Into the Wild

Open Window Soap Works will be closed for most of February because in less than one week, I leave for my 3 week Alaskan Adventure!  I am excited, nervous, scared, optimistic.. on one hand it's like when I was a kid and it seemed like a week was forever and on the other hand I'm wondering if I didn't just get myself into something.  Here's the plan:

I leave early Thursday morning for Fairbanks where I will head directly to the start banquet for the Yukon Quest dogsled race.  This is when the mushers pick their numbers to determine the starting order.  I don't have a day by day itinerary, but at some point after that, I get to go to the Chena Hot Springs where the water is over 100F and the air temp is below zero.  I hope to get a picture like this one, only it would be me:

A week or so to relax in a cabin in Healy is going to be just what I need. Below zero nature walks, riding a snow machine (have no idea what this is, but sounds fun), mushing sled dogs - or at least learning how, watching the northern lights!!!  I'm really excited.

Then, it's off to Whitehorse in the Yukon, where the race finishes. It's about a 12 hour drive and I think we're going to try to stop at one or more race checkpoints on the way. After a day or two in Whitehorse, it's on back to Fairbanks and in what will probably seem like the blink of an eye, I'll be headed back to Atlanta on February 25th. 

I will likely have spotty cell phone reception, but I plan to send updates for the fun and excitement of my family and friends at Twitter, so bookmark it.  ..or I guess you can just look to the panel on the right..

Oh, and don't worry.  I'll be back with pictures... lots of pictures!