Happy Dogs - Happy Kids (click on picture to view larger size)

Mushers

Sledding

trudging along

I've got a bad cold, I'm sleep deprived, but I still had a good day today. It was pretty packed even though I wasn't doing all of it. Got some more signatures and booties and a signed bootie, my hat is almost non-signable now. A great deal of the day for me was making a bead-sown key chain which is still in the process, and compiling and enhancing video from the day of sledding yesterday. Hope I get some good sleep tonight so I can do a lot tomorrow.

Such a cute face.

This was one of the dogs at the Dog Drop. It's so cute! I got to work at the Dog Drop today. The Dog Drop is where mushers leave their dropped dogs. The dropped dogs are then sent to Anchorage.

Dog booties!

Today we found a lot of dog booties! Most of us all got some. I can tell you all one thing... They are definitely USED! they don't smell good at all!

I also worked a lot at the check point. While I was working I found a few booties. I got to bring some of the Dropped dogs to the Air port. It was a good experience!

Beading

Today at the checkpoint a lady came and showed us all how to bead. She was very generous and gave us all pieces of her moose hide to make keychains with. She showed us how to bead flowers and gave us guidance when we needed it. It was very cool to be a part of making a native craft here in Alaska.

Relaxed but fun

Today was really fun! First we went to the airport and learned about what happened there. Also we went to the place where the dropped dogs stay before they go to Anchorage. This was one of my favorite parts of the day because we got to pet all the dogs and see what happens to them. After that we went to the checkpoint and helped out. We got to rake hay into piles and put bags of dog food to get ready to be shipped out. A few new mushers stopped in for a little while including Cain Carter and Magnus Kaltenborn. Cain Carter is going to take his 24-hour layover in McGrath and I got a signed dog bootie from him. Later in the afternoon we were inside making key chains with moose hide and beads. I wish we could stay longer!

Checkpoint (second day)

Not as many mushers came to McGrath today but some did come. Cain Carter, Lance Mackey's son came in today with a total of three dropped dogs. On the trail on the river after the hill leaving McGrath, he dropped two dogs. He had to drop one of his lead dogs because of a sprained front left wrist but after talking to Cain he said he might just bring the dog with him in the basket. It might slow him down but he is a good lead dog and might get better.

The McGrath Checkpoint

This morning at the checkpoint, Melted Snowball and me got to ride in the back of the truck with the dropped dogs to take them to the air port. The point of riding with them in the back of the truck was to comfort them. After we were done with that we raked up a whole bunch of straw that was used and couldn't be used by any other dogs because they didn't want any of the other dogs to get sick or something if the dog that was laying on the straw was sick. After we were done with that we got to meet Lance Mackey's step son try to leave the check point. It didn't work out so well so he decided to do his 24 hour layover because his dogs needed more sleep. While he was putting dog booties on his dogs I got his autograph. He signed my hat.

We also did bead work. We made keychains with flowers on them. They are really detailed and they look really good. We worked for at least an hour and a half. And we still aren't finished with them yet. We still have to sew the keychain ring on them. And I think that a lot of people will do an outline on the edge with the beads. That is pretty much all we did today at the check point besides watch all the mushers come and go.

Dog Drop.

Today I went to the place where dropped dogs wait to be flown to Anchorage. I was one of the volunteers. The dogs were so sweet.

Cain Carter was at the McGrath checkpoint this morning and we saw him off to Takotna...but his dogs didn't really agree with that. So instead Carter decided to spend his 24 hour lay over here.

I got to see the musher I'm following (Magnus Kaltenborn) come into McGrath. Magnus had just passed a musher camping. I asked for one of his dog booties (and got one). I think he had 14-16 dogs. He stayed for about 20 min, I shook his hand, told him good luck and he was off. I hope he wins. GO MAGNUS!!!

I also helped by carrying bags of dog food out of the way because the mushers (like Martin, Lance and other) just went right through McGrath.

Mushers arrive in McGrath!!!!!!!!!!!

Last night was a busy night in McGrath! The mushers were all coming through the checkpoint one after another. First Martin Buser, then a whole bunch of mushers that were behind him a ways. As they came in and out we helped with various jobs. If they dropped a dog we helped with it, if they were leaving we raked hay, and we pulled bags of dog food to mushers. It was fun and VERY busy! Keep going Mushers!!!!!! We hope you make it to Nome!!!!!!!!!!!!