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Here’s a few close up pics of racers passing by us on the Iron Dog Trail. These guys can do 100 miles per hour on the straight aways and probably average around 50 to 60 miles an hour on the trip from Anchorage to Nome.

We work hard at the cabin but we have fun too. Snowmachining is how we get around in the winter but it’s also a recreational sport. The Iron Dog Race each year is a very popular spectator sport in the area. The racers set off on a 2500 mile race through the wilds of Alaska yesterday and we gathered for a few hours with a few other hardy Alaskans on a beautiful day in zero degree temperatures to watch the racers speed by. Quite a few planes and helicopters were out following the racers also. Built a fire on the frozen river to help stay warm. Yes it was lots of fun!

This is our favorite watering hole. It’s a natural spring Jeff found many years ago. He put a pipe into the side of the bank and the water has been flowing out of it ever since. Recently the water flowing out of the pipe created a huge ice fall that Jeff now has to climb up to collect the water. It’s worth it though for such beautiful clean water.

It was an overcast day riding out on the river yesterday. This picture came out looking like black and white film but it isn’t. Without any blue sky it’s a monochrome view. I thought it was cool though.

Another year round resident of the Mat Su Valley is the Downey Woodpecker. They live mostly on insects they find in tree bark along with berries and nuts. It’s fun to hear their distinct rat a tat sounds in the woodlands as they search for food. They can be also be drawn to suet in birdfeeders also. This is a female of the species. The males have a bright red patch toward the back of the head.

Birdwatching is fun. Pine Grosbeak are one of the species of birds that stay all winter in Alaska. The male of the species is one of our most colorful birds. Here’s a picture I took the other day. They bring a spot of color to a white winter day.

I never get tired of seeing these beautiful animals. Caught this moose at dinnertime munching on twigs. Like all moose he’s a vegetarian. Winter’s can be tough on them trudging through deep snow trying to find something to eat that’s not all covered in snow.

Here in Alaska some of the bigger lakes have ice roads built on them once the lakes freeze each year which people actually drive their car on to get to and from their cabins that are off the main road system. Since it stays cold here all winter people are able to use the ice road until Springtime when the lake ice melts and they start using a boat again.

We use the frozen river as a road in the wintertime. However, it’s not all frozen. You have to watch out for open water when travelling on it.

We see small planes flying up and down the river. That’s how people oftentimes get to their cabins in the bush. But it’s not all that common to see big planes. This plane flew right down the river and then over the top of the cabin. Got my attention.