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June 30, 2016 by

Alaska is a big state.

SP Kennel is in Two Rivers which is in Interior Alaska – approximately 375 miles north of Anchorage. Anchorage is the biggest city in the 49th state and quite a popular tourist destination. Allen and Aliy travel to ‘the big city’ periodically during the year. (Most notably on the first weekend of March for the Iditarod Start.)


Aliy and her dad, Doug, stand overlooking 4th Avenue in Downtown Anchorage.

Last week, Aliy found herself in downtown Anchorage. What does a musher do all day when there are no huskys to tend to or races to run? Well… day dream about huskys and plan for future races, of course. Aliy, her dad, Doug, and good friend Barbara spent half of the day ‘touring’ Anchorage.

They went to the Alaska State Troopers Museum first. Aliy now has a new favorite ball cap!

After that, they found 4th Avenue (even with out trail markers or the help of sled dogs).

After they got the ‘bird’s eye view, they walked down along the sidewalk. Both of these were entirely different perspectives than the Iditarod route which travels down the middle of 4th Avenue. It was peculiar to see the street from an entirely different perspectives.

The first stop on 4th Avenue was the statue of ‘Balto’ in front of the Fur Rondy Coffee Shop. They paid their respects to an awesome dog. And who can pass up a good cup of coffee? Then they went to the Alaska Public Lands Building. The computerized Alaska map was fascinating – Aliy and Doug played with the interactive tool from Anchorage 1,000 miles to Nome — with a few side trips to Katmai, Gates of the Arctic and Atigan Pass. It was an adventurous day! Just as they were leaving a large wall map caught Aliy’s attention. She said “I bet this will be the easiest trip I’ve ever had on the Iditarod Trail!”

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7 Responses

  • Loved the video!!! Wow…an interactive map of Alaska?!?!? I must put that on my list to see next time I go to the Iditarod start! I absolutely love maps and interactive maps are the BEST!

    We always like watching you pass that parking garage during the Ceremonial Start, sending waves for the folks at the ground level AND on up to the folks posted at the top! That parking garage certainly can stack up the Fans!

  • So glad to see Red Team musher up and about – and with Doug and I assume Mickey, too!!! WOOF, WOOF!!!

    The Southern Route you followed with your finger(the Northern Route was also shown on the big map)in the video is this year's trek. Awesome "casing the joint" – GO SP KENNEL!!!

    I love the pictures of 4th Street sans snow – more race planning!!!

    Woof, woof, woof!!!

    Best,

    Margaret

  • Glad you had the chance to visit and tour Anchorage. I ran, seriously ran, around Central Park in NY looking for Balto and didn't find him. I only had 30 minutes. They need signs, Balto that-a-away.
    Hopefully we will have enough cold weather and snow for the Southern route this year, if not maybe Fairbanks again. You'll be rolling with the punches. After over a week of 102-109 degree weather here, I'm ready for COLD, snow and an Anchorage start!
    🙂

  • What fun. I want to do the tourist thing there someday when I am not trying to make the ITC meeting and get out to kennels at Willow! Nothing like a good day off though!! Glad to hear about it.

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