All things Alaska!

Since this is my last day in Fairbanks and my internet connection still isn't strong enough to load pictures on my blog, I decided to do a different kind of post. Everyone has been asking me how Alaska is, if I love it etc etc. So I decided to do a blog that reflects those questions. So without further ado, here are a some fun facts I've learned/noticed about Alaska.

1. COFFEE...these people love coffee. There are tiny little drive up/walk up cafes everywhere. And I'm not being sarcastic about everywhere, there is a little shop right outside the vet clinic we did our work at here in Fairbanks. Right outside the front door! And some are in the middle of nowhere! Driving down the road for miles and miles and theres a little clearing, you can guarantee theres a coffee shop!

2. "The lower 48"... a phrase heard all too often. Apparently Alaska and Hawaii think they are special. (Which leads me into my next fact).The most common usage of this phrase has been "We don't care what they think in the lower 48!".

3. Hawaii...one of my favorite shows is Buying Alaska on HGTV, well here its Buying Hawaii and everyone vacations there. It's like Florida to Wisconsin.

4. Grocery prices...are thankfully not as bad as I thought they would be. Yeah they are little more expensive and you can notice. but nothing outrageous. I've heard it costs $9 to buy a box of Oreos in Alaska. Not true, we bought some last night for $3.50! The only thing I've noticed about groceries is that the fruit doesn't taste as good because they have to ship it well before it is ripe to make it all the way to Alaska. So after you buy your fruit you have to wait a little bit to eat it for it to be just right!

5. Mushers...have more drama than daytime television!! Let's just say I've heard plenty of "what happnens on the trail, stays on the trail" stories, and most of them unfortunately don't stay on the trail. Oy vey...

6. Road kill moose...makes a mighty yummy dinner!

7. Moose...its so weird seeing wild moose. They seem much scarier running next to your vehicle!

8. Alaska State Troopers...they are everywhere and I have yet to see a tv camera! Boo!

9. Wage...vet techs get paid $23/hour and up in Alaska! If you think I was joking about not coming back, think again!

10. Geography... probably my favorite part about this state! Alaska does have big cities, but there are beautiful mountains in the background and moose roaming down the city streets! Then drive a couple miles down the road and you'd think you're in the middle of nowhere...a beautiful middle of nowhere I might add with miles of miles of endless nature. Alaska puts your "country livin" to shame :)

11. Fred Meyers...the Walmart of Alaska. It's like a Walmart Superstore, American Furniture, Scheels and Office Max all rolled into one, and if youre lucky it may even have a Starbucks inside! Its pretty awesome.

12. Travel time to Alaska... I thought they only way to get to Alaska was by plane. But I never really thought of driving through Canada as an option, but that's how most Alaskans say they get to the "lower 48". Wisconsin to Alaska takes 3 days straight through with plenty of awesome stops on the way. Roadtrip anyone?

13. IDITAROD...something I was so uneducated about 2 weeks ago that I am now so absolutely in love with. Before coming here I was like "Oh sled dogs, so cute. They run through the snowy mountains, lets watch Snow Dogs!" I now realize how much of a sport this is and how amazing it is that anyone endures and finishes this race, mushers & dogs together. It takes skill and strategy to win this, its a full on competition with $50,000 and a brand new truck as first prize. 

And with that comes the dogs. The amazing amazing amazing dogs! More than one person has told how they "don't like the Iditarod because they think its cruel to make a dog run over 1,000 miles in sub zero temperatures facing all the elements Alaska has in store".  What I've learned so far is that people read too much into it, these dogs are dogs..if they didn't want to run, they wouldn't. After they got harnessed they wouldn't pull the sled. These dogs have it in their veins and they know its a competition. Many mushers say that they can feel the drive in their team when they approach another team in front of them. Some mushers say the dogs will look back at them and bark like "Why aren't we going faster?! Let's move it!". And maybe that's why I've fallen in love with the Alaskan Husky, they have such a competitive mind when they are in that harness but when they are out they just want your love and are too shy to ask for it until you show them its ok! They are truly the sweetest dogs I've ever met. I recently heard a quote from a previous Iditarod winner that really stuck with me, he said..

"These dogs don't stop running because they are tired and see the finish line...they have just simply run out of trail."  

Amen to that!


-Sophie