It was a scenic ride through the valley and up into the mountains for our dog sled adventure. We were picked up in a Mercedes Unimob that was once used by the Germans in the war and we rattled and bumped our way up to...
...the dog sledding summer training camp where their mushers were waiting for us.
Naturally, as we were there first, we chose to sit at the front of the sled.
Very lean, fit, and eager Alaskan huskies were tied together in twos ready to pull...
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| Wisconsin, the Siberian husky, (left) joined our group |
...and we sped off into the forest. At, I have to say, an alarming speed. "The first run of the day is always a bit crazy!" our musher explained. (!) Woo they were fast.
We soon settled into a more comfortable speed and did a couple of laps of the forest track before stopping to greet the dogs. Wisconsin is a beauty isn't he. (Very different from an Alaskan husky though) What brilliant fun!
There was a photo opportunity on the way down overlooking Dyea and then it was time to meet the PUPPIES!
Soft, cuddly puppies!
Earlobe-nibbling puppies!
2 week old adorable puppies!
More details of the Skagway Sled Dog and Mushers can be seen HERE
The dogs were in training for the annual long-distance dog sled ride across Alaska, called the IDITAROD which starts on the first Saturday in March. It is a gruelling event in which 16 dogs (of which at least 6 must finish) race their sleds across Alaska from Anchorage to Nome. After our puppycuddle we heard all about the race itself, the route- 1,000 miles with one mountain range to cross, 26 stops, the food, the vets and the support etc which was fascinating. The link HERE will keep us up to date for the March 2013 Iditarod.
After all that excitement we got dropped off in Skagway and once again we felt like we had walked into a Cowboys and Indians theme park. "Skagway" means "windy place" or "home of the north wind" but it was mild when we were there.
A visit to the fudge shop and 4 sample beers in the Skagway Brewery set us up nicely for a 15 minute tour of the Red Onion Saloon brothel.
All too soon it was time to get back on board.
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| I couldn't resist... we'd seen ORCAS in Juneau!! |
The sailout was pretty spectacular. We were so close to the mountains and there were glaciers and snowy peaks, there was less mist and more sun. Alaska is rugged and totally unspoilt and although not as pretty as Norway, it is a stunning place.
Leaving Alaska meant COCKTAILS! Yey!
And after meeting our Captain...
out came the BAKED ALASKA pud! Paraded by all the chefs to whoops and cheers.
Our amazing holiday was nearly over, but there was a stop in Victoria, Canada to finish.
2 comments:
That looked brilliant (running out of words, here)! Very cute puppies and I very much like the fact you had Baked Alaska there (looked a particularly delicious example, too).
Well, yes, we HAD to have it for dessert, didn't we !!
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