Fur Rondy

The winter of 1974 was my first

Fur Rondy, held in downtown

Anchorage.

It was 5 degrees below zero

but hundreds lined the

street waiting for the Iditarod 

race to start. The dogs

were anxious to go,

the dog sleds were packed,

and the racers waiting for

that gunshot.

 Enthralling

to say the least, I

couldn't take my eyes off

the dogs, sleds, the seal fur 

parkas and

Eskimos. I did not have a clue

as to who was racing - just

being there was a thrill.

The race began

 in Anchorage

 and ended in Nome.

I was there stomping around in

my grey suede leather

witch pointy 

cow pie kicking

boots. No matter how long
I stomped, my feet were

freezing. 

 Who in

their right mind goes to

a winter festival in below

zero weather?

These boots keep your feet warm, not
cowboy boots from Utah. 

You can bet these girls
were warm in their fur
coats.

After all the dogs and sleds

had left, the fascinating

walrus skin blanket toss

(Alaskan trampoline) 

began. Totally

mesmerizing!

Did you notice that same
bright in your face
yellow building? For the
life of me, I do not
remember what it was.


Downtown Anchorage had a
lower half that was a good
six feet lower on the north
side, it had sunk during
that devastating 1964
earthquake.