mentioned it as it seems like anytime i post a picture with furs someone seems to take that to mean i have a closet full of furs or something...

took a few fun photo's of the blanket toss. love to watch it. thought this came out fun. the others i took loaded sideways anyway, oh well.

my little viewing place today

have had mixed feelings about the one snowboarder who is married to a russian, when he couldn't make usa team he switched over so he could join russian team and now he's won gold. the guy reporting said the usa olympic team is probably bummed they didn't make more of an effort to get him on their team

does it bother me because he switched over to the russian team despite being born and raised in the USA. i think so. i don't think i could compete under the russian flag and then hear the russian anthem when i am given my medal. there are many other players who play for other countries. many from the states. perhaps they were born in fiji and fiji has no winter athletes...they go so that fiji can participate. guess it seems like they are going not to increase their chance at medaling but as a support to another country who may not have the finances or means to really have a huge olympic program. part of me sees it as a selfish move...he didn't get on the american team so instead he simply changes to another team, another country. still not sure i really agree with it...not sure why i've felt a bit sour about it each time they talk about it...the announcers almost act like it's an american gold as well because he's originally from here and i'm sure still lives here.

the royal court for the fur rondy..a bit different from the rose parade princesses that i grew up seeing. i prefer these chill looking girls....

the outhouse races are always fun. i hung out for the parade of outhouses and then headed home. i was good for the day.

a few teams from our local military

these guys look pretty serious about it all. hehe.

not too many royal courts that i've seen would dive in and participate in an outhouse race!!

willing and able.

i'm thinking we should get a group together for next year. there is already the famous duck fart team...what name should we be..."Grin and Bear down", "shart, shart, let it all out". "the laxative ladies"...? let me know...i think it could be a fun thing to do as a group!!