Dogs, dogs, dogs!

After taking several turns down rain-soaked gravel roads that looked like they were going nowhere, we arrived at a handsome-looking modern log cabin.  When a pretty brunette with a turned-around baseball cap extended her hand in welcome, I knew we were in the right spot.   "Come on in!"  she greeted us, but she was inviting us not into her home, but into her dog yard.

We then entered a world we had never seen before, which was home to over 30 dogs.  It just happened to be raining, but that didn't stop our musher, Karin Hendrickson, from personally introducing us to each of her three dozen sled dogs, plus one pit bull thrown in just for fun.  The thing that impressed me the most was that 31 dogs barking at the same time can produce quite a cacophonous din of almost painful-to-listen-to sound.  However, with one voice command, every single dog instantaneously stopped barking.  When we expressed amazement at this transformation, Karin explained that she had to have quiet and cooperation--that the dogs had to listen to her-- if they were going to follow her 1,000 miles across Alaska.

As we made our way around the impeccably manicured dog yard, we met each dog.  One by one, each went to the top of his doghouse so we could give him a pat.  In the photo, the blue doghouses can be seen, as can the smiling Karin, and those well-taught, happy, much-loved dogs being groomed for "The Last Great Race on Earth."

After viewing some of Karin's Iditarod sledding equipment and memorabilia and hearing some of her fascinating stories about the race, including the fact that what she looks forward to the most at the end of the trail is her mom bringing her a cheeseburger when she crosses the finish line in Nome,  we reluctantly said goodbye.

Next stop:  Vern Halter's "Dream a Dream" dog farm where we would live and breathe Iditarod dogs for the next three days.  One of the best parts was the puppy walks through the woods, where eight darling black and white puppies and their mom immediately stole our hearts.