First Day on the Blog Scene

Here's the thing: people keep asking me to start posting a blog. I'm not an online person, and I really don't take the trouble to sniff out other people's blogs, cause I'd rather just talk to them. But I've buckled. There are so many people I want to keep track of, and there's no time to talk to everyone, so- tada! Maybe I'll even start reading up on you others!

My blog starts half an hour outside of Anchorage, Alaska. Before Alaska was Ecuador, before that was six months of dog walking, preceded by Wolf Park, preceded by a bar in Galway, Ireland. But right now, I'm wrapping up a five-month stay in Alaska. Early in November I was hired by Karin Hendrickson to be her sled dog handler for the season. Karin ran her first Iditarod this year, and she did fantastic! My job was to take care of the team, and manage her race supplies.

Blue on Black Kennel has 24 dogs right now- 25 counting Barley the pitt bull. And it would be stupid not to include Barley. Not only does he love to pull the sled and possesss the true spirit of a sled dog, but he's a major player in puppy training! I really kinda wish I'd started this blog five months ago, because I want to talk about every dog out there- I've become very attached. They're all such characters. I really think sheer luck landed me in exactly the right place as an iditarod handler, because Karin and her husband Varan are very affectionate with their dogs. They aren't just engines for pulling the sled. The dogs respond wonderfully to their people, and the whole team is better for it. A lot of dogs improve their performance and attitude when they come to Blue on Black!

Unfortunately, I'm in the process of changing missions. It's time for the next adventure. Ideally, I always want to be in a new place or doing a new thing, but right now my funds are a tad... gone. So my next venture will have to be a money-making one. Yesterday I was offered a job with Alaska Excursions, down in Skagway, AK. It actually sounds like an exciting sort of job, dealing with people, sled dogs, and horses, so I'm looking forward to it. I love variety in my week!

That said, I think I'll need to wrap this first post up- I haven't picked up the dog lot today, and there's a lot of crap out there with my name on it... Oh, the glamorous life f a traveler! :)