Months ago, I thought I'd toss out the idea of a winter tour in Alaska to my Parkwest customers and, lo and behold, the first ever Arctic Quest tour begins this Thursday.  We've got 10 brave souls coming to Alaska in late January to visit Anchorage, Fairbanks, Chena Hot Springs, chase the northern lights, go dog-sledding, go snowshoeing, do a snow coach tour, meet a reindeer, ride the Alaska Railroad, fly to the Arctic Circle and visit a native village, and see the start of the Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race.  I can't WAIT!

If you want to see ALL the details of this tour or our flying business, check out: Parkwest Air Tours.

So, if you're wondering just what kinds of tasks are left to the tour directors less than one week before the tour, here's a sampling of our weekend duties:

• Beg, borrow and steal numerous provisions and housewares from friends
• Research snowshoeing routes ONE more time
• Prep food for the coming long nights of aurora watching
• Attend the Yukon Quest fundraiser dinner; it was pretty much the two of us and the entire mushing community of Interior Alaska.  It was held at the Musher's Hall (all Alaska towns of any significant size have one), and DJ music was provided, primarily ABBA tunes.!@?  (Maybe mushing has some distant ties to Sweden?)  Mama mia!
• Ascertain whether or not a 14-foot trailer holding Dave, the reindeer, can turn around in our driveway
• String twinkling lights around the house
• Assemble an "Animated Buck"
• Answer lots of last-minute emails from participants who pose such vexing questions as: Will we be able to watch Downton Abbey on Sunday night?
• Ponder what it would be like to have a Parkwest tour experience a 7.1 earthquake, like the one that rocked Anchorage this morning
• Review various preparations of moose and caribou meat for our Farewell dinner

I thought this was a great article in ADN that conveys a bit of the life of a professional dog musher.  Sebastian Schnuelle, known for his wild hair and German accent, is a former Yukon Quest champ and Iditarod 2nd place finisher.  His kennel is not far from Fairbanks and, like all mushers, he LOVES his dogs.  Follow the link, view the photos and (especially) watch the video!

It's hard not to feel optimistic when you're on the "good" side of Winter Solstice and can barely-but-distinctly notice the daylight slowly creeping back, a few minutes per day.  We'd received a variety of tips from locals on how to endure the dark and cold and lonely of winter, such as:
1) a geologist turned tour guide told us: get outside every day
2) a taxi driver: be like a bear and HIBERNATE
3) a friend: whiskey, and lots of it

We've tried to average out all the offered advice.  I'm snowshoeing, Collin's skiing, Luna needs at least two good walks/day.  Our version of hibernation is binge-watching "Better Call Saul" and the complete series of "The Office" start to finish.  As for whiskey, we don't really touch it, but I will confess that the ladies at Hoodoo Brewery, our local brewery and tap room, greeted me this past week with: Happy New Year, Marisa!  Oops....guess I've bought one two many growlers of their IPA this winter!

But, as my tagline says: bloom where you are planted.  Below I offer you some "fruit" from the past two winters.