Iditarod Intel - Info and Thoughts on the Last Great Race

A Team on the Trail

What is the Iditarod, and why do we Alaskans  love it so?  

Also known worldwide  as the Last Great Race... it's the pinnacle race of mushing, the practice and/or sport of using dogs to pull a sled.   The race is held each year in March for two reasons.  It celebrates the competitive side of the sport- this year 66 teams participated from around the world.  It also commemorates the bravery  of  the men and dogs who, in 1925, saved the people of Nome.   And how they did that is quite an interesting story. 

It was January of 1925, and a diptheria epidemic was brewing in Nome, a small village  located on the Bering Sea just below the Arctic Circle in Northwest Alaska. A major storm was also at hand, with fierce blizzards and extreme cold.  There  was no other way transport the badly needed anti-toxin serum to the landlocked, icebound community, so 20 dog teams and their mushers relayed the serum across the Interior of Alaska to get it there.  They traveled through indescribably harsh and dangerous conditions, including temps to -62F and wind chills of -85F.  The endurance and  life saving actions of the heroic men and their dogs in this true story race against death demonstrated a courage and fortitude of epic proportion.

When a dog team is approaching, you may sense it before you see it.   A presence gracefully nears, murmuring a song of quiet, rhythmic breathing. Beautiful  animals completely in their element move as one in a dance over the snow.  The musher may  be quietly standing at the back of the team on the footboards of the sled,  a relaxed, easy grip on the handlebar, or he/she may be running alongside the dogs to lighten the sled and urge them along.  Musher and dogs are trail partners, bonded in a  journey to conquer the beautiful, solitary (and often inhospitable) landscape and challenges rising up to meet them.

Whenever a team is on the trail, the spirit of mushers past, present and future is with them. This writer thinks Alaskans love the Iditarod because it celebrates and honors the best of both dogs and humans.  It symbolizes teamwork, strength, toughness, and sometimes heroism- all qualities that epitomize the frontier Alaskan spirit in general.

There's no place like Nome. Iditarod 2014 begins in Anchorage on March 1st and will end in Nome roughly 9-10 days later.   We e hope we see you there!

This blog was written by Marilyn Kasmar,  the owner and innkeeper at the 11th Avenue Bed and Breakfast in downtown Anchorage.

Earthquake Safety in the Last Frontier

    

Here in the 49^th state, we are observing the 49^th anniversary of the largest earthquake to ever hit the North American continent.  We’re speaking of the Great Alaskan Quake, which struck at 5:36 p.m. on  March 27^th, 1964.  With an epicenter located below the Prince William Sound, it measured 9.2 on the Richter scale and lasted over four minutes.   At the time, it was the second largest earthquake in recorded history, as measured by seismograph.

Like many, many other great places to travel, our beautiful Alaska is earthquake country. It’s a fact that can’t be ignored.   Small earthquakes occur here every day and usually go un-noticed.  Could a big 1964 style earthquake happen again?  It’s not likely, but yes, it could.   In the event that a larger quake (as in, one  that gets your attention) does occur, it is wise to know the general safety rules to help keep you as safe as possible, during and after.  We thought we’d share them with you.  Because knowledge is power and being prepared is good.
 
So here you go.  Widely known general guidelines (culled from various credible emergency preparedness websites sich as the AEIC and the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program) include:

During the earthquake:

1. Do not panic, keep calm.
2. Douse all fires.
3. If the earthquake catches you indoors, stay indoors until the shaking stops and you are sure it’s safe to exit.  Quickly move to a safe location in the room such as under a strong desk, a strong table, or along an interior wall. The goal is to protect yourself from falling objects and be located near the structural strong points of the room. Avoid taking cover near windows, large mirrors, hanging objects, heavy furniture, heavy appliances or fireplaces.  Stay away from things that can fall on you, as well as loose hanging objects.
4. If you are cooking, turn off the stove and take cover.
5. In a high-rise building, expect the fire alarms and sprinklers to go off during a quake.
6. If you are outside, move away from buildings, trees, steep slopes and utility wires.  Find a clear spot or open area, where falling objects are less likely to strike you.  .  Drop to the ground. 
7. If you are in a crowded place, do not rush for cover or to doorways.
8. If you are in a moving vehicle, slow down and drive to a clear place.  If that’s not possible, stop as quickly as safety permits.  Stay in the vehicle until the shaking stops.
9. If you are in an elevator or lift, get out of the elevator / lift as quickly as possible.
10. If you are in a tunnel, move out of the tunnel to the open as quickly as safety permits.

 After the earthquake:

1. Check for casualties/injuries, attend to injuries, and seek assistance if needed. Help ensure the safety of people around you.
2. Check for damage. If the building you are in is badly damaged, leave it until it has been inspected by a safety professional.
3. If you suspect, smell or hear a gas leak, get everyone outside and open the windows and doors.  If you can do it safely, turn off the gas at the meter, and shut off the main valve. Report the gas leaks to the gas company and fire department. Do not light a fire or use the telephone at the site. Do not use any electrical appliances- even a tiny spark could ignite the gas.
4. If the power is out, unplug major appliances to prevent possible damage when the power is turned back on. If you see sparks, frayed wires, or smell hot insulation, turn off electricity at the main fuse box or breaker. If you will have to step in water to turn off the electricity, call a professional to turn it off for you.
5. Turn off the main water valve if water supply is damaged.
6. Do not use the telephone or cell phone except to report an emergency or to obtain assistance.
7. Stay out of severely damaged buildings as aftershocks may cause them to collapse. Report any building damage to the authorities.
8. As a precaution against tsunamis, stay away from shores, beaches and low-lying coastal areas.  If you are there, move inland or to higher grounds.  The upper floors of high, multi-story, reinforced concrete building can provide safe refuge if there is no time to quickly move inland or to higher grounds.

We sincerely doubt the situation occurs where these guidelines get put to use. But if it does, you’ll be glad you know them.  Knowledge is power.  And it helps the adventurous traveler be the safest traveler.  Travel without fear, but travel smart. 
   

Marilyn, innkeeper at 11th Avenue B&B is one of the Innkeeper Members of the   Anchorage Alaska Bed & Breakfast Association

Let's Rondy in 2013

“Let’s Rondy!”
Walking around Anchorage in February of each year, you’ll hear people saying that. What the heck does it mean?

Well, my dear Adventurous Traveler…the Fur Rendezvous Festival is a significant part of the history and tradition of Anchorage! In the mid 1930's, Anchorage was a tiny town of 3,000 that stretched between the Park Strip and Ship Creek. Winters were long, hard and tough. Spirits would dip after the holidays.  Cabin fever would descend.  People got cranky. 

Enter Vern Johnson, the father of Fur Rendezvous.  Vern was a likeable, outgoing Anchorage citizen with a keen understanding of social conditions. To help raise the spirits of Anchorage’s residents and to put the “win” back into winter, he and his friends established a festival to coincide with the time that the miners and trappers came to town with their winter's yield. It began as a three-day sports tournament on February 15, 16 and 17, 1935 and featured skiing, hockey, basketball, boxing and a children's sled dog race down Fourth Avenue. The entire town turned out to “Rondy.”

Over the years, Fur Rendezvous has continued to be something that Anchorage residents look forward to.  It’s also earned national and international notoriety, drawing visitors from throughout the world. 

There are many Fur Rondy events- some old, some new. The Official Rondy Fur Auction has been a staple of the Festival since the beginning and the Festival was named in large part because the fur trade was Alaska's third most valuable industry in those days. The Blanket Toss*, an ancient Native Alaskan tradition, joined the Festival in 1950. Alaskan Native hunters and dancers were flown into Anchorage from Nome and Little Diomede to participate in the Blanket Toss and perform artistic, captivating tribal dances.

The World Championship Sled Dog Race debuted in 1946 and has become the cornerstone event of the Festival bringing teams of sled dogs and mushers to Anchorage from across Alaska and the world. The World Championship Dog Weight Pull began in 1967 as a bet between two dog owners to see whose animal could pull the most weight. Four decades later, dog owners are still competing against each other for the cash, notoriety and the illustrious World Champion title for the event. Other traditional Fur Rondy events include the Rondy Carnival, the Grand Parade, the uniquely Alaskan Original Men's Snowshoe Softball and the Grand Prix Auto Race, one of the oldest street races in North America.  The Frostbite Footrace, Miners and Trappers Charity Ball and the Outhouse Races and many other events  are also not to be missed. 

For a complete schedule of the events, which last from 2/22-3/3/2013, go here, http://www.furrondy.net/images/stories/2013_events/2013-rondyofficialschedule-updated-02-15-13.pdf.

See you there.  “Let’s Rondy!”
(Official Fur Rondy Website information was used in the writing of this article.)

By Marilyn Kasmar of 11th Avenue B&B, an Innkeeper with the Anchorage Alaska Bed & Breakfast Association - check the "AABBA" site for accommodations for your Fur Rondy adventure!

Alaska Texas Connection!

Standing in a restaurant in Texas with two friends, I was introduced with the inevitable, "She's visiting from Alaska!" line.  Soon, staff and owners came close enough to reveal their desire to visit and see the beauty. Carrying my iPad, I opened to a slide show of Alaska's mountains, glaciers, waters, wildlife, and travel destinations and before long, one woman wanted a web address and more advice on planning her trip.

How amazing it is to have a personal slide show immediately accessible, whether on your notebook or phone, I thought! The pictures 'sold' the story better than any words, any web address, or any brochure!

I also mentioned the FaceBook page for the AABBA as I guessed that her age might be a clue to her favorite web tools, and the big smile and sound of excitement confirmed my guess. 

Telling stories of Alaska adventures...that is the best gift, and it ignites desire to visit, or visit again. Telling others of the dimension added by staying at B & Bs opens their planning ideas to something unique, and when they find out about inns that are inspected and approved, they gain confidence in making a good choice. 

2012 visitors, share your stories - tell us the highlights of your Alaska visits! We would love to retell your adventures and to inspire others! And if you visited in earlier years, your stories are as welcome - perhaps the telling will put you in the planning mood for a 2013 visit!

Mary is one of the Innkeepers/members of Anchorage Alaska Bed & Breakfast Association and operates JarviHomestay in South Anchorage. She travels as a consultant in change management and thus enjoyed Mexican dinner at Angelina's in Lewisville while meeting with Texas clients recently.

Snow - Already!

Well, we now have that white stuff on the ground called “SNOW” and more is forecast for this weekend .  It is a beautiful time in Alaska with lots of winter activities.  Downhill skiing and snowboarding on several slopes around the Anchorage area and Alyeska Resort in Girdwood.  Outside ice skating at Winchester Lagoon will soon be open or there is inside ice skating at the Dimond Mall.  Sledding as soon as we get a little more snow.  I am sure that is around the corner, with Anchorage having a record snow fall last year.  The same with dog sled rides and snowmobile riding.

There are lots of beautiful drives by car, as well.  Talkeetna is just 2 ½ hour’s drive from Anchorage where you can take a airplane flight around Mt. McKinley.  Or how about down the Seward Highway and check out our little fishing and harbor town of Seward.

Most Bed and Breakfasts are open with winter rates.  Come see what Alaska is all about in the winter months.

Rita Gittins, Innkeeper and member of Anchorage Alaska Bed & Breakfast Associa

Alaskan Frontier Gardens Bed and Breakfast

(907) 345-6556

Rhubarb Pie - Dee's Favorite!

Dee continues her series of Rhubarb, sharing this recipe. See her previous posting about rhubarb and its story.

Rhubarb Cherry Sour Cream Pie

Pie filling:

6 Tbls. flour

1 tsp. Salt

1 ½ cups sugar (add more if you like your rhubarb recipes really sweet)

1 egg, beaten

1 cup sour cream

2 tsps. Vanilla

6 cups rhubarb, cut into small pieces

1 can cherry pie filling (it’s ok to use sugar free filling

Topping: 

½ cup sugar

½ cup flour

1 tsp. cinnamon

3 Tbls. butter

Prepare your own pie crust for two 9 inch pies – bottom crusts only.

Sift together flour, salt and sugar in a bowl.

In a separate bowl mix egg, sour cream, vanilla and pie filling.

Combine wet and dry ingredients and mix well.

Cut rhubarb into small pieces and put half into each of the uncooked pie shells.

Pour the combined ingredients evenly over the rhubarb. 

Prepare topping and cut in butter until crumbly.  Set aside.

Bake pies at 400 degrees for 15 minutes then reduce heat to 350 for 20 more minutes.  Remove from oven and sprinkle topping over the pies and return to oven for an additional 15 minutes. 

Use caution when filling the pie plates.  This pie will bubble over if you over-fill the pie plate.

Dee Memoune hosts Alaska House of Jade and is one of the Innkeepers of  Anchorage Alaska Bed & Breakfast Association

Rhubarb!

Rhubarb – vegetable or fruit?  I can’t tell you how many times a season I get asked this very question.   Another thing I’m always surprised at is how many visitors have never seen nor tasted rhubarb.  So I decided to do a little research and with the help of the internet I found the following facts that I thought might be of interest:

First let me answer the age old question - Rhubarb is indeed a vegetable however for centuries has been prepared mainly like fruit in pies, desserts, jams, etc.  However in the last ten or fifteen years rhubarb has successfully found its way into restaurants to accompany savory dishes.

Rhubarb has been used in China for medicinal purposes since 2700 BC.  The particular root from China is not easily grown outside of China but other varieties have been successfully propagated around the world.  Health benefits include low in carbohydrates, high fiber, vitamin C and potassium.  The only edible part of the plant is the reddish/green stalk.  The leaves are toxic.  If you are lucky enough to live in a favorable climate and grow rhubarb just be sure to break off the seed pods when they first appear in early spring and then cover the plant with steer manure in late fall.  

Rhubarb found its way to America in the late 1700s (reportedly by Benjamin Franklin) and Russians are credited with having brought rhubarb to Alaska in the late 1800s for the purpose of fighting scurvy.  By the 1900s rhubarb was entrenched in kitchens in most northern climates.  It is difficult to grow in a hot climate.  It nearly grows wild in Alaska. 

Some will say that a rhubarb plant will produce edible stems for up to 15 years.  Well I can attest that I have had my rhubarb plants for well over 40 years.  I’ve served it at the B&B for 26 years with the majority of guests enjoying it very much.  However, there’s always one or two each summer that don’t care for the tartness. 

I wish I could take credit for the following recipes however the Rhubarb-Cherry Pie came from a dear friend in Fairbanks and I am not sure where she got it from.  The “Big Crumb Rhubarb Coffee Cake” came from smittenkitchen.com and has been a favorite at the House of Jade ever since I found it on-line.  I would have never thought to marry ginger with rhubarb but it’s really a nice combination.  Just as a side note, my husband, Yves doesn’t care for rhubarb but he really loves this coffeecake and says it’s as good as the best French pastries (which he dearly loves).  I hope you’ll enjoy it also.

‘Big Crumb’ Coffeecake with Rhubarb
Adapted from The New York Times 6/6/07

Butter for greasing pan

For the rhubarb filling:
1/2 pound rhubarb, trimmed
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

For the crumbs:
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick or 4 ounces) butter, melted
1 3/4 cups cake flour (I was out and used all-purpose and it worked great)

For the cake:
1/3 cup sour cream
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup cake flour (ditto on the all-purpose flour–worked just fine)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons softened butter, cut into 8 pieces.

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease an 8-inch-square baking pan. For filling, slice rhubarb 1/2 inch thick and toss with sugar, cornstarch and ginger. Set aside.

2. To make crumbs [this step now updated, see comment #150] in a large bowl, whisk sugars, spices and salt into melted butter until smooth. Then, add flour with a spatula or wooden spoon. It will look and feel like solid dough. Leave it pressed together in the bottom of the bowl and set aside.

3. To prepare cake, in a small bowl, stir together the sour cream, egg, egg yolk and vanilla. Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add butter and a spoonful of sour cream mixture and mix on medium speed until flour is moistened. Increase speed and beat for 30 seconds. Add remaining sour cream mixture in two batches, beating for 20 seconds after each addition, and scraping down the sides of bowl with a spatula. Scoop out about 1/2 cup batter and set aside.

4. Scrape remaining batter into prepared pan. Spoon rhubarb over batter. Dollop set-aside batter over rhubarb; it does not have to be even.

5. Using your fingers, break topping mixture into big crumbs, about 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch in size. They do not have to be uniform, but make sure most are around that size. Sprinkle over cake. Bake cake until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean of batter (it might be moist from rhubarb), 45 to 55 minutes. Cool completely before serving.
Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

Dee Memoune hosts Alaska House of Jade and is one of the Innkeepers of  Anchorage Alaska Bed & Breakfast Association