Five minutes to learn "go" - one year to learn "whoa"

For a state with so few highways, the Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum in Fairbanks is a surprising place with a comprehensive collection of 70 working antique vehicles. Last night a few of them visited our RV park and Frederick went out to take some pictures.

1947 Standard 8A Tourer

A "Woody"

Today the Caravan boarded the riverboat Discovery III for a trip down the Chena River, as far as the confluence with the Tanana River. 

An historic stern-wheeler, the riverboat Discovery III.

For the edification and pleasure of the passengers, we were treated to a Piper Cub airplane demonstration of landing and take-off on the river and description of the dependence Alaskans have on flying.

We also passed by the riverfront home and kennels of the late Susan Butcher, four-time winner of the Iditarod. Ms. Butcher died in 2006 of leukemia, but her daughter, Tekla, addressed us from the shore and described the workings of Trail Breaker Kennel.

In addition to describing training techniques, there was a demonstration with a team pulling a four-wheeler.

These dogs are amazing and even though they do not look like huskies or malamutes, they are all sled dogs and quite a bit smaller than we expected. They are born with the instinct to pull and the phrase "five minutes to learn go - one year to learn whoa" describes their nature perfectly.

A smaller boat, the Discovery II,  left just before we did and I got this picture after the boat turned around and passed us going back.

The Riverboat tour included a stop at a replica of an Athabascan village complete with the release of a domesticated herd of caribou to demonstrate the hunting prey of the Athabascans.

The herd grazing at water's edge before they were encouraged to return to their pen inside the replica village.

We disembarked at the "village" and had an opportunity to walk around in the rain. Many of the exhibits in the village had been shown on board the boat because of the rain.

This clothing had been shown and described on-board. The center woman's parka was a stand-out!

Frederick and the resident replica moose.

This is Granite, Susan Butcher's lead sled dog. As a team, Susan and Granite won four Iditarod championships. As a puppy, he was the runt of the litter, but with the love, dedication and training of Susan Butcher, and his own determination, Granite overcame great odds to grow into a leader and a champion. He is honored in this bronze that is on the porch of the village post office.

Back on board, we were given a demonstration of a fish camp operation and...

how salmon are caught in a "fish wheel", cleaned and prepared, dried on the racks in the picture above. After a brief drying period, they are moved to the smoke house, in the middle in the picture above before they are finally stored in the fish cache, the little building on stilts.