Feb 23rd, 2008
We’re having a big time at Fur Rondy in Anchorage!
There’s a thrill a minute at Anchorage’s mid-winter festival. Fur Rondy (short for “Fur Rendezvous”) is going on between now and Mar. 2, when the Tour of Anchorage takes place!
Today, we saw the second heat of the World Sled Dog Championships. Whoo-boy. Fourth Avenue was packed with race enthusiasts checking out the action, which started at Noon. The Rondy Parade took place at 10:30 a.m. on Fifth Avenue–great fun.
Later tonight, the FIREWORKS are set to blow–right around 6:45p.m.
Over at Town Square (near the Performing Arts Center at 6th and F St.), they’ve flooded the area so it’s perfect for ice skating. Just for fun, I rode my bike around a little on the icy streets. It was a great way to get around downtown with all the streets blocked off for the events!
Ice carvers Steve and Heather Brice are building an Ice Castle as part of the “WILDfest” preview–another part of the Big Wild Life here in Anchorage!
Tomorrow there are more dog races, as well as the inaugural Running of the Reindeer (you can’t make this stuff up!).
Check the website: www.furrondy.net . On the site are some great podcasts from Alaska Podshow. Today, you can see the updates from yesterday’s dog races. Cool!
Tune in tomorrow at 10am Alaska time for the LIVE BROADCAST online!
We had a wonderful time with Kristen M. who flew in from Fairbanks for a full day of Rondy-ing. She showed me her schedule, which included breakfast at Snow City Cafe, the Fur Auction, the sled dog races, coffee at Kaladi Brothers (note cup-in-hand), some old time fiddling at the Moose Lodge and–of course–the Fireworks. We both got “collared” by the Rondy Keystone Cops for not having our booster buttons on. Well, Dave was happy to sell us a couple and send us on our merry way. Of course, we promised to be good in the future!
Come on downtown! The weather’s great. It’s gonna be another great Rondy Day tomorrow!
