Grand Hotel

Postcards from Alaska – Fur Rondy 75th

This picture is of the hotel we are staying in – with a kitchen of course. We are the floor above the red awning and the middle cluster of windows.

Walking the Dog

Walking the Dog

Walking the Dog

Walking the Dog

I couldn’t resist this one. While taking a break from the start of the Hockey game I happened to catch this.

Notice the trendy coats on the dogs and – how can you miss those fashionable booties, (glad I had on my transition glasses).

But wait there is more…His hat is an actual Fox fur. It includes all four legs and that striking tail too! What doesn’t show is the cutest little fox face and fox smile too. I am sure it is a female fox.

Let me know if your interested in one – I have located the source. Just have $250 ready to pay for it.

Last Day in Anchorage…

There won’t be much posting today, as this is a transition day. Transitioning to what you are wondering with great anticipation…

Well… We are heading up to Willow today. You can think of it as preparing for the Iditarod next weekend. Yes it does take that much preparation – it is a big race you know.

The other item on the Agenda for today is the Gold Medal Hockey game between the USA and Canada. Patrice being Canadian just hast to have her Hockey fix. I don’t know why though, I can tell her who is going to win. Just trying to save her from major disapointment you know. Yeah, thats me a soft hearted guy.

As soon as we can dry her eyes then we will be heading up to Willow.

Stay tuned for the next action packed installment…

Fur Rondy – Day 2

We are just updating a few things before heading out today. And what an actioned packed day it is too. Just for a few highlights.

Pancake Breakfast
Frotbite Footrace & Costume Fun
Grand Parade
Fur Auction
World Championship Sled Dog Race – day 2 (well yeah!)
Outhouse races
Blanket Toss
Fireworks
AND….{insert drumroll here}

Beer Drinking Championships – some people practice year around for this event. It is very competetive up here.

So much to do and such little time. What are we doing writing – we gotta get on it.

First Day of Fur Rondy

This is the 75th year of the Fur Rondy, and today was the first day of the event.

We did a bit of walking around and watched the start of the first day of the World Championship Dogsled Races. I haven’t seen this in a very long time. The starting line is a couple blocks up the street from where it originally was, I don’t know why, it just is. The starting line used to be in front of the Old City Hall where my mother worked but now it is in the area that fell during the earthquake in ’64. It is amazing to see some of the same signs for businesses that I remember as a kid. Also the same as when I marched down the street as a member of the marching band. Ah the memories, but back to the point…

It used to be that the Fur Rondy closed with these races but now they open with them. Why you might ask. Ok since I mentioned it I will have to tell you I guess. The answer is fairly simple. The Ididarod starts the last day of Fur Rondy and that is the big fish now. See now you know, the rest of the story.

It was a great day to start the race as yesterday there was about 7″ of fresh snow. That made all the Mushers very happy. As a side note… did you know that the mushers never say “mush” to the dogs to go… Yup they don’t, and never have, urban legend – so now you know that too. See how educational this can be 🙂

Well I don’t want to rattle on like a lot of blogs do. I prefer to keep things short and to the point. To that end, we will finish todays entry.