Leaving on a jet plane---

I have to get up at oh dark thirty tomorrow to catch a flight out of El Paso at 8:30. It's about 70 miles from home to the airport on the SE corner of the city..Four plane changes later I will be in Fairbanks where it was 46 a few minutes ago compared to 87 here in Alamo. I am carrying a shirt-jac although it will look dumb in Phoenix. I will just say I am going to Alaska!!

I've been working on this for over two years now so to have it finally coming to pass is a near-miracle. I am so excited--scared but eager, too. I am very grateful to have this opportunity and will do my best to make the most of it. I still do not know how long I can and will stay but that is really not important now.

It will be special to meet some new dogs and get up close and personal with them--like feeding and picking up after them and maybe riding behind a few of them. I do not presently ambition to actually drive a team although that may be remotely possible. I would not risk it unless I was sure--and my hostess also--that I would not let the dogs come to any harm and hopefully not me!

I just stopped by the SP Kennel site and looked over the dogs and puppies. The new three are not up yet and the "fan club' does not open until October. There will be some changes in the lineup since a few more of the old timers have retired and will not race this year and the Surfivers are past two now and some of them will be running more this season. Whether I will get out there or not remains unknown. I do not think Slow Rush Kennel is all that far from Two Rivers although closer in to Fairbanks but I won't have wheels and will probably be kept pretty well occupied. For this trip, my purpose is those
'boots in the snow" I have mentioned and as much hands on experience as I can manage in a few short weeks--and when I am back home, by mid-December at the latest, I will feel it was very short, I am sure.

I hope to be able to post here fairly often and include some photos each time. That is also not certain yet. At any rate I am truly very grateful to have this work out and believe it will be a big step toward making "Women Who Run With The Dogs" into a real book in another year or so. I look at my picture with Aliy and Deedee and know that I too must dream it, dare it, and DO IT!! Thanks to them for their inspiration and to my very supportive brother who will keep the home fires warm and take care of the Red Dogs while Mama is off on her crazy adventure.