Moonset over Anchorage Please pardon my departure from my typical Gardener’s Roost topics of gardening and birding. Instead, I’d like to share the highlights of my recent trip to Alaska to visit relatives and attend events surrounding the ‘Fur Rendezvous’, a.k.a. ‘Fur Rondy’. Let me tell you this, folks in Alaska really know how to throw a party, I mean, Rondy…
We arrived Friday night and rendezvoused with relatives, ate at the Moose Tooth, a local favorite pizza joint. Yum, excellent pie (as in pizza) and locally brewed beer.
After that, Fur Rondy Fiddling at the Moose Lodge.
Saturday, we saw teams play snowshoe softball,
attended the Fur Rondy Parade,
viewed the ice sculptures,
went to the start of the sled dog races.
Paused for lunch.
Went to the Outhouse Races (what a moving experience)
After-dinner entertainment included getting pelted with popcorn while participating in the interactive “Melodrama” at the Snow Goose.
Sunday, we viewed the ‘can-struction’ exhibit… various canned foods carefully stacked and placed to depict scenes/scenery.
Viewed sled dog races at mid-course. Mush.
Stopped at another mall to view the photography exhibit.
Watched ‘Ice bowling’.
Paused for lunch—fine dining at a chrome counter.
The BIG EVENT everyone was waiting for the first-time ever, ‘Running with the Reindeer’ races!
Rainier Beer racers on far left and right in picture>
Monday, we said good-bye to relatives, Rondy, snow, and sled dogs.
Great to see the Fur Rondy photos and the narrative added a lot!
ReplyDeleteI always wondered what people did during that event. Eat, watch strange events, eat and enjoy!
Thanks, that about sums it up!
ReplyDeleteIt was an incredible whirlwind experience of fun and festivities.
It seemed the most popular events, based on what we observed for attendance, were the sled dog races, the outhouse races, and the running with the reindeer.
'Running with the Reindeer' was an interesting process. First, they had the reindeer run with their handlers down the course (the snow-covered street) a few times to get used to it. Then they had the women run with the reindeer. They brought the reindeer back to the start again and then the men ran with them. The costumes (and lack of clothes for some--brrrr!) people made and wore were really creative. A six-pack of Rainier Beer bottles were just one of many fun costumes.
Enjoyed the travelogue!
ReplyDeleteI am curious: people were running WITH reindeer? Seems slightly safer than the running of the bulls in Pamplona, but still... seems like you could get trampled. Were they dancing with wolves, too?
Thanks, Tui!
ReplyDeleteIt's true. People were running with the reindeer, which was much safer than running with bulls, and probably safer than running with scissors. And after the racing, people were dancing in the streets. Okay, maybe that was only in Martha Reeve's version.