Starvation, Stress, and Fetal Development

I have been listening to a really interesting (and somewhat confusing) lecture series on human behavioral biology and have really enjoyed it so far. Out of all the interesting and unbelievable things I am now becoming acquainted with, there was one that I thought I'd share here. In a lecture called "Behavioral Genetics I" I learned about the pre-natal environment, and the lasting effects that things like stress and diet (of the mother) can have on a fetus while still in utero. Even though both stress and metabolic problems (or whatever you want to call them) are often passed from generation to generation (for about 3-4 generations being the average) neither is a genetic trait, i.e. they are not transferred to the offspring through DNA. These are examples of non-Mendelian inheritance, or non-genetic inheritance. They are circumstantially transferred from mother to fetus (and through subsequent generations) through some specific situation or as a result of some outside influence. I find that totally fascinating!
The following paragraph comes from a study on people who lived through the Dutch Hunger Winter in 1944.
For example, I guess it's during the third trimester that a fetus develops its metabolic pace, I guess you could say. That is to say it is during the last trimester when the fetus sort of (metaphorically) takes stock of how often and how much nutrition they are getting from mom and they adjust their metabolism, (which remains fixed ever after for the rest of their life) to most efficiently absorb calories. The staggering affect of this is that if the mother is starving, or otherwise not eating properly, or overexercising (so her body needs more calories than she is giving to her baby) then the fetus develops a very thrifty metabolism that can eek every last drop out of its caloric intake. If the mother eats normally, then the fetus develops a metabolism that is more normal, i.e. doesn't try to hold on to every calorie that enters the body. What that translates to down the road (in western society mostly) is that in the first case, there is a very high chance that the fetus will be obese, and will develop diabetes later in life, because it's body is tuned to absorb every last calorie, and once they are introduced to a western diet McDonald's and ice cream, their body can't process it normally. In developing nations this is actually adaptive because starving mothers there are more likely to raise their kids in an environment where there is little food and they need that frugal metabolism to survive.
It's just really incredible to think that during that 3 month window, way back when, inside mom, the amount of nutrients she consumed while the fetus was developing, could have lasting effects like her offspring having a lifetime battle against obesity.
Likewise, stress in the mother during pregnancy can alter the amount of stress hormones produced by her fetus and lead to things like depression and increased susceptibility to stress later in life. It basically works like this; mom gets stressed, she releases glucocorticoids into her blood stream. The fetus then absorbs them and as a result, develops a smaller than average brain, thinner cortex, which in turn makes it harder for the fetus to produce the hormones that block glucocorticoids (i.e. they can't turn off the stress response, after the stressful situation has ended). This leads to depression, anxiety, etc, And when the offspring get pregnant (years later) the cycle continues through the next generation.
So I guess the moral of the story is if you get pregnant, eat a lot of (healthy) food and whatever you do DON'T FREAK OUT!

I guess I should note that there are some scientists out there who disagree with the conclusions reached above. There were other studies conducted that produced different results. However from what I've read, it seems the differences are due to inconsistent controls from experiment to experiment. (For example, a similar study was done on Russian babies, and the results showed no correlation between mothers starving and obesity of fetus later in life, but in the Russian case the study covered the average of all babies (not just the ones in the last trimester), and the fluctuation in food supply was much more gradual than in the Dutch Hunger Winter study.)

Manny's Vacation

Manny on his way to Alaska!

Manny and Tatonka having a staring contest.

Manny pretending to be a sled dog!

Manny freezing and hiding in his backpack.

Manny playing in the snow!

Manny at the airport in Anchorage.

Self Portrait

Me in a crowd.

Quote of the Day

"Errors of opinion may be tolerated  where reason is left free to combat it." Thomas Jefferson

Goods for Sporting

When I was in Fairbanks I accompanied my little brother to the local sporting goods store to pick up some coveralls. While he was shopping I browsed around. I guess I don't go to sporting goods stores very often because I was baffled by some of the items for sale there. And it was such an interesting experience I thought I would share some of my "finds" with you!

The four Khakies: Dark, Light, Greenish and Brownish

It's never too early to take them hunting!

I don't even want to know what this stuff is for.

Nope. He's not.

Are these to hunt deer or take them out on a date?

Use only if you want to shoot depressed deer that want to die anyway.

Buffalo heads and giant crabs! Of course! Now why didn't I think of that?

WTF? Lions? in Alaska?

Camo-computer. If you need to Facebook while hunting the deer 

won't see you!

Ahhhhh! Throw it back! Throw it back!

Blow on this and it says "Ohhhh come eat me big scary predator...BTW I taste better with chili and onions..."

Life in the Woods

Reading at the Red Lantern, Fairbanks AK

I recently read Walden by H.D. Thoreau. It was my travel book on my Alaska adventure, and a well suited one I think. In some ways it was much better than I imagined, but in others well....I guess I should start from the beginning.
I don't think I would have liked Thoreau if I'd known him in real life. He seems (though his writing) to have been a bit of a douche bag, and frankly the first couple chapters made him seem pompous and arrogant. I think (at least in his early 30's) that he considered himself intellectually superior to everyone he knew, and apparently he wasn't afraid to say it, or write it in a book for everyone else to know.
The first couple chapters are a rant against society, acquisitions of wealth, fashion and the typical life of people in the 1840's. In one place he says "I have lived some thirty-odd years on this planet, and I have yet to hear the first syllable of value or even earnest advice from my seniors." Ouch. And then he suggests that every person should be content to live in a 3 foot by 6 foot box (too coffin like for me) because that is all one man needs to protect him from the elements! He looked down on fashion in general, and called those interested in it "monkeys."
He was accurate in his observations I think, but his blanketed judgements concerning humanity were a little too harsh. And I don't think he had much of a sense of humor. One of my favorite lines he wrote was "I would rather sit on a pumpkin, and have it all to myself, than be crowded on a velvet cushion."And I thought that was pretty funny (because I get his point, but I don't think I've ever seen a pumpkin I'd be comfortable sitting on), but I believe he was being quite serious in saying it.
So at this point you'd imagine that either a.) I'd have quit reading the book or b.) I would at the very least not recommend anyone else to read it. But neither is the case.
There were a few hidden gems of insight in the earlier chapters that made the rest of his moaning and whining worth reading, and when he finally got to the part where he was living at Walden Pond, the reading came much easier,and the book came alive. Like I said he was a wonderful observer, and so the rest was actually a really great read. I loved every minute of it. (Especially when I was sitting among hundreds of stranded travelers at the Seattle airport!) It was entertaining, thoughtful, inspiring, thought provoking and not at all like the first few chapters!
Instead of paraphrasing I thought I'd just post a few of my favorite quotes and let that inspire you to either read the book yourself, or at least forgive Thoreau for his earlier comment about old people. Enjoy!

"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived."

"A written word is the choicest of relics. It is something at once more intimate with us and more universal than any other work of art. It is the work of art nearest to life."

"I have, as it were, my own sun and moon and stars, and a little word all unto myself."

"I find it wholesome to be alone the greater part of the time.To be in company, even with the best, is soon wearisome and dissipating. I love to be alone. I never found the companion that was more companionable as solitude."

"I had three chairs in my house; one for solitude, two for company, three for society."

"A lake is the landscape's most beautiful and expressive feature. It is earth's eye; looking into which the beholder measures the depth of his own nature."

(I may add more here when I have more time. So check back periodically if you'd like to read more.)

It's Pasta Time

All it takes to make pasta!

Last night I decided to make pasta for dinner. And I mean actually make pasta (from flour and eggs)! It's so simple to do, and really kind of fun, especially with a helper (in this case my BF). And I got to use my pasta machine, which I love. I made fresh fettuccine with a grilled garlic and lemon seafood medley that I got at Costco. Super yummy. The medley had shrimp, calamari, scallops, mussels. I had never tried the latter in my life, nor had my BF, so we were a little nervous. But it was so delicious! It didn't even need salt because it was naturally salted while it lived in the ocean! It was a really nice dinner, and one of my better concoctions I think.

Our Dinner!

I made way too much pasta, so the extra is hanging in my kitchen drying. I'll use it later this week in another experiment! Three cheers for home made pasta! Hooray! Hooray! Hooray!

Extra pasta drying!

Quote of the Day

The only way to keep your health is to eat what you don’t want, drink what you don’t like, and do what you’d rather not.

Mark Twain 1835-1910

Carolinapectin jamieae

I was just reminded of the fact that years ago as an undergraduate I used to go fossil shell hunting in the quarries out in Loxahatchee Florida. I even found a holotype, (the first specimen of a new species ever discovered) once! Of course I had no idea that it was a new species, it took my professor to discover the fact. And obviously I gave it to him because it was his research that allowed me to go there collecting in the first place. He told me he would name it after me, and said that I could look it up in his next book when it was done. Only I moved away and never actually looked for it. Anyway I just did an internet search. His book is too expensive to buy it turns out (125.00!), but as luck would have it the part about my shell was one of the pages you could preview on Amazon! Woo Hoo! Unfortunately I was unable to see the page that had a photograph of the shell though. It basically looks like a big grey scallop shell. Anyway, here is the page documenting my small contribution to paleontology/paleomalacology!



As sort of a side note, it's interesting how perspectives change with age. When I lived in Florida and was going to school, and fossil hunting in the quarry, and scuba diving with my professors I assumed that my whole life would be like that, like it was just the beginning of the adventure. But from where I am now, it appears that WAS the adventure. And probably the happiest time in my life. But...well, we all have to live with the choices we make. And you can never really go back. LOL. Not to sound too negative. Besides who knows? Maybe there is still an adventure out there with my name on it, just waiting for me.

Christmas List 2011: Item 2

I'm not sure what this is...I think it's a new species of bat. But it's adorable and kind of looks like Eddie Murphy for some reason and I want it for Christmas.

Dumb Question

It turns out Marshall Loeb was wrong when he said "There are no dumb questions- only dumb answers."  I found this post on Ask.com. *Sigh* I mean really?

Coldfoot Alaska: The Aurora Borealis

Aurora over Coldfoot Camp (Painting by me)

Besides the sled dogs (and getting to see my little brother of course) the best thing about Coldfoot in the winter/early spring are the Aurora. I have to admit that when I was planning my trip viewing the Aurora was not on the top of my list. I'd seen them as a kid in northern Wisconsin and even once when I lived in Michigan.
I begrudgingly waited until three in the morning to see them for the first time in AK (and they did come out), and after that I was so impressed that every night after that I stayed up till 3 or 4 in hopes they'd put on a show for us.
First of all, the aurora I saw in the Midwest were nothing at all compared to the ones in Alaska. From the latitude of Michigan the Aurora take up only a sliver of the sky, to the north just at the horizon. And while I remember the green tint of the light...it looked like it could have come from the ground up, like light pollution from a city. It was neat to see, but not very impressive. But the Aurora in Alaska...WOW! To put it simply there is just no comparison.
It's partly the staying up all night in anticipation that makes it exciting. Our first night we tried to see them we hung out in our hotel room and checked every 45 minutes or so from 11:00 to about 1:30. Then our expert Aurora watcher (aka my little bro) thought he saw the beginnings of some action. We bundled up as best we could and headed out back of our hotel. It was FREEZING! We didn't know at the time but Jay was right, and the Aurora were starting. It's really hard to tell them at first because they look like wispy clouds, and are so dispersed (or faint) that they look more white than green. If you've ever seen the milky way (sort of a faint white band that stretches across the sky) that's what it looked like. Needless to say standing out in the frigid cold (and it was really windy that night) to look at barely there Aurora was not my idea of a good time. So we went in and headed to the front of the hotel, near the lobby where we thought we would close the lights, sit by the windows and watch to see if anything happened.(Then we would run outside.) Apparently some other people had the same idea. There were two women from Oklahoma City, a couple from Prescot AZ (parents of one of Jays co-workers), and a girl from Taiwan I think. We all sat in the dark and chatted while taking turns to get up and smush our faces to the window to see if we could see anything. I definitely recommend this strategy if you are planning on staying up all night to watch. It is just too cold to stay outside the whole time while you are waiting for them to start. And you want to be comfortable enough to enjoy them when they are in full force, and not be worrying about whether or not your toes are going to freeze and fall off.

Ribbon of Aurora (paintings by me)

 Around 3:30 one of the Oklahoma ladies came rushing in from outside shouting "Come quick! They're starting!" We all cut our conversation short and grabbed our hats, mittens, scarves, zipped up our coats, grabbed our cameras and dashed out the door after her. At first it was hard to see there were little spots that were definitely green, but you had to sort of look at it out of the corner of your eye to see it move. Eventually more spots formed, and they became shadowy curtains floating in the night sky. For some reason they reminded me of the robes that the ghosts wore on the Scooby-Doo cartoons. They got brighter and dimmer and sometimes you'd be scanning the sky in front of you when all the action was to your back, or above your head even. It was a full 360 degree experience, and we found ourselves turning in circles in hopes of catching every particle (or wave if you prefer) of light. Everyone was so excited, and shouting "Oh, look there!" "Oh wow! Look at that one!" I couldn't smile on account of my face being frozen, but I was smiling on the inside for sure. While it was really beautiful it was hard to ignore the fact that my legs felt like they were being pricked with needles (although I was happy I could still feel them) and the moisture in my nose was freezing to my nose hairs and pulling them whenever I took a deep breath. Had I been better dressed I am sure it would have made a big difference, but I live in California and have no need of snow pants and -50 degree rated coats. Anyway they were worth it. The aurora gave us a pretty good show rising up over Coldfoot Mountain and slowly flashing across the sky to the southeast. I tried to take pictures which was utterly hopeless, so I finally gave up and just enjoyed them. They faded out after about 40 minutes, so we all went back inside to warm up and we waited until about 3:30 or 4:00 before calling it a night.
 Two nights later Jay and I stayed up again keeping watch and around 1:30 or two the show began. It was apparent right away that this one was going to be much bigger. The green was brighter and deeper. It was as if someone had increased the contrast, and so the sky looked blacker and the lights shone more. It had been cloudy all that day, and we thought the chances of us seeing anything were slim to none, but then right around midnight the sky cleared. (So let that be a lesson to any of you who might make it up there to see them sometime, don't be fooled by a cloudy day!) And what a show! Just in the first ten minutes we were out there it put our whole previous viewing to shame! There was more movement, and more...shapes I guess you could say. At one point a there was a giant, elongated  "C" extending from Coldfoot Mountain hovering above us and continuing all the way to the south (see painting). When I looked straight up I could see the bottom of the curtain moving up and down like it was riding along top of invisible waves fifty miles up. I saw curtains and ribbons of alien green light all over the place and they all swayed silently in the invisible solar wind above my head. It was...magical. If I didn't know already how the Aurora formed, I would have been convinced of magic that night. It was (is) just that...awesome and weird. I was again cold, but the lights were so spectacular I forgot about it (well, that and I borrowed Jays coat:) It was just a beautiful experience. I'll never forget it.
In real life they look nothing like they do in photos. For one they move and form in a dome above you. You have to look sideways and up and around back over your shoulder to really see everything. And the other thing is that especially when they are right over you, you realize how big they are. In real life they look 100 miles long by 20 miles tall! They are just enormous! But I feel like in photographs they look about the size of your average cloud, and that is not at all the case. Jay and I stayed up (drinking lots of coffee and hot chocolate) and watched till the end.

Paintings switched around (paintings by me)

It is absolutely worth staying up all night, or three nights if necessary, to see. Even if you have seen them before at lower latitudes, there is no comparison to seeing them in the winter above the arctic circle. The cold, the utter darkness, the mountain air, the coffee freezing in your cup, the tingling in your fingers, the eerie dance of the Aurora....it's surreal, and almost feels supernatural. It almost felt like I was born to live just to experience that moment (but that could have been the bourbon talking:) It's probably the closest I would say I have come to feeling like the earth itself is alive.
Sometimes for no reason at all, it's like my brain takes a step back, and sees the bigger picture, and I am in awe of it. It's mind blowing to think that this place is my home! This is where I belong! Out of all the universe I was lucky enough to  be born here, on a planet where in the winter, in the far north, green lights dance across the sky in time to the cosmic tune.

Explanation of paintings:
First painting is of me, Jay and our Aunty Paulette watching the Aurora behind the hotel. I tried to take photo's but none of them came out, so I specifically tried to remember that moment so I could paint it when I got home. While it might not be an exact likeness of anything or anyone, I feel like it accurately depicts the scene as I remember it. The essence of the moment was captured.
The second and third are the same two paintings. The first is how I intended them to be set up and the second is just switched and looks cool, but somewhat inaccurate. The first setup is of my favorite view I actually saw in real life where the Aurora formed a giant ribbon in the shape of a C across the sky. On the left is Coldfoot Mountain and on the right is the other mountain to the east (don't know the name) so it's supposed to be a panorama kind of. The second switched set up looks cool, but isn't accurate in that I never saw the lights diverging from each other, and the mountains are no longer in their accurate positions or shapes.

Holy Cow!

I found this article (and this amazing photo) while cruising the internet the other day. I didn't realize cows could be so dexterous! LOL! Who needs horses? For the full article please visit the original site!

When Life Gives You Giant Lemons...

Giant Lemon with wine glass for scale:)

...Make tons of lemonade! I have discovered I have an endless supply of giant lemons at my disposal, and I have been making tons of lemonade with it. I am trying to think of other things I can use them for, but am falling a little short. Any ideas???

Coldfoot Alaska: The Dogs (Part 3)

Ok, time for the next installment of sled dogs! I am going to try and shorten my descriptions up though, otherwise I'll never get on to any of the other aspects of Coldfoot!

Bella

Bella: Bella is still a puppy, and the only one of her siblings  (brothers Cash and Leo I think?) that has figured out how to pull a sled. She is a cute girl (and Jays favorite) with big brown puppy eyes and a real soft spot for by brother. She isn't dainty like Bacon, but at the same time is still obviously a girl. She lines up at the back of the sled and pulls along side of either Winchester or her Grandpa Shaggy.

Tatonka and Jay

Tatonka: He (?) is one of the middle dogs in the sled team, and most of the time I can't tell him apart from Butkus (whom I will get to in a bit). I think he's one of the younger dogs (but not a puppy) and seems to be very good natured, a sort of "go with the flow" kind of guy. He'll run when it's time, but he won't try to pull the sled by himself if you take too long of a break.

Bowser pretending I'm not there

Bowser: He is easy to remember because of his husky markings, and because of how tall and lanky he is. His legs are at least 3" longer than every other dogs. He has this aristocratic way of laying on top of his dog house with his front legs crossed. While he is friendly and everything, he has this air about him that says he won't beg for ear scratchies or attention. Where some of the other dogs will look you right in they eye Bowser won't, but he makes you feel like it's because your not interesting, not because he's uncomfortable doing so.

Blacky: Another one of my favorites! I thought Blacky was a he, but Jay says he's really a she. However I am skeptical because in one of my photo's "she" has a wee-wee, and so either I am confusing dogs or Jay is wrong. (I'm probably confusing photo's but either way, I'll let you know definitively as soon as I find out) But she/he is a sweetheart. Gentile and calm, and patient (like the other older dogs) but a hard worker. She doesn't complain or get caught up in all the carrying on of the other dogs. She seems content and happy, and very appreciative of attention when anyone directs any at her. She is a middle dog on the sled team.

Cash trying to jump on me

Cash: Cash is Bella's brother. He looks a lot like her, and is also very adorable, but much more manly. His face is wider than his sister. He's a jumper, and has lots of energy and often gets in shouting matches with his brother and the other adjacent dogs (except Blacky). He is in dog sled training right now, but from what I've seen it will be a while before he pulls a sled. He and Leo remind me a lot of Harry and Lloyd from Dumb and Dumber when they are leashed up and practicing. Not too organized and always willing to stick together even if it means walking in circles and tangling the leash repeatedly.

Harnessing up Leo

Leo: I could use the exact same description of Leo as I did for Cash. They are two peas in a pod, and seem to get along really well (even though they are two boys) Leo is darker in color, and he does this really cute thing of burying his head in your lap or arm if you sit on his dog house or crouch down on the ground. He will nuzzle in  until his whole face is covered in you arm and just stand there and want you to pet him. It's really endearing and none of the other dogs do it.

Butkus barking at Cash

Butkus: Somehow I always miss Butkus. He's the one I forget when I try to name them, and I spent a whole day  mistaking Tatonka for him (so I took twenty pictures of Tatonka thinking 10 of those were Butkus). Anyway, naturally I feel bad about that. So unfortunately I can't recall too much about him because I don't know if it was really him or not. I do remember that he would get into scuffles with Cash, and I got this one really vicious looking photo of him barking, but he wasn't mean at all. I should ask Jay give me a better, more accurate description of him to post here. Poor Butkus! Sorry!

Mommy Jenna

Jenna: Jenna is the mom of the puppies, but she doesn't look like it since she is grey and white and all her puppies are black. She seems pretty mild mannered, but I think it is more that she is exhausted by being chanined in the back of the lot surrounded by her loud, whiny, energetic, rambunctious offspring. He spends a lot of time in her dog house (I would too) and although she seems to want attention from people, it appears that she has resigned herself to the fact that most of us can barely make it though all her babies to give her pets or say hello. And when we do the howling and whining from the puppies (who want to eat your mittens and hair) is so distracting that Jenna and I both appear to agree it's not worth the noise. SHe is the one who got in that terrible fight with Lightning and almost killed her. It's hard to imagine she'd be so violent when you look at her, but the scars on her face are from Lightning trying to defend hereself.

Puppies, Jay, Cash and Leo

The Puppies: I lump all the puppies together because I can barely tell them apart anyway. There are four girls, Grace, Winnie, Stella and Georgia and one boy Rocky. They are so wild and jumpy that I pretty much tried to avoid them while in the dog lot. They just wanted to chew on everything and play with everything, and while that is certainly OK and expected, the problem was that there were FIVE of them doing all of that at once. You turn to pet one, and the other would jump on your back. You try to push another off you and the one your not facing pulls your mitten out of your pocket and starts chewing the thumb off. I must admit they were pretty cute though when we took them for walks. They were like a moving pile of black tails and ears.

Wheew! We made it! That's all of the dogs!

Coldfoot Alaska: The Dogs (Part 2)

So next on the list is...

 

Junior: Despite her name she is a girl. And a big beefy one at that. She's very...well, I hate to say fat, but maybe solid is a better word, and very strong. She looks a lot like Lucky, and Toby but she's a little rounder than both. She is one of the lead dogs, but maybe one of the more enthusiastic leads. She seems to have a lot of energy, but saves it for when she is pulling the sled. She won't knock you over normally, but if you get down on your knees all bets are off and she will jump on you to say hello.

Winchester: Now here is a name fitting of it's owner! Winchester is a beast! He is so strong, probably the strongest of all the dogs and big too. He's not stocky or round, but lean and all muscle. His back legs are ridiculously muscular, and when you watch him run behind a sled he actually pivots his body so he is always pulling harder than the other dogs. And when you stop to give the other dogs a break Winchester is always the first one lunging at the line to get going again. At the dog lot he will jump on you and tackle you if you are not paying attention to him and within range. He took down a little Japanese gal named Sumi when I was there. But he's not mean or dangerous. After he gets you on the ground he will lick you, or point his behind in your direction so you will scratch it. He's a goof ball, full of energy and very strong. He's like a gigantic black puppy with playful brown eyes. He's a power dog and is at the back of the line because he pulls the hardest.

Birdie: If you have been around Birdie for any length of time the thing that will stand out the most is the dreadful moaning sound she makes when she gets left behind on a sled run. It's the most bizarre sound I have ever heard a dog make. It almost sounds like she is trying to talk as she's crying, and for that reason it's even weirder. It really sounds like a person wailing caught in the throes of the deepest agony and mental suffering imaginable! You can almost make out the words "Oh...why aren't you taking me? What have I done! Why are you abandoning me? Don't leave me here, Ill do anything you ask, Pleeeeeese, pleeeeeese, please don't leave me behind, Did I make a mistake last time? I'll do better, I swear just don't go without me...don't go!" I hate to admit by the end her antics made me laugh, especially because she was obviously so upset, but she just wouldn't shut up, and like I said it was such a funny sound coming from a dog, and after a while all you can do is laugh, otherwise she will make you crazy. She's a lead dog.

Shaggy: Shaggy is another strong guy, and so he is in the same position as Winchester in the sled team. He kind of got lost on my visits out to the dog lot because he is in between Birdie (and her whining) and Lightning who vies for all attention within 20 feet of her post. But he never complained. He's not a jumper really, so I just didn't notice that I wasn't noticing him. When I did though I spent extra time with him. If you sit on his dog house he will come up and snuggle you, but won't jump on you or knock you over. He's calm and strong. He is the grandfather of Bella.

Lightning: Lightning is a cute, a husky with fluffy grey fur and a curly tail. She is full of energy and will try to jump on you with so much gusto that sometimes you get the feeling she is trying to attack you, not beg you for scratchies. But her enthusiasm is all friendly and she will roll over and accept belly rubs as soon as she knows she has your attention. She is a natural poser for photo's too. She will bark and jump and carry on and is one of the louder dogs out there. I can't remember where she runs in the sled team, either middle or back. She is the one who got in a fight with Jenna, so she has a few battle scars on her legs from their encounter. She seems to be a happy dog and is always trying to squeeze the most excitement out of the moment. Without sledding I don't think she would ever get tired!

Coldfoot Alaska: The Dogs (Part 1)

One of the main tourist attractions (in the winter) at Coldfoot camp is the dog sledding. But before I get to that I'd like to first dedicate a blog (or three) to the dogs themselves. I was lucky in that my brother was already familiar with the dogs, and learning the ropes of mushing, so I got to spend lots of time with them. On my first night at Coldfoot we headed out into the dark behind the Inn to the dog lot to meet the gang. There are 24 dogs in total, and they are chained to individual swiveling poles and each has it's own little plywood dog house. The chains are long enough that they can touch noses or paws with the adjacent dogs, but not so long that they get tangled up.
Their houses are square, or rectangular rather, and the roof is flat. They often lay on the top of their houses, or stand on them to get a better view of who is walking around the corner, and what's going on. The houses are raised up about 4-6" from the ground and the underside is stuffed with hay which acts as an insulator. For those of us that have been camping it's the difference between having a sleeping mat or sleeping directly on the ground. Just the little bit of separation can be dramatic. Anyway, their houses are not spacious, but that is part of the idea. It's harder to keep a bigger space warm when it's 40 below out, so the smaller the space, the easier it is for the animal to heat, and the warmer they will be. In fact I read a while back (don't remember where) that if you give an outdoor dog the option of a big dog house or a tiny one (when the weather is cold) they will choose the smaller one.
Anyway, there are plenty of dogs for them to keep each other company and not get lonely. Most of them seem to get along, but another reason for the chains (besides keeping them from running off) is to keep certain dogs separated from each other because they will fight. Jenna, the mother of 5 puppies, and another female Lightning got into a big fight a few months back and the latter was almost killed in the process. Needless to say they are not chained close to each other. I think for the most part the dogs are chained boy/girl/boy/girl and that helps.
I was surprised to learn that ALL the dogs are friendly to people. That is, while some are shy, or big and rough, or fight among each other, they are all genial enough to to get close to, hug, pet, etc. I would have thought there would be a few mean dogs in the bunch but that was not the case at all.
When we fist arrived at the lot the dogs were barking and howling like crazy. We went down the line and each said hello to to different dogs being careful not to skip anyone. I was a little apprehensive at first (not trusting that one of them wouldn't attack me) but half way through my first greeting that feeling was gone. The dogs bark until they have all been greeted, and then they settle down and are quiet. It's like they are shouting "Don't forget me! Don't skip me! I'm here!" And then afterward when they know they were not ignored or snubbed they are content to sit and watch whatever you are doing.
I guess there are some people who think dog sledding is animal abuse, so I thought it important to express my opinion on that after having been around the dogs. That (at least with these dogs) was not the case at all. They all want to go sledding. In fact there was only crying and wailing if they are left behind. One dog Birdie actually makes this weird moaning sound like she is being tortured when she realizes that she won't be a part of a sled team. It was almost heartbreaking not to take her. And then once the dogs are hooked on the line, they start lunging and jumping wanting to go even before the other dogs are in their places and ready. And there was never a reward like a Beggin Strip for getting hooked up to the line, or putting a harness on. They all willingly did everything for the sheer enjoyment of the run. They were not bribed in any way or coerced into pulling the sled. So for what it's worth, that's my opinion on that.
It was surprising that I found it easier to recognize the dogs and remember their names, while I wasn't so good with all of my brothers coworkers. But then I wasn't nose to nose, hugging his fellow employees, and scratching them behind the ears like I was with the dogs either! It took a couple days for their personalities to emerge, but just like people the dogs were very different from one another, and just like with people I found myself more drawn to dogs because of their personality. Since it was such a big part of my trip I am going to go through and say a little something about every dog (except I might lump all the puppies together because I can't tell most of them apart anyway). And I'll probably do it in order of how they are chained up. This might take a couple blogs because of the pictures but here I go:

Sleeper

Sleeper: He's the first dog you see when heading into the lot and one of the cutest. He has a white underbelly and a soft brownish red fur on his back and a matching nose, and has beautiful blue eyes. He was cuddly and not a huge barker, he seemed pretty content. He is a good puller of the sled and is sort of stocky and muscular.

Lucky (formerly Beatrice)

Lucky: Lucky used to be named Beatrice until she was attacked by a wolf and almost killed (Chad the owner of the dogs shot and killed the wolf). Then she became Lucky. She is an older gal with black fur and graying around the muzzle. She has two white dots above her eyes and seems very...patient. She does pace sometimes, but she doesn't bark and jump when waiting for her greeting. She's like the matriarch. Sort of regal in a certain way and wiser than most of the younger females.

Toby and Jay

Toby: Toby is the "Old Man" the "Godfather" the head boss or in dog terms the alpha male of the entire group. He is a lot like Lucky, calm, patient, not overly excitable. He's mostly black with grey around his nose. He is a lead dog (when sledding) which means he is one of the smartest and when he looks you in the eyes (which he does almost always) you really get the sense that he sees you as an individual person and not just as "people". I'm not anthropomorphising either. I really think he gets whats going on, and he seems to be very intuitive to human facial expressions and moods.

Huggable Bear

Bear: And then you have Bear. Bear is a Chow mix (and looks like a Chow), cute as a giant furry button and about as dumb as a post. He is probably the most huggable of the bunch because he is so fluffy and adorable, but apparently he can't quite figure out which direction to run when pulling a sled. He's a jumper and will put his paws on your shoulders and try to lick your face, but he's as harmless as a fly. He's the kind of dog you'd want to lay on and use as a headrest while reading a book. And to be honest he's probably enjoy a career as a footstool or pillow.

Princess Bacon

Bacon: Bacon is the princess (lol, what a weird sentence!). It might be hard to imagine a dog looking like a Disney princess but I swear she does. She is grey and white with the Husky markings around her eyes and on her face. Her name really doesn't suit her, but I guess it could have been worse, she could have been Ham or Sausage, or Salisbury Steak. She is petite, short, thin, slim legs, narrow face, poofy curly tail, and when she stands she always looks looks like she is posing. She's sweet and gentile, and when she stands on her hind legs and puts her paws on your chest she does it daintily. Even when she runs she is pretty.

Meeting Riley for the first time

Riley: I don't know why but Riley is one of my favorites. He's a middle aged dog (i.e. not a puppy or an old timer) a little skittish, and shy. Most peoples first impression of him is that he is scary looking because he has one brown eye and one blue one and there is a white stripe that runs down the middle of his nose, and his fur is a mixture of five different shades of brown. He looks more wild than the rest. Sort of Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde, and I think he might get less attention than the other dogs because guests are afraid of him. But I loved him right away. He loved me too I think, and after our first meeting he was never shy around me. He, like Toby, is a lead dog, so he seems to pay special attention when you are talking to him, and appears to really be contemplating it when you ask him how he's doing. He is one of the only dogs that when sledding, will turn his head and acknowledge you when you shout out "Good job Riley! Keep it up boy!"

OK, that's enough for this installment! Only 19 more to go!