Hugh from Nome

Greetings from Nome!
We'll be competing against six other squads including legendary eskimo musher Joe Garnie in the Stampede Trail stage race, 3-50 mile heats which begins tomorrow afternoon. Colby and Flame will be leading the way with the rest of our 11 finishers (including Sally who was dropped in Safety) in pursuit. It'll be a fun way to get back on the dance floor once again with the pooches. Of the ten dogs that made it to Nome 8 also made it to Dawson during our Quest experience as well. Next weekend we'll be heading north to Kotzebue to compete in a few local sprint races in Noorvik as well as the Arctic Circle Championships in Kotzebue. More than just the competition it's a time to spend learning the unique ways of the northwest Alaskan Eskimos. This week has been quite memorable as I'm staying with Dempsey Woods and his family, each day has been filled with constant laughter and smiles. Dempsey and I went on a thirty mile run with the pooches yesterday around the surrounding hillsides- beautiful , stark terrain- no trees but incredible sunsets. Once back home at Annie Lake in a few weeks I'll begin compiling a more detailed account of this past year's happenings, in fact it will be about the past ten years and I'm hoping to call the novel: 'HUGE MESS- A Cityslicker's 1st decade travelling by dogteam throughout the Far North'. Anyone have any friends in the publishing industry?- this one's sure to be a controversial memoir to enlighten the soul. Still planning on a school tour in mid May, we're more likely to visit areas where there is interest from more than one school or group. Obviously it's been an interesting year to say the least but the dawgs are happy, eating well with tails a waggin'- and isn't that what really matters? (As well as keeping Tamra happy!) Wishing you all well on your journeys too.

Enjoy the View, Hugh H. Neff and The Laughing Eyes Kennel Crew