Spring Break: What a fantastic Holiday!

Our Spring Break was busy, crazy, slow, fast and nothing but fun it was a BLAST!

As normal I am just behind with the blog.  I found out that Blogger has finally updated some of their themes.  I, of course, had to change things around a bit.  Blogger thank you for giving us some new options!  I keep toying with moving over to Word Press but now that there are some more updated theme options I will stay here for a bit longer.

Back to Spring Break: 

Our spring break really isn't like spring time in the lower 48 sense of the word SPRING.  We are still covered in snow, the temps are below zero at night and sometimes warming up to above zero. The Iditarod Dog Sled Race is about to roll into the village bring all the fan fair that it does carry. Skiku which is an off shoot of NanaNordic sends out ski coaches.  We put on a community ski race and ski all the time!

Northern lights are often very active at this time of the year.

To be honest it is a just a great time to be out enjoying the land here in full force.

Ski race and great art teacher Robin having FUN!

Indoor laser rifle practice as the ski program here is a biathlon program.

Classic skiing with "the girls" on Worm's Wild Ride.

Miss Tally sporting all her winter gear.

Hunger Games Ski Practice----our new game

Me doing one of my favorite things skiing!

Community Ski Race during the Iditarod.

Endless trail of skiers racing on the Dragon's Back.

Younger race team kids in our new uniforms.

More laser shooting

My Miss Sadie . . . waiting for the next adventure

Really I could be a dog model and I know it!

The Iditarod came and went . . .

The musher on the left I went to college with way back in the day.  I went to greet him to the village.  The guy on the right also went to Paul Smith's College. A reunion of sorts.

Skiku on their last day . . . nothing but great times on skis!  Thank you!

Naps are needed in this house!

On the Bering Sea, sea ice ski under the huge northern sky.

Sea ice

Groomed classic tracks a treat!

Wax room . . . getting ready to head to White Mountain for our regional meet.

Transportation down from the runway into the village of White Mountain.

Happy ski coach on the trail, sunshine and trees!

Finished a pair of socks I casted-on last April or May. Sock yarn from Polkadot Sheep of course in Whiskey Spring.

Sea Ice, beach ski to relax after a weekend of ski racing . . . a spot of tea!

A busy time but who can beat this weather and all this fun!

Iditarod 2017 Unalakleet Checkpoint

Photos from the top mushers coming into the Unalakleet Checkpoint today March 12th, 2017.

Wade Marrs arriving coming down the Unalakleet River.

In the back-ground Nicolas Petit is approaching.

Wade Marrs

Nicolas Petit

Nicolas feeding/snacking dogs.

Nicolas's dog

Mitch came in loaded food and items from his drop bag.

Mitch leaving . . . he was just here minutes!

Dallas and team arriving

Dallas's team

Wade Marrs' team

These photos I took and the ones above my husband took.  Below the photos didn't load in order but they are all from today.

Walking up to the check point

Mitch leaving--like lighting!

Mushers' bags

One of my favorite mushers!

Sleds and of course Dee Dee's in pink!

Sled for Allen Moore or Aliy!

Wade Marrs coming into the check point.

Receiving his gold for arriving at the coast first! 

He was so sincere and humble!

Mitch organizing and packing food for the trail.

Mitch checking in and organizing

Nicolas Petit so comforting to his team!

One of the vets, he also visited my classroom.

Dallas arriving

One of Dallas's dogs soaking up the sunshine.

Iditarod & SKIKU! It must be Spring!

One of the great joys of living in Unalakleet is that we live on the Iditarod Dog Sled Trail.  Unalakleet is a major checkpoint, as the mushers hit the coast here and have all new elements to deal with as they head north to Nome.

A little bit about UNK only we have about 725 people living here.

Thursday night in the Community Center, longtime musher Junie Towarak was talking about his days on the Iditarod Trail and life with his dogs.  In his time once he got to Nome he would then turn around and run his team back home as he didn't have the funds to fly the team home.

I was heading out to ski practice and the berms have been set in place for the dog teams. Unalakleet is known/named for "When the East Wind Meets the Sea." The berms give protection to the teams from the winds and also quiet time to rest.
  

Last night, I went out for an evening ski and stopped by the checkpoint to see if any dog sleds had arrived.  These sleds are here waiting for their mushers.  The mushers may switch out sleds for the coast run.  These sleds may be lighter for less dogs online to pull, or their other sleds may have been damage and they have a backup waiting for them at the UNK checkpoint.

I love this time of the year here as it is still winter!  The ground is covered in snow, the sea is covered in ice, the sky is blue as can be, the stars are as bright as can be, northern lights are often dancing around for us all to be forever grateful for and LIFE IS PRETTY AMAZING!  In fact, I am constantly thinking nothing can be better than this and need to remind myself this is my LIFE!  I am so grateful for all that I do have and for Mother Nature opening up this great strecth of endless beauty no matter what direction I look.

Recent Northern Lights here in Unalakleet. Taken by a friend, about 2 weeks ago

No matter how many times I see the lights I am truly amazed by their magic.  Grateful beyond words to be able to say I see the lights often!

Yesterday at 3:30:01 Spring Break started!!!!!!!!!!!!  As a teacher, HOLIDAYS are always a treat!  As a ski coach . . . more ski time is a treasure!  On the 8th our first ski coach from SKIKU arrived to work with our skiers.  This is a wonderful organization that reaches out to the rural Alaskan communities to promote nordic skiing.  Yesterday, four more coaches arrived and they will be here until Thursday skiing with our skiers, and offering adult ski lessons. The first thing I do is toss them into the wax room to help wax about 30 pairs of skis for our Community ski race on Monday.  They are all top skiers that have a passion for the sport and can not wait to instill that love of skiing with others.

Yesterday, my Kate Davies Buachaille yarn arrived for a Fair Isle Vest I will be casting-on soon!

Spring break is looking pretty darn perfect, skiing with kids and learning from visiting coaches, watching the Iditarod, oh some Northern Lights tossed into the mix, and a new knitting project!

Thinking of You My BLOG!

This is the time of the year, I think about you BLOG.  I am sad to say that is all I do!  Skiing is busy, work is busy, ski races have started up in the far north, just when everyone else is wrapping up their race season ours has barely begun.  I also love that our ski season is long! This means I am still skiing every day! I am so GRATEFUL for endless days on skis!  I  know this is a WONDERFUL treasure in life!

Blog, my apologies for my neglect!