We got an early start today after talking to Pastor Steve last night who said if we were going to tour a bit we should go early and we did. We had a quick breakfast in the church kitchen and headed over to the Iditarod Headquarters. It is the annual 1100 mile Wasilla to Nome sled dog race. We watched a great video tape of just how grueling of a feat it actually is. I think everyone including me came away with a whole new respect for this race. We then got to go see a sled team and actually Brock, Tayva, Megan and Ben went on a sled dog ride. The founder of this race was a man named Joe Redington and his son was the musher on their ride. (Pretty Cool)! The tape featured Lance Mackey who has survived cancer and came back to win the race four years in a row! He is the only musher to do this. His dad and brother have also won the race too. The most interesting fact was that only 1 musher has won this race 5 times! His name is Rick Swenson and do you know where Rick was born? Well this sled dog legend was born in Willmar, MN! The folks around the headquarters thought that was pretty neat when they found out we were from Willmar.
We then went to the Palmer Hay Flats which is flat delta type area that fills with water in the spring. A few weeks ago it was filled with Moose, and we actually saw some Moose in this area when we were coming back from our picnic Saturday night. We then played around in a river for awhile stopped for McDonalds lunch the back to Our Redeemer Lutheran Church for and afternoon and early evening of cleaning. It worked out well since the usual cleaning lady just had a baby and the church has not been thoroughly cleaned. EVERYONE pitched in. Dan, Alex, Ben, and Michael vacuumed upstairs and downstairs. Brock and Branden cleaned the bathrooms and showers. Megan and Tayva dusted the window sills and pews. Carter, Eli, and Matt worked outside in the garage. Kaleigh helped clean the fellowship area. Ally, Ali, Adi, and Marin hosed off and cleaned all the outside windows. The kids all worked very hard today. Laura, Darla, Megan, Tayva, and I made a great supper of baked chicken and we all ate together.
Tomorrow will be a long day, we are driving to Denali (Mt. McKinley) to see the highest mountain in North America. From Anchorage it looks like it is just a little ways west but it is about 3 hours each way. We are praying for good weather.
Hopefully I will have some awesome pictures posted tomorrow night or Saturday morning.
God bless you all!
Mike
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