Storm, We finally have a winter March 7th!

As the saying goes, "Better late than never!"

I went over this morning to check the slough, which is a branch off of the Unalakleet River, to see if we could have ski practice.  You may be asking what does a river have to do with ski practice??  Good question!  We have to cross the slough which is brackish water salt/fresh to get to where we hold ski practices.  Depending on the winds the slough will have overflow.  This means that the winds from the south and west causes water to overflow on top of the frozen river ice.  The ocean water comes up the river and surges out of cracks and along the edges.

This would be overflow and that snow fence is where we ski most of the time.  These photos are from 2/22/15.

That tree stuck in the ice is the check point area for the Iditarod Dog Sled Race.  Everything there was all frozen again until today!

Today, I headed out for cross-country ski practice and the winds were blowing about 20 mph which is normal for us here.  It was warm so I figured we can ski no biggie.  WELL . . . in about 20 minutes we went from 20 mph winds to howling gusts of over 50 mph.  I had 16 kids with me from grades 1--5.  We had a blast! The wind was pushing us and making us fly across Johnson's Lake.  When those gusts of 50+mph hit we huddle down.  I had a nice talk with my skiers  about what to do when winds hit and we are not close to the village.

Yeap ski practice out here!  When I say a stormed kicked up I mean it!

The fact is I love weather and winter especially! I have been waiting a long time for winter to arrive this year!

One very happy ski coach!

Yahoooo! it is Spring Break and I Have a Zillion Things on My TO DO LIST!

My last post was Jan. 17th., 2015.  Don't you just hate when bloggers don't keep their blog up to date.  I know I do!  Work started up after Christmas break and I am all consumed with teaching, trying to run a ski program for about 50 kids which entails 6 practices a week, knit, read, relax, be a wife, love my dogs and my wonderful husband.  I am rather busy! 

I had a  twitter account and I deleted that as I thought how much social media do I need in my life???  Not that much!  I like the blog for several reasons.  It forces me to write which isn't my strong suit in life and my family can see what I am doing.  I mostly just enjoy writing and sharing my world with others.  As being a teacher in rural Alaska is a bit of an adventure!  One I enjoy a lot but like everything in the world it comes with it plus and minuses.

Here I am on Spring Break!  I have a lot of knitting to get done---UFO need to get off my needles!  I did knit one Tomten for my grand niece since December. I have started the second Tomten in a wonderful green from Schoolhouse Press.  I have 4 Tomtens to knit!  I am working on a pair of socks, my Bláithín sweater, and a pair of long underwear which I am now calling Lon John after horse I used to ride.  Long John was a school horse, a thorough bred off the track and older than old.  He was a 17 hand chestnut who was as sweet as pie.

I have traveled to two ski races both of which are on the Iditarod Dog Sled Race trail.

Now here in Unalakleet we have almost no snow, the slough has been under overflow, and it is way to warm for this chica!  I am a snow person and I love weather but mostly I love weather at the right time of the year!  Winter should be winter and summer should be summer.  However, I will always take colder weather over warmer weather anytime.

I will get some photos posted and write a bit more over my break!  I promise!

Saturday Sled Dog Race 12/20/14

Unalakleet is a mushing community and there are several active dog sled teams.  Their activity varies from year to year.  This year Norton Sound Sled Dog Club will be hosting and running the Paul Johnson Memorial Norton Sound 450 race in February.  I haven't asked but I am assuming this is why the club has more Saturday race participants this year.  These Saturday races help teams prepare for the up coming race.  These photos I took off of FaceBook and are from 12/20/14.  I took my elementary skiers over to watch a team start after ski practice.

Racers getting ready at the start which in on the slough.  Behind us is the Unalakleet check point for the Iditarod Dog Sled Race which comes through in March.  All those short people are the elementary skiers!

Musher heading up the Unalakleet River.

Mushers leaving the river ice.

This is actually a retired musher who jumped in to help a team.  He ran the Iditarod years ago and still helps his son with his teams.