Ready, Hike!

Guess what!?!?!

The Roadhouse, Talkeetna

We woke up this morning and it is STILL snowing!  36 inches since it started yesterday!

We had breakfast at the Roadhouse in Talkeetna before heading to Dallas Seavey's kennel in Willow for our mushing trip.

Dallas is the youngest person to ever run the Iditarod, turning 18 the day before his rookie race. Here is part of his race record:

• 2011 Iditarod - 4th place
• 2011 Yukon Quest - 1st Place
• 2010 Iditarod – 8th & Dorothy G. Page Halfway Point Award
• 2010 Kusko 300 – 4th
• 2009 Iditarod – 6th
• 2007 Iditarod – 47th
• 2007 Tustumena 200 – 15th
• 2005 Iditarod – 51st
• 2005 Junior Iditarod – 3rd & Sportsmanship Award
• 2005 Kusko 300 – 6th & Humanitarian Award
• 2004 Kusko 300 – 4th
• 2004 Junior Iditarod – 2nd
• 2003 Junior Iditarod – 2nd & Sportsmanship Award
• 2002 Junior Iditarod – 7th

This year, not only is Dallas running the Iditarod, but so are his dad and his grandfather!  His grandfather, Dan, is 74 years old!  He helped to plan and organize the first Iditarod in 1973 and is running this year to help commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the Iditarod Trail and the 40th Anniversary of the race.  Dallas' dad, Mitch, has run the Iditarod 18 times and won once.  Dallas' little brother even just won the Jr. Iditarod this weekend!

With Dallas Seavey!

We arrived at Dallas' house and were met by Dallas himself who was plowing his driveway so we could get in!  He had already groomed the trails with a snow machine so we could mush safely.   He, his wife Jen, and his daughter Annie live in a yurt!  A yurt is a portable,bend wood-framed dwelling structure traditionally used by Turkic nomads in the steppes of Central Asia.  The Seaveys live in a more modern yurt similar to this:

http://www.nomadshelter.com/

The Seavey's Yurt

Dallas is getting ready to run the Iditarod this weekend (did anyone pick him to track?).  He is currently working on building a lightweight sled to ship further down the trail.  Towards the end of the race, he is planning to change to this lighter sled to help his team finish strong.  He is making the sled from used light weight hockey sticks he bought at Play It Again Sports!  He also makes all his own harness etc.

The dogs were smaller than the dogs we met in Minnesota.  They have shorter hair and longer bodies.  They also bark, not howl!  We met the young dogs - under a year old and then we got to take out 11 of his two year old dogs for a run!  The sled was also different - it was all wood and had just the two runners to stand on, not the platform like in Minnesota.  The brake is in between the runners, so you step forward to apply the brake, not backwards like we were used too. 

Future Iditarod Champions!

We didn't really get to mush, more like we were taken for a ride.  I sat in the sled, Armon (Dallas' dog handler) stood on the back of the sled, and then Mrs. Rizzuto stood on the runners of a second sled.  About halfway through the trip, Mrs. Rizzuto and I switched places.

Posed Picture.... we weren't really on the same sled like this! 

It was a beautiful ride.  So quite and so peaceful!  The dogs were quick too!  I think Armon said four words to them the whole time we were out!  They were so excited to go, go, go!  The dogs were just beautiful!

Let's Get Going!

While we didn't get to take this year's race team out, we did see them!  We also got to play with one of the puppies.  They like to have people play with the puppies so they get used to being handled by lots of different people. They asked us to touch his paws a lot while playing, because it is very important that they get used to having their paws handled.  The mushers need to be able to care for their feet often on the trail.

Puppy in the Yurt!  Only in Alaska....

Jen Seavey predicts that Dallas will win it this year... we'll have to wait and see!

So - I know you are wondering....

NO FALLS AGAIN TODAY!!!

But, we did get stuck in the driveway of Dallas' house.  Josh, our guide, had to put the chains on the tires to get out to the road....

 Josh Working Hard....

And that pretty much sums it up for today!  Oh - the wildlife count for today?  7 or 8 moose!  Tonight we met all the teachers who are here for the conference at a party put on by Exxon who is one of the big sponsors.  Tomorrow the conference officially starts....  we have a field trip tomorrow, so check back on Wednesday to read all about that!

Mrs. Reiter

Snow Machining!

So....

If you woke up one morning and the weather forecast said:

Blizzard Waring in Effect until 9pm
10-22 inches of snow expected
high winds, blowing snow, whiteout conditions
Travel in emergency situations only

What would you do?  I'd probably stay in my jammies, heat up some hot chocolate, and curl up with a good book or movie and plan to stay put for the day - or maybe two or three with that much snow.

Well here in Alaska - you would....

do what you were planning to do anyway!  Not only did you probably not bother to look at the forecast, but even if you had it wouldn't matter.

On Sunday morning we woke up and checked the weather and read about upcoming blizzard.  We were pretty certain that our trip to Talkeetna to go snow machining would be cancelled.  We were sure no one would drive us several hours north into the blizzard and even if they did we were certain we'd never go snow machining in a blizzard!

We went down and had breakfast and talked to the bellhop about the situation.  He hadn't even heard the weather forecast, so he turned on the weather radio, and sure enough, heard  the same information we had read.  His opinion?  "You're going.  The only way they would cancel the trip is if there was an avalanche that closed the road."

O.K. then.... off we went to change and get ready to go!

It started snowing and it just never stopped!  We drove up to Talkeetna and went to the Susitna River Lodge where we would spend the night.  We met Howard, Darlene, and Ty who weren't so sure about the snow machining though!  A group had gone out earlier and had a really hard time and they were experieced riders!  There was just so much snow!  The snow on the sides of the drive were higher than my head!  And it just kept snowing! 

The view from our deck at the lodge

We went into town to have some lunch while they thought things over and made a plan.  Talkeetna is a cute little historical town.  It serves as the main base base and jumping off point for climbers attempting to summit Denali.

We went back to the lodge and they decided that we were good to go after all.  We'd be taking a modified route though.  Instead of driving out two and a half hours, having dinner at a roadhouse along the trail, and then getting back after dark, we were just going to go for a little two hour ride.  Plus we were taking two guides - Howard in the front and his son Ty bringing up the rear of our group.

We got geared up - remember - it's all about having the right gear!  My favorite parts of snow machining gear?  Helmet and bunny boots!  Bunny boots are big old white boots that are military surplus.  Not pretty - but soooooooo warm!

Geared Up to Go!

We headed out on the "trail."  Yeah - it wasn't quite a trail.  With more than 20 inches of snow having fallen that day and more coming, Howard in the front pretty much broke trail the whole way.  The snow was blowing up over his head as he plowed through!

Mrs. Rizzuto on her Machine

It was pretty cool!  We got up to about 25 miles per hour, maybe even a bit faster.  But it was really really loud and smelled like gasoline!  Not exactly the peaceful slide through the snow we were used to from the sled dogs!  When we stopped and stepped off the trail - you could sink into snow up to your armpits!  It was just crazy!  Howard just kept saying "This is a lot of snow...... this is a lot of snow.... this is a lot of snow."  It's apparently a lot more snow then they are used too.  In fact, we just heard on the news that they have gotten 113.5 inches of snow in the Anchorage area this winter. 

Mrs. Reiter Rides the Trail!

We got to see a moose off the trail though!  That was pretty cool! It really brought home just how much trouble the moose are having with the deep snow.  He tried walk away from us and the snow was up to his chest.  He really had to struggle to get through that deep deep snow!  It was hard to watch.

When we got back to the lodge we were soaking wet from all the snow!  The guys were really impressed with our natural snow machining ability!  :)  NO ONE FELL OFF!  I know, I know... it's a miracle!  Maybe it's because we were each on our own machine so Mrs. Rizzuto couldn't help push me off! :)

In the evening, we met the "Star Lady" Kathleen who taught us all about the Northern Lights.  Mrs. Rizzuto will be able to explain it to you a lot better - she got pretty scientific about it.  We were suposed to go snow showing at midnight to look for the lights, but it was still snowing so all you could see in the sky was clouds!  Plus the snow was sooooo deep we were worried about stepping off the trail in the dark and sinking!  We opted to head to bed instead!

Our Home Cabin!

Wildlife Count:
Moose - 3 total
Bald Eagles - 2 total

Moose Day?!?!?!?!

Forgot to tell you this part yesterday....

They don't get snow days off from school here in Alaska.

If you want a surprise day off of school, you need to hope for a moose in your yard.

Yep.....  a moose.

Having a moose in your front yard who won't let you out of your house is a viable excuse for missing school.  Just call and say you'll be late because there's a moose in the yard!

The moose are having a tough time this year.  There is so much snow that they are having a hard time moving through it to find food.  They are starting to hang out on the roads, snow machine trails, and railroad lines where they are in danger getting hit.  They are also dying in record numbers because they are starving.

We just heard today that the Fish and Wildlife Service is going to start cutting trails just for the moose to travel on.  They are also going to start dropping food for them, which is usually against the law.  Everyone is very concerned about them this winter.

Moose Along the Trail, Talkeetna, Alaska



Arriving in Anchorage!

We finally made it to Anchorage!  We are tucked warmly into our hotel room in our jammies - our plans for the evening changed due to exhaustion!  The clock here says it is 8:00pm, but our internal clocks say it is midnight!

Here's a recap:

Once we got Mrs. Rizzuto onto the first plane we were good to go.  We actually had to walk downstairs from the gate, outside, and then up steps into the plane!  She was surprised how small the plane was... in fact, I think her exact words were "I didn't even know they made planes this small."  I think she was nervous, and glad to see Chicago when we landed.  The plane from Chicago to Anchorage was a much better size!

The first "mini" plane!

Flying into Anchorage was pretty amazing.  We flew right over glaciers and the ice of the Gulf of Alaska.  We met a gentleman on the plane who told us Alaska has four seasons:  almost winter, winter, still winter, and tourist.  Apparently we are in full on winter.  He says this is one of the coldest winters and that Anchorage is on point for having the snowiest winter ever!

Flying in over glaciers....

Right now in Anchorage they are having the Rondy Festival.  The full name is the "Fur Rendezvous" and it's held every February as a "Celebration of Winter" or "Frontier Spirit."  It is a way for Alaska to remember and celebrate the time of gold miners and fur traders!  This is the 77th year for the festival!  It has some pretty unique events - a fur auction, a fur trappers' ball, a reindeer run, snowshoe softball, competitive snowball fights, ice sculpting events and more!  There are also several native tribal events including arts and crafts sales, blanket tosses, and multitribal gatherings. There are also three days of dog sled sprint races and strength pulling events.

We walked around a bit.  We saw part of the fur auction, a bit of blanket tossing, and the carnival.  Yes... a carnival with rides and food and everything.  In the midst of winter.  With snow on the ground!  It was so strange to see kids riding carnival rides while bundled up in hats, coats, gloves, boots, etc. 

Late this afternoon we got to see one of the greatest tests of athleticism I have ever witnessed..... the Outhouse Races.

Yes, Outhouse Races.

Essentially, you build an outhouse (complete with toilet and toilet paper), put it on skis, get four people to push it and one person to ride in it. You run down Fourth Avenue, make a turn and head back.

Here are a few pictures to prove I'm telling the truth....

Starting Line

Racers!

We stopped into the Native Arts and Crafts Market and met lots of really interesting people and saw lots of amazing artwork!  We learned how to play "Inuit Yo-Yo" and I bought one to bring home for the 3A boys to try (along with a video of them in action).  I also learned something new.... I knew that the native people make carvings from walrus ivory.  They collect the ivory as a part of their hunting.  They still hunt walrus to provide food for their families.  But, there was a whole new material that people were making artwork from that I never expected.... fossilized whale bone!  Apparently, their ancestors would toss the bones when they were whale hunting and over time the bones got buried and forgotten.  Now, as the spring thaws happen, those bones are being exposed and collected to make new pieces of art!  So, as one of the artists told us, it's the ultimate recycling project.  They are making new art from their ancestors trash! It's pretty amazing.

This evening we were able to sit in the warmth of our hotel room and watch the fireworks over the Cook Inlet!  We were glad to be warm, as we were super freezing outside!

Tomorrow we have a big day.....  We are going to take a "snow machine" (we were told to call it that instead of a snowmobile) to a glacier, spend the night at a roadhouse, and then go dog sledding at Dallas Seavey's kennel!  I may not be able to post again until Monday...  so stay tuned!  We are anxious to see the difference in the dogs we mushed with in Minnesota and Dallas Seavey's Iditarod dogs!  What do you think will be different???

Mrs. Reiter

On the Ground in Chicago!

Mrs. Rizzuto and I have completed the first leg of our journey and are on the ground in Chicago!  Next stop - Anchorage! You will be pleased to know that so far our flights have worked perfectly!  No cancellations, no delays, no change of plans!  Hopefully it will stay that way!

So, as we head to Alaska, here's a fun fact for you....

Did you know that the Alaska state flag was designed by a 13 year old boy?  Read the story here:
Alaska's Flag

More to come soon!

Iditarod Fever Hits 3A!

We are just a few days away from our trip to Alaska, and 3A is suffering from a severe case of Iditarod Fever!

Centerpieces Waiting to be Packed

We have shipped our centerpieces for the Musher Banquet off to a volunteer in Eagle River, Alaska.  We have been tracking our packages (it took five boxes to send twenty-five centerpieces).  We were surprised to see that the boxes headed south to Greensboro, North Carolina before turning west and going to Federal Way, Washington and then finally to Eagle River, Alaska.  All five boxes have now been delivered.We breathed a huge sigh of relief, as they were about five days later than the original estimate!

Tracking our Packages

In math class, we have begun our official Iditarod unit.  We began by studying probability as we tried to predict what musher would win the race.  We looked at the characteristics of gender, experience, and location, and we predict a male, veteran from Alaska will win the race!  We are certain that a female, rookie, from a foreign country will not win.  We make that prediction based on the fact that no one matching that description is entered!  Our probability experiment worked out perfectly when drew the characteristics of mushers to track and our numbers match the actual race numbers! 

Graphing Characteristics of the Mushers Entered in This Year's Race

We wrote a biography card of our musher, got our map set up, and we are all ready to start tracking on the third!

Ready to Track our  Mushers!

We have also used our area and perimeter skills to plan dog runs for a kennel and a floor plan for a checkpoint!  We are now exploring money and calculating change.  We are discovering that mushing is a VERY expensive sport!

We were super excited this week when we got mail from Ely, Minnesota - we got Fennel's Autograph!  Dave had posted a question on the Wilderness Classroom site for ideas on how to get Fennels' autograph and we had the winning idea!  We suggested an ink pad, which worked out just great!  We even got to see a video of Dave and Fennel making the paw print.  It's pretty cool!

Sam the Sled Dog

Here's a story we heard at Wintergreen to tide you over until our next post (which will be soon, I promise)!

Sam the Dog

On our Friday night at Wintergreen, we went to the main lodge where Paul Schurke told us this amazing story about Sam.  Paul Schurke is the owner and operator of Wintergreen Lodge.  He has traveled to the North Pole via dog sled.  This story begins on a training run he took with Will Steger in preparation for the North Pole trip.  The training run took them from Ely, Minnesota to Alaska over a five or six month period.

Apparently, along the route they were traveling, were small bunkers that were manned by US soldiers to monitor for missiles from the Soviet Union.  Life in these small bunkers was dull and boring, but they made great places for the expedition team to stop and have a cup of tea and rest a bit before traveling on.

At one bunker, the two soldiers had a special routine.  After their evening meal they would hold their bowls of food outside the window and dump the remains.  A solitary dog would appear night after night to eat the food and then disappear again.  They had tried to engage the dog in other ways, but he was very skittish and standoffish, but would still appear like clockwork nightly to get his treat.

After the expedition team had moved on and gone quite a distance, Will looked back and saw a small dot in the distance that seemed to be following them.  They realized that they had unwittingly distracted the dog from the barrack and he had been following them.  Will and Paul felt badly for a bit for taking the soldiers fun from them, but they decided that the dog was going to do what the dog wanted to do no matter what.

Slowly over days and weeks, Will engaged the pup, offering him food and finally got the dog to eat from his hand.  After a bit longer the dog, which they had by now named Sam, was running up beside the team of dogs.  One of the team dogs got injured and was taken off the line, and Sam sort of fell into the open spot and ran with the team.  

Will was able to get him harnessed in and he pulled and pulled just like a member of the team!  As time went on they experimented with putting him in different positions.  He did great as a wheel dog, great as a swing dog, and then one day just for fun they put him in lead position.

Well, to everyone’s astonishment, it turns out that Sam was an amazingly able voice command lead dog!  From that day on he led the team and was in the lead position when the pulled into their final destination.

He was also in lead when the team pulled into the North Pole on their main expedition.

And then later, he pulled his team into the South Pole, becoming the only dog to have reached both poles!

Hope you enjoyed the story!
Mrs. Reiter