Place: Anchorage Hotel
Time: 3:00 PM
Hello, hello, hello!
Before I tell you what I’ve been up to, I want you to know how exciting
it is for me to read all your comments. I am going to try to answer some of
your questions and then I’ll fill you in on today’s activities.
First of all to those of you concerned about the cold – I think it’s colder
in Boston right now than it is here! I just checked the Anchorage paper and
the high for both cities is 30 degrees, and the low in Boston says 17 and here
it's 20! So, not to worry – yet. I have been assured by many others that it
will be much colder once we’re on the trail. That will begin on Sunday, so
stay tuned! That is also the first day we will begin flying in the bush plane.
I hope to have great stories and unusual pictures once that part of this great
adventure begins.
Today was like a day of school, but I was learning instead of teaching.
I was at the Iditarod Teacher Workshop here at the hotel. Three teachers (from
Wyoming, Missouri and Texas) made presentations about using the Iditarod in
math, language arts and thinking skills. It was wonderful! I learned lots
of new activities which I am anxious to share with you.
The food here is the same as in Boston, except that there are items on the
menu like reindeer sausage, reindeer kabobs and buffalo burgers. I haven’t
seen any moose dishes yet, but heard there will be lots of that once we’re on
the trail. I don’t expect that I will be tasting any of those items, but I’ll
let you know. One food we were told not to eat is beaver tail (not that
I would!) It is not preserved well for our eastern stomachs and we might become
sick from it.
While the teachers were at the workshop on the first floor of the hotel,
the mushers were at a meeting on the third floor. During a break, I went outside
to take some pictures for you. The hotel is on a lake, so right there out my
window are all these bush planes.
I’m including a picture of one group. Just a couple more days and off I’ll
go in one like these!
The mushers trucks were all parked out there in the parking lot. They are
so neat – each adding his or her own touch. Lots of them have the dogs name
near each opening. Can you see the names on John
Baker’s truck? I love reading their names. Can you imagine if your car
had a name on the outside for each person in the family? Look at the photo
of the “Paws” truck. That’s the
best one I’ve seen yet! I couldn’t figure out who it belonged to, but if I
find out I’ll let you know. Maybe if you have time, you could each design what
your dog truck would look like. If you do this project, save your ideas
to share with me when I return.
As I walked around taking pictures, the dogs were resting quietly inside
their special place. There was only one
group of dogs outside. They belonged to a rookie named Devan Currier.
I hope I get to meet him. He was born in Vermont and went to school in New
Hampshire. Look on the map to see how close they both are to us. Which one
is east of the other?
The quiet on the parking lot with only one group of dogs outside the truck
was very different from the kennel yesterday, where the dogs were all outside.
It seemed as if being outside they sensed they might be chosen to run, and they
were loud and clear almost yelling “Pick me! – I want to run!” The anticipation
and excitement amongst the dogs is amazing.
When the mushers meeting ended we got to talk to some of them. It was so
exciting for me to see them face to face after all these years of looking at
their pictures! I shook hands with as many as I could, including Dee Dee Jonrowe,
Mike Williams, Paul Gebhardt, Martin Buser, and Doug Swingley.
Tonight is the Musher Banquet. I need to get ready for it now, so I will
send this off to you. I will be getting back late tonight and will need to
go right to sleep. Our morning workshop begins at 8 AM, and I need to eat breakfast
before that. So, my dear little (and big) friends, good bye for now!
Happy trails from an excited but tired Mrs. McClintock! |
