Too much winter fun!

[wingdesigner]

FYI, two great AK traditions are underway: The Yukon Quest: a 1500 mile musher's race from Fairbanks, AK to Whitehorse, Yukon, Can. You can track the mushers' progress this year as almost all of them have agreed to a GPS tracking device on their sleds. The link is : https://yukonquest.com/site/live-tracking/
If that doesn't go through, go to yukonquest.com, and up at the top choose "Race Updates", then "Live Tracking". They aren't live shots or sled cams, but they do give the musher and location along the trail. You can zoom in on the map as often several mushers are in the same vicinity, whether at a checkpoint or taking a mandatory rest period. Jeff King is not doing the YQ this year, and I don't know if he will be in the Iditarod later. Lance Mackey and Neff (?) are both in this.

The Iditarod has stumbled onto hard times and has had to cut the purse drastically. Mackey donated a big chunk o change of his own money as they don't have a major sponsor.

Anyway, the Nenana Ice Classic is also on, at: https://www.nenanaakiceclassic.com/
This is the annual guessing game of when the ice will break up on the Nenana & Tanana Rivers, thus heralding the onset of spring in AK. Out-of-staters can play, follow directions on the website. Someday I'd like to go for Tripod Days--it sounds like fun.

In other news, I'm signing up for classes to learn to differentiate frog songs. (Can't wait to see the replies on this one.)

Coming this month and next: Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, Winter Olympics, and of course, the Iditarod.

Happy sigh!

[Earl K]

No replies yet?????? Frog songs??? Tell us more about that one please

[wingdesigner]

It's only been 6 hours, Earl... Just think of them as "singing lessons"

I live near the Rouge River watershed and every spring at certain times volunteers spend time at dusk recording data on frog songs. What kind, how many, frequency, etc. Frogs are a signal species (I forget the exact term) of what is going on in their environment. The more frogs and diversity of spp., the healthier the environment. For decades last century and the centuries before, the Rouge was a dumping ground for all manner of waste. It's only in the last few decades we've decided to clean up our act, literally. In past years I've been gainfully/painfully employed and unable to participate. This is my first year to attempt that to which heretofore I've only given lip service--really, constructively, helping in an environmental cause. Yes, I recycle and drive a fuel-efficient car; but I've wanted to get involved in a more useful manner. I'm hoping to also gain more info about the original state of my area--what native plants grew here, etc.

And I think it'd be cool to put a voice to the faces of different frog spp. Kinda like birdwatchers do, only with frogs. So if I hear any wisecracks about how much I sound like one--well, I'd like to hear anyone hit some of those high notes! It will require a good ear (we'll see if I qualify); patience; and lots of bug spray.

Congrats, EarlK, you are the first one to ask! Now, are you sorry you did?

[Earl K]

No, not sorry I asked.Actually sounds very interesting.Good luck with that

[wingdesigner]

Tanks!