WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY IN MANLEY

Wednesday was wonderful. It was a day of rest...NOT ! Washed my dog coats, had a soak in the hot springs, a local, Chuck fixed my sled drag. Seems like all of the village turned out for a potlatch and fed us. It was wonderful..good food and socializing.

Got to organize my "stuff" and also send some of it home. I had the vets check my dogs. Ned got a little frost nip and I am treating with salve. I took great care to keep all of my dog bowls, kibble and gang line away from my dogs. I placed them in the middle of my picket line of dogs. Well, I didn't really even think of the team that was staked out next door. We had a nice burm of snow between the teams, but one of the other dogs plowed through the snow and chewed two necklines and ate some of my kibble and chewed a couple of dog bowls.

A few of us had an evening soak in the hot springs. So relaxing, but so hot that you can't stay in too long. The decision was made that we are staying another day in Manley so that we don't have Iron Doggers running us down. They travel at speeds of 120 mph and they would be on our trail heading for us. There would be no way for them to stop.

Thursday morning the school kids brought us cinnamon rolls and orange juice for breakfast. Then we did the ceremonial serum transfer to another serum runner. The kids got to hear the history of the 1925 serum run and who all carried the serum.

Today I spent my free time taking care of my dogs and repacking my stuff. We had three of us trying to stuff my -60 degree sleeping bag into a stuff sack and then I sinched it down...as it was a compression sack. It now fits in the front of my sled. Yeah !

We went to the Reddingtons and Pam brought out all of her ruffs. I picked out a lovely ruff and of course it was the most expensive on there. It was not ready to sew on my parka so I let someone else buy it. I will have to hope that my sad looking Cabelas ruff will protect me from the elements. I bought a beautiful pair of hand knit wool gloves.

I got to watch the kids with their bead working. It was so neat. The kids kind of all learn together, with the older children helping out the younger ones. I was trying to sew some fleece botties and make some pee pee protectors for my male dogs. The sewing machine didn't work, so I call Linda Johnson and she told us to come up at 8:00. It was wonderful visiting with her and listening to her tales. When I left I have sewn fleece booties and also the protectors. She wouldn't take any payment for her time. Thank you so much Linda.

It looks like we will be spending another unplanned day in Manley. It is a great place to stay, but we have run out of dog food and will be trucking in kibble and meat for the dogs and also some people food. Our next drop bags are waiting for us in Tanana.

I have decided that I want to keep these kids in contact and have already made plans to send care packages for them, full of art supplies and fun stuff.