Collar Cams, More Light, and Grandchildren…What a Wonderful Time of the Year!

We know spring is almost here. Nenana Ice Classic tickets are on sale, and we are busy with guests in March. We’re on Daylight Savings Time. DST in Alaska is outright funny in the Interior by June. We think Alaskan put up with DST to be in sync with the Outside.

The light is coming back! We gain 6+ minutes a day. Terry and I can see our winter windows need cleaning. Our houseplants have perked up. We burn less wood. We stay outside longer. The temperatures are still cold, but with the light, it’s friendlier. March sees a growing yearning for springtime in the Interior.

One of the best harbingers of spring is the Iditarod Race. We follow mushers and dogs, and we have our favorites. We always keep an eye on Jeff King. He is our neighbor through the canyon and over the hills to the south. We know his wife, Donna Gates King, who is a wonderful artist. She has done much to encourage healthy lifestyles for Interior Alaskan families through dance, exercise, and good food choices. The Kings have three daughters. I had the honor of having the older two in my classes at Tri-Valley School in Healy. They were great students. The whole family has many talents.

We root for our “homies.” We have several mushers from this area who have been in past dog races: David Sawatzky, Ramy Brooks, Bruce Lee, and Anne Capistrant. These are mushers who like to go fast. They race. And we love to follow them on TV or in the newspapers every day.

We also have mushers in the area who do not race. Jon and Karin Nierenberg own Earthsong Lodge and Denali Dogsled Expeditions. Jon is truly a “rock star” musher in this area near Denali National Park. He has taught safe, fun dogmushing and guided dogsled trips for years (http://www.earthsonglodge.com/dogsledQA.html).

Currently two women, new mushers, are with Jon and another guide for a 5-day trip. They had a training day for the first day. They are camping in tents and cabins in Denali National Park for four days. They travel by dogsled each day.

They will stay with us on the day they return from their trips. We’ll hear the stories, see videos and look at their pictures. Next week Jon takes out two men who have mushed with him three times before. These veterans, coming from different parts of the US, will go on a 10-day trip deep into Denali National Park. March can be the perfect time for a long dog mushing trip. The temperatures are better and the returning light makes a big difference.

If you would like to try out the runners of a dog sled or if you would rather stay in the basket, there is no problem. At 86-years old, my father-in-law went for a quick trip in the basket. He’s 88 now and still talking about the ride. He was certainly impressed, and so were we…with him. Our daughter and her boyfriend from the East Coast made a reservation at Christmas time for a four-hour trip. They enjoyed the time on the runners and in the sled.

Make reservations with Jon and Karin and pick the trip best for you. Mike, Jared, Jay Jay, Bridget, Corinne and Jamie are expert helpers in this organization.

It is delightful to know a dog musher who loves and cares for dogs. That’s Jon. On return from an overnight trip, Jon sat down to play with the two puppies in the kennel, much to the delight of his guests. The last time I talked with Jamie, he was getting ready to dog mush…on his day off from dog mushing. This is one dedicated dog mushing team.

We hear Jon is an excellent cook and storyteller on the trail. His guests usually stay at the Denali Dome Home for the first night, the training night and the last night of their vacations here. We’ve had the pleasure of hearing tales from the trails for three years.

Jon’s guests use the words “pristine” and “A-mazing” often after a sledding trip with him or one of his guides. “A trip of a lifetime” and “I am so glad I came to Denali to mush with Jon” are repeated phrases. Some add, “I miss the dogs already.” The trip makes for strong connections with Jon, Interior Alaska, and the dogs.

A women mushing now in March saw one of Karin and Jon’s nightly photography shows at Henry’s Café and toured their dogyard in the summertime. Several of their summer guests are so impressed, they come back in the winter to dogsled with Jon. A few days ago, a couple of Chicago lawyers came to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary on a first-time dog mushing trip. It’s surprises me to see how many of these new mushers talk about, and actually do return to mush again with Jon and his dogs.

I think March is Jon’s busiest month for mushing. Come home safely, Jon and new mushers. Go, Jeff! God’s speed. Welcome back, Light. Come on, Spring!


For more information…

Jon recently attached “dog cams” to his mushing dogs. It’s really fun to be on the dog’s collar and traveling with his dog on snow. His youtube name is DenaliDogBoy.
One example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LylR4mLoDMc&NR=1

Scott Elnes, KTUU meteorologist in Anchorage published a 5-part dog mushing trip with Jon. We are featured in the first two issues He has several other entertaining and informative Alaskan videos. d
For a start, see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZSfyNiKKeA&feature=relate

Raven, our Scottish Terrier barks every time she hears dogs barking on these videos. I wonder if your dog(s) will react the same.

For Iditarod Race information:
http://www.iditarod.com/


To reach Jon and Karin Nierenberg of Denali Dogsled Expeditions and Earthsong Lodge see:
http://www.earthsonglodge.com/alaska-dogsled-tours.html

In Willow, we like Vern Halter’s Dream a Dream Dog Farm. He allows small groups and has a 40-guest maximum.
http://www.alaskavisitorscenter.com/images/dreamadream.html

Our Fairbanks daughter, Sarah married Davin Mitchell and married into a mushing family. Her father-in-law, Bruce Mitchell, mushed in the first Iditarod Race in 1973. We love hearing his mushing stories. For a list of mushers in all Iditarod Races see: http://www.iditarod.com/learn/ and click on “Past Race Archives.”

It’s true we are waiting on spring, but we certainly are also awaiting the birth of our first granddaughter, due April 2nd. She will be the real “de-light” in our lives. We are going to Washington, D.C. for the birth. Yes, welcome back, Light!

Denali Dreamin on Such a Winter's Night

At the bottom of this entry, there are good, beginning research sources for a “dream vacation” in Alaska. Please send me any others you think should be included, and I will update the listing.

Many of the Denali Dome Home Bed and Breakfast guests tell us it is their “dream” to come to Alaska. They plan their vacations for months, even years, ahead of time. Many come to us in Healy, AK, with extensive, self-designed planners. Retired elementary teachers have color-coded sections. Computer-savvy guests come with charts and databases. They already know the altitudes, weather norms, area activities and best restaurants when they arrive. Visitors have the MilePost magazines with handwritten notes on the pages. I often read our current B&B descriptions in new travel books carried by our guests.

Dream Alaskan vacations do not start at the first step off the plane in Fairbanks or Anchorage. They do not begin when visitors see the “Welcome to Alaska” sign on the Alcan Highway. These amazing, fun, dream vacations start months ahead in the planning stage.

Early, careful planing allows future visitors to save valuable time and money during their vacations. They already have tickets and do not stand in lines. Early preparations insure the best, personalized vacation for their whole family. Next summer's smart vacationers talk to church members and co-workers who have already been to Alaska. They read reviews and blogs from those who have already been to “the Last Frontier.” Their own excitement builds.

Early on, future Alaskan guests figure out their itineraries and accommodations. Then they investigate Alaskan activities and dinner locations. They ask B&/B hosts many questions about a particular area. The excitement builds again. The dream takes shape.

Often visitors return to Alaska because the dream continues to grow after the first AK vacation ended. Today I booked summer reservations for a couple from NC who will celebrate their “10th and 11th anniversaries this year in Interior of Alaska.

That's right. They camped in Denali during their honeymoon a decade ago and have “dreamed about coming back.” The groom is still in favor of camping, but bride wants a bed and breakfast this time. Last year they were not able to return. This year the groom says they will be able to return to celebrate a decade and a year. I secretly hope they will be spending their 25th anniversary with us too.

Years ago, when we received our first bookings in January for the upcoming summer, we thought we had arrived as a bed and breakfast in Denali. Now, after two decades, we sometimes take reservations a year ahead. We already have 47-room nights booked for next summer. There are many who are now dreaming of an Alaskan vacation on such a winter's day.

Important websites for planning your Alaska information, especially the Interior:

Denali National Park http://www.nps.gov/dena/index.htm
We think shuttle buses are the best way for most independent visitors to see Denali National Park
http://www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit/shuttle-buses.htm
Keys to Denali, Car Rentals, LLC. http://www.gomylocal.com/biz/15692011/Keys-to-Denali-Car-Rentals,-LLC-Healy-AK-99743
For important weather and road conditions:
http://511.alaska.gov/

Denali Chamber of Commerce http://denalichamber.com/
Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce http://www.fairbankschamber.org/
Anchorage Convention and Visitors Bureau http://www.anchorage.net/
Nenana City http://www.nenana.org/
Bed and Breakfast Association of Alaska http://www.alaskabba.com/

MilePost Magazine http://milepost.com/
Keys to Denali, LLC…only car rental in Denali for 2010
http://www.denalidomehome.com
Trip Advisor www.tripadvisor.com
Alaska forum for discussions (Don’t believe everything you read!)
http://www.travelalaska.com/Regions/TipsDetail.aspx?TipID=141

General information about Alaskan gifts, businesses and activities
http://www.lastfrontier.org/made_in_alaska.htm
Information about gifts made in Alaska:
http://www.travelalaska.com/Regions/TipsDetail.aspx?TipID=141

Alaska Traffic Conditions http://511.alaska.gov/
National Weather Service: Alaska Region
http://www.arh.noaa.gov/hazards.php
Mileage Chart http://alaskatrekker.com/mileage.htm
Alaska Tide Charts and Fishing Information:
http://www.alaskangamefisher.com/july-tide.html

Maps and Directions of Alasks:
http://www.travelalaska.com/maps/index.aspx
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Alaska&f=s&utm_campaign=en&utm_source=en-ha-na-us-syn-gm&utm_medium=ha&utm_term=ak%20map

To Order Free Publications about Alaska:
http://www.travelalaska.com/index.aspx?utm_source=0132&utm_medium=ad&gclid=CNHrkdj14J4CFSn6agodoFhLJQ

Films about Alaska:
http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/alaska/MemberTagFilms.aspx

Books about Alaska:
http://www.alaskageographic.org/
http://www.alaska.com/about/books/
http://www.alaskais.com/Alaska_Books/index.html

Alaskan Artists http://www.artistsalaska.com/
Hiking http://www.trails.com/toptrails.aspx?area=10049

Photography http://www.asonp.org/
http://www.alaskastock.com/Wildlife_Photography.asp
http://www.polar-photo.com/index.html
http://www.polar-photo.com/pages/6/LINKS/LINKS/
http://www.tomwalkerphotography.com/
http://www.pbs.org/harriman/explog/lectures/heacox.html

First Watch for a Long Winter

I walked the dark pavement to the front of our property and wondered who placed the Little Dipper exactly up and center from the driveway. It made me smile to wonder. I counted the stars in the bucket and in the handle: Seven. The clear Alaska night sky was quietly beautiful. I knew there was a chance of Northern Lights. Stars were harbingers.

I don't see stars in the summer months in the Interior. Instead Alaska has amazing gardens with huge, atomic-looking vegetables and and broad blooms. There are long hours of light and no chance to see stars.

In the dark, I realized I had missed the night sky and the Northern Lights. And just as soon as I thought about them, I felt a tinge of regret for our gardens and green lawns. It will be a half year before they return. Alaska has a way of encouraging longing.

I turned back to see the sparkle of "Christmas Lights" Terry recently hung around the dome. They weren't so much holiday lights as they were safety lights. Night will soon start at 4:00 pm and last until 10:00 am. The little lights offered better viewing for safety on the decks and a bit of outside charm. I walked back to our home.

My cheeks were cold as I stepped inside. I could feel the thick warmth from the fireplace. Outside the Little Dipper took winter's first watch.

Tip for our guests: If you are visiting Alaska in the winter, check with University of Alaska's site for accurate Aurora (Northern Lights) forecasts: http://www.gedds.alaska.edu/AuroraForecast/ This site has lots of great Alaskan information!

Thursday, October 15, 2009
A beautiful, bright day in the Interior; 40 degrees

Hello and Welcome to our First Blog!

Terry and I have been looking for a forum to store our thoughts and suggestions for visiting Healy, Denali National Park, and especially our bed and breakfast. As Denali Dome Home hosts (http://www.denalidomehome.com) and owners, we have been meeting the nicest guests for 20 years in the Denali area.

We are often asked questions we can answer automatically. We are also asked questions that require a bit of reach or deeper thought. We hope to use this site as a way of saving and sharing those answers with our blog readers.

Please respond to this blog if you have questions of your own. We will be happy to answer them from our experience here in the Interior of Alaska. We know our knowledge of this area is truly one of valuable services we have to offer.

We know the best restaurants, even the best dessert and best table locations at those restaurants. We know the best way to see Denali, even what side of the bus to sit on and what to bring and how to dress in the Park. We know the best Denali activities, those with safest records and a history of friendliness and dependable service. We know their schedules and fees. Our answers are really our humble opinions based on local knowledge and personal experiences.

Please bookmark this site and stay tuned. We hope you find this site helpful for your Alaskan visits.

--Ann and Terry Miller