The past two days in Fairbanks have been just beautiful – clear skies and lots of sun. We made the most of both days and did some exploring around town. The University of Alaska houses the Museum of the North, which has some fascinating natural history displays. This brown bear, nicknamed “Otto”, stands 8 feet 9 inches tall and weighed 1250 lbs. (I still can’t quite figure out when to use the term “brown bear” vs. “grizzly bear”. They are all the same species of bear --I think grizzlies live inland and brown bears are coastal, but don’t quote me on that.)
One of the other, slightly gruesome, exhibits was this 36,000-year-old mummified Steppe Bison that was discovered in the permafrost by a gold miner in 1979. The cause of death: an American Lion (both types of animals are long extinct). The bison was given the moniker “Blue Babe” because of the bluish cast of the skin. (Gross, I know!) Phosphorus in the tissue reacted with the soil to coat the carcass in a mineral (vivianite) that turns blue when exposed to air. It looked icky, but was fascinating. I’d have been freaked out if I was digging for gold and found this guy instead.
Speaking of gold, the museum also showcases the largest public display of gold in Alaska. Considering that the price of gold these days is somewhere in the $1500/oz. range, this is a bonanza of an exhibit. (This case had much more security features than the others. I guess they aren’t as worried about someone stealing the smelly mummified carcass as they are someone swiping some of these gold nuggets.)
After the museum we headed over to the Visitor’s Center downtown – here’s Kevin standing at an arch made of moose and caribou antlers. I’m not sure why there is such a demand for large arches made of antlers – but I will say that this one has nothing on the ones in Jackson, Wyoming.
This morning we made arrangements to visit the home of Mary Shields, the first woman to finish the Iditarod Trail sled dog race. She and her team ran the race in 1974 and placed a respectable 23rd – she had only been mushing dogs for five years at the time. She is well into her sixties now and she and her dogs are still out on the trails at the first signs of snow.
The dogs aren’t the purebred, blue-eyed huskies you’ll find in a pet shop. Instead they are mixed-breed huskies, bred for specific characteristics that the musher is looking for: intelligence, endurance, strength, obedience, and an enthusiasm for pulling the sled.
Meeting the dogs – Frosty, Big Boy, Too Sweet, Clifford, Crockett, Kiana, OJ, and a couple other names I can’t remember -- was a fun (and sometimes sloppy) experience. They are pure bundles of energy, which is a good thing since the Iditarod and the Yukon Quest race are long-haul races of 1000 miles or more.
When Mary let them loose, It was obvious how much these dogs love to run. They raced around the yard at top speed, chasing each other and playing with toys. Mary said that they have worked out a pecking order amongst themselves. The lead dog on the sled team may not necessarily be the top dog in the yard.
Meeting Mary was a real pleasure – she was so personable and didn’t mind answering a ton of questions. She spoke at length about the challenges and benefits of life in Alaska, training sled dogs, and what it was like to actually compete in a race. It was obvious how much she loves the sport, and her dogs.
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