Christy and Mike came up for a visit the week of April second through the 10th. Saturday we went out to stand by with the fire department for a snowmachine race but start time kept being pushed back. We stayed out on the ice for about two hours before the 16 below zero weather combined with the 10 mph wind making for a 35 below zero wind chill, drove us back to town.
During the rest of the week they got to go riding with Gary and Cathy, fishing with us and some folks from work, and chasing caribou. The temperature did moderate a bit mid week and by the weekend it was sunny and beautiful with the temps in the twenties.
This batch of pictures was of the Kobuk 440 dog sled race that started here in front of town Thursday 4/7. The musher's travel 440 miles through a number of our villages before returning to Kotzebue Saturday or Sunday. The difference between the start of the Iditarod and this one is that at the Iditarod they start each musher at timed intervals. Here everyone lines up and starts at the same time. It is a sight to see and hear as over 200 excited dogs line up and take off at the start of the race.
This next batch of pictures were taken on two separate fishing excursions, both of which produced no fish but a lot of experiences and fun.
Cathy and Gary had gone out behind town and chased caribou first by themselves Wednesday night then with Christy and Mike on Thursday night in an unsuccessful attempt to bring some home for dinner. So, Saturday the six of us went out and we did see multiple bands of caribou and one moose. We were able to bag two caribou one of which we gave to a needy family in town and the other we split up between us and friends.
These are pictures Cathy took on their ride behind town.
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Last updated:
08/29/05
.jpg "Hitching up the emergency sled.")
.jpg "Christy and Mike fishing.")
.jpg "Mike and Christy looking a little frosty. Christy swears she's smiling.")
.jpg "Ok, there's the smile.")
.jpg "A family breakfast with waffles made with our new waffle maker. This was our Christmas gift from my brother and sister-in-law.")
.jpg "Perfectly formed icicles (potential missles).")
.jpg "The start and finish line.")
.jpg "Mushers and dogs getting ready for the start.")
.jpg "Cathy and Gary with a couple of friends in tow.")
.jpg "Mike and Christy experiencing new things.")
.jpg "Ready to start.")
.jpg "GO!!")
.jpg "Racing on the ice.")
.jpg "Quite a site.")
.jpg "Falling into a line on the trail out of town.")
.jpg "Mike cleaning out his fishing hole.")
.jpg "Christy cleans scoops the ice out of her spot.")
.jpg "Patty reclining while continuing to fish.")
.jpg "Christy 6 miles from the south shore awaiting a bite.")
.jpg "Mike doing his share.")
.jpg "Cathy and Gary the next day fishing with them.")
.jpg "Jim from work trying his luck.")
.jpg "One of the nurses husbands on his machine.")
.jpg "Rob, who works with Patty.")
.jpg "Mike giving up and chowing down.")
.jpg "Lazing away the evening.")
.jpg "Out on the tundra miles from town with not a sign of humans in sight.")
.jpg "Cathy and Gary on the lookout for caribou.")
.jpg "A beautiful moose we came upon without seeing it at first.")
.jpg "It was grazing in a hidden gulley.")
.jpg "One more shot as it leaves.")
.jpg "A plant decorated with ice.")
.jpg "Gary spying on a herd of caribou.")
.jpg "A small group out on the flats.")
.jpg "Tracks leading off into the winter wonderland.")
.jpg "Our kill.")
.jpg "Cathy with their kill.")
.jpg "Christy helping Patty clean up after skinning out the meat.")
.jpg "They are still working on theirs.")
.jpg "Picking up. Note my garand rifle on the snowmachine.")
.jpg "Loading up the quarters of meat.")
.jpg "As we pick up to leave another herd of caribou appear in the distance.")
.jpg "Christy giving Mike the horns with her mittens on.")
.jpg "Yet another herd of caribou.")
.jpg "Cathy and Gary in the lead with Mike and Christy following.")
.jpg "Mike and Christy in town getting ready to head home.")
.jpg "Patty in front of the Senior Center.")
