Hello, new season!!!
I road tripped the 8000 km from Nova Scotia to Alaska with my Mom traveling about 10 days arriving at the beginning of October 2017. In fact, we made an Amazing Race Canada video application out of the journey.
This year I am living with Nicolaus Petit in Willow Alaska. Knowing I wanted to learn different techniques this year I figured switching up the mentor wouldn't be a bad thing. I looked at the list of top finishers of the Iditarod and Nic was 3rd place. I went to his website and sent him an email asking if he was interested in teaching everything I will need to know for the Iditarod. After a few emails and a couple phone calls we came to a deal. At this point, I already struck a deal with Ken Anderson to lease his dogs for the season.
When we arrived at the kennel I parked the car and Mom and I walked up to the front door. A woman answered and I asked if Nic was home. She said he wasn't and I told her who I was and she gave me the impression of never hearing my name before or knowing I was coming to live with them for 6 months. Almost not surprised there would be a hickup I got back in my car and started to drive down the long gravel road exiting the property to get something to eat. My mom's worries were soon put to rest when on the way, we ran into Nic. :) I said we were going to get some food and he joined! I later found out that people come and go from this house so often that it makes sense the owner Sam wouldn't know what date I was coming.
With Mom only in Alaska for a few days we got to work right away. We rented a Truck for the season down in Anchorage and drove it hauling a dog trailer 600 miles north to Fairbanks to pick up the dogs.
When arriving at Ken's yard and seeing the dogs for the first time there was a sense of unfamiliarity. I wasn't sure of all their names and forgot most of their personalities. In fact, I had already negotiated to purchase Jerry and wasn't sure if I remembered him or if he even rememed me???
Getting him back to Willow it didn't take long for him to cuddle back up.
In fact it didn't take any of the 16 dogs a long time.
