Mushing 101

So Big Mama can brag about her grandson, I am providing a couple of resources to inform you about mushing/dog sledding.

Usually done with teams of huskies/malamutes/or mutts in between, mushing is a popular winter sport than extends into the summer. Using sleds in the winter and either bikes or ATVs in the summer, Alaskans can train their teams along trails year round. Many boroughs have specific mushing trails within our park system. Like cross country trails, these trails have a special-use designation and if close to a land parcel/personal property, actually add value to that land's worth.

Brad and I have no desire to own a dog sled team, but we want to train Tok to mush. He is half malamute and half Siberian husky, which are two common breeds in Alaskan dog sledding (mushing). This innate behavior is evident in our puppy: he likes to lead our hikes, literally pulls Brad up hills, and has become very agile as he grows into his feet.

Some basic informational sites:

http://www.iditarod.com/learn/terminology.html

http://www.sleddog.org/

http://helenx1oo4.tripod.com/physicsofmushing/index.html

Mushing

I found a dog musher! A fellow Rotarian in Wasilla is a former musher. She offered to help me train Tok. In two weeks, I will meet with her and her husband (and their exchange student) for an afternoon chat about mushing, commands, life, and key tricks of the trade. To find a female, one from the east coast, who knows dogs, and is not judgemental is exactly what I need to train Tok.

As we talked about Tok, I showed her my album of his past 6 months with us: the 3 month old furball, the adolscent who I brought home to Kodiak, and our latest picstures of the 70 pound large-pawed ball fetcher.

The best part: her first mush dog was named, Tok. ::insert big cheesy grin::

The Deep Freezer

Ah, the joys of home ownership. We now own a deep freezer. In true Alaskan fashion, it holds a turkey, alaskan king crab legs, and king salmon. Gosh willing, it will soon hold caribou. Our neighbor, Jason, is hunting while in St. Paul. Last year, he scored a nice bou, and this year he aims (heh, sorry could not resist the pun) to bring home two: one of which shall be our's.

As I moved the king crab, I got stuck again. Like cacti, the crab can pinch you, cut skins, and draw blood if not handled correctly. But man, are they good when you crack those shells. mmmmmm.

Rotary Youth Exchange

I accompanied two students to Wasilla: Bruna, our Brazilian exchange student and Angie, our local Kodiakian bound for another world. I have been here since Wed, and tonight was the highlight of my trip. Angie found out that she is bound for Denmark.

Luckily, attending our event is our current Danish exchange student, Cris, and our Alaskan, Riley, who went to Denmark last year. After our dinner, the four of us sat down and went brain dumped on Angie, who giddily kicked her heels as we described the Danish culture, the public transit, the difference in schooling, and, of course, Legoland.

Bruna, our Brazilian exchange student, is the center of attention. She has loved our soccer playing between our events at the Wasilla Sports Complex. She reminds me of Paula: loud, late, loving, and extremely compassionate.

Elmer Fudd

Elmer, er, um, I mean, Brad caught a raaaabbit. Yum........

5000 miles away and it is still palpable

The energy in DC is palpable from my pc. As I gaze at inauguration photos and watch snipets on cnn.com, I yearn to be there. You have read my many posts about how much Kodiak has grown on me, but there are times (esp. when it rains) when I miss DC with a passion: the energy, my friends, the convenience, the public transit, the ability to travel and not drop a small fortune on an hour long plane ride just to get off the island.

I am so excited for our nation, for the inauguration, for the friends who get to experience it first hand (wicked jealous, mind you). Due to the amount of "stalkers" I have on the blog, I will stay away from political statements, but know that I am looking forward to change.

Brad told me that his new career goal is to avoid DC at all costs; therefore, I will be soaking it up during my annual visits to the east coast. In the meantime, I'll tune into the inauguration coverage and trying to work on deadline simultaneously.

Rotary Youth Exchange

Kodiak boasts two Rotary clubs: one that meets in the morning (mine) and the other meets at noon. The noon club invited us to designate a Youth Exchange Officer to support, prepare, and be a point of contact for the Kodiak students who study abroad and the international students who are selected to live here in Kodiak.


Next week, I set off to Wasilla, AK, to attend our Winter Orientation. Traveling with me are two students: Bruna, our Brazilian exchange student who arrived this fall, and Angie, our local Kodiakian who is interviewing for her spot among the ranks leaving Alaska in summer 2009. I met Bruna this fall when she arrived, and this morning I met Angie. Both are remarkable young women who seek to open their horizons and experience life, attributes to which I can really relate...


On the plane, I will help Angie prep for her interviews, and I will learn more about Bruna's winter holiday, American style. While I am not crazy about sharing a hotel room with two or more teenage girls for four nights, I am looking forward to the international exchange among those foreign exchange students attending. Perhaps I'll dust off my French texts and start studying.