Sled Dogs and a Gutsy Lifestyle

Trip Start Jun 18, 2005
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Trip End Jan 01, 2006


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Flag of United States  , Alaska,
Sunday, June 19, 2005

I never, ever considered going to Alaska in the wintertime. Until I stopped in Fairbanks. The sun was setting after 10 PM and rising about 3 AM when I was there on June 19, and yes, everyone was enjoying all that daylight. But, get them started talking, and they talk about WINTERTIME.

They'll tell you what it's like to ski in the moonlight. "Plenty of light reflecting off the snow," they assure you. "And awesome silence." They'll tell you what it's like to sit in your hot tub overlooking the Chena River, when the temperature is 55 below zero and the Aurora Borealis is flashing crazy colors above your head. They'll tell you what it's like when the river is frozen and you can travel back and forth on your dog sled, or your snowmobile, no need to worry with a bridge.

"There is a freedom," they try to explain, with a wistful look in their eyes. And you believe it.

It was raining when I finally got to Fairbanks, and raining even harder when I left. Nevertheless, I did not fail to see the attraction to this small-town small town, in the middle of our biggest state, where the trees are short, and the sled dogs are legend.

I'm going back in the winter. Got to see those northern lights for myself.

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046 Fairbanks Airport touts ATV 046 Fairbanks Airport touts ATV 047 First polar bear sighting 047 First polar bear sighting 048 I settled for a hatchback 048 I settled for a hatchback 049 Dinner with Felix 049 Dinner with Felix
050 Closeup of Felix and cohorts 050 Closeup of Felix and cohorts 051 Authentic gold rush register 051 Authentic gold rush register 052 Too many gadgets 052 Too many gadgets 053 Checking out in the rain 053 Checking out in the rain
054 A familiar sight 054 A familiar sight 055 Farthermost north Mickey D's 055 Farthermost north Mickey D's 056 University of Alaska entrance 056 University of Alaska entrance 057 Second polar bear sighting 057 Second polar bear sighting
058 One of many modern hilltop buildings 058 One of many modern hilltop buildings 059 Maybe I'll stay here next time 059 Maybe I'll stay here next time 060 In the Riverboat Gift Shop 060 In the Riverboat Gift Shop 061 Sled with Susan Butcher 061 Sled with Susan Butcher
062 Was this Susan's idea 062 Was this Susan's idea 063 Gift shop humor 063 Gift shop humor 064 A real paddlewheeler 064 A real paddlewheeler 065 Steamboat Landing 065 Steamboat Landing
066 Bush pilot demo 066 Bush pilot demo 067 Life on the Chena 067 Life on the Chena 068 Pumphouse on a rainy day 068 Pumphouse on a rainy day 069 Measure of a man's worth 069 Measure of a man's worth
070 Know a place by the books it sells 070 Know a place by the books it sells 071 Susan Butcher's Place 071 Susan Butcher's Place 072 David showing the pups 072 David showing the pups 073 Pens at Trail Breaker Kennels 073 Pens at Trail Breaker Kennels
074 Doggie gym 074 Doggie gym 075 Pick me! Pick me! 075 Pick me! Pick me! 076 Splaining the training 076 Splaining the training 077 More splaining 077 More splaining
078 Getting ready to pull 078 Getting ready to pull 079 Splaining the run 079 Splaining the run 080 They're off 080 They're off 081 They're back 081 They're back
082 We are so fast 082 We are so fast 083 Now we'll run loose and yelp 083 Now we'll run loose and yelp 084 First we need a drink 084 First we need a drink 085 Which boat? Which boat? 085 Which boat? Which boat?
086 Back to cruising 086 Back to cruising 087 Coming up on the caribou 087 Coming up on the caribou 088 Caribou zoo 088 Caribou zoo 089 Caribou are reindeer? 089 Caribou are reindeer?
090 Please, I'm eating. 090 Please, I'm eating. 091 Next stop Chena Indian Village 091 Next stop Chena Indian Village 092 Fish slicing demonstration 092 Fish slicing demonstration 093 Braving the rain with a live mike! 093 Braving the rain with a live mike!
094 Drying rack and smokehouse 094 Drying rack and smokehouse 095 Sod roof all nice and green 095 Sod roof all nice and green 096 Nicely plotted, w petunias 096 Nicely plotted, w petunias 097 Alaskan cabbages 097 Alaskan cabbages
098 Onboard fashion show 098 Onboard fashion show 099 Beautiful detail work 099 Beautiful detail work 100 Now there's a dog on board 100 Now there's a dog on board 101 Everybody look 101 Everybody look
102 We love the dog 102 We love the dog 103 Petting the dog 103 Petting the dog 104 Please pose for pictures 104 Please pose for pictures 105 Ashore we visit the dogs 105 Ashore we visit the dogs
106 David Monson is telling us more 106 David Monson is telling us more 107 Me happy dog 107 Me happy dog 108 Us happy dogs 108 Us happy dogs 109 Drying rack in pouring rain 109 Drying rack in pouring rain
110 Drying fish and drenching tourists 110 Drying fish and drenching tourists 111 Little house in the forest 111 Little house in the forest 112 Hansel and Gretel where are you 112 Hansel and Gretel where are you 113 Fish wheel on the Tanana River 113 Fish wheel on the Tanana River
114 Chena and Tanana meet 114 Chena and Tanana meet 115 This homeowner runs for governor 115 This homeowner runs for governor 116 Tires on roof 116 Tires on roof 117 Campaign sign 117 Campaign sign
118 Up close 118 Up close 119 Log cabin and not 119 Log cabin and not 120 Contrasting styles 120 Contrasting styles 121 More Chena River dwellings 121 More Chena River dwellings
122 More dwellings, close 122 More dwellings, close 123 And still more 123 And still more 124 Ronnie and Nancy slept here 124 Ronnie and Nancy slept here 125 Governor's home, close 125 Governor's home, close
126 Describing the construction process 126 Describing the construction process 127 Big log home 127 Big log home 128 Blankety blank tour buses everywhere 128 Blankety blank tour buses everywhere 129 South on Parks Highway 129 South on Parks Highway
130 Same view sans wiper 130 Same view sans wiper
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