Show me some Alaska

A lot of you have requested more pictures of Alaska, and I'm here to oblige, though I'm afraid these are it for now, since being out in the cold has taken its toll on me, it seems. I plan on spending the whole of today indoors, drinking tons of fluids and resting. It's no fun having a nasty cold/cough when on vacation, I tell you.  I took some pictures of the Iditarod race, which starts in Anchorage and ends in Nome. Dog sleds played a huge role in the settlement of Alaska. Mushers brought supplies, medicines, and mail to towns inaccessible by cars and larger forms of transportation. The Iditarod celebrates this part of Alaskan culture and tons of people around the world compete.  We stopped by the Ulu factory to pick up some souvenirs and an Ulu knife. What's an Ulu, you ask? An Ulu is a curved knife that was crafted by Eskimos. Apparently, it's an ancient tool that they've been using for thousands of years! Ulus were used to slice through everything: fish, seal, etc.  We stumbled upon a live Fur Auction, and this wolf pelt sold for $475. Fur is a HUGE part of Alaskan culture. So many people pay tons of money to get beautiful hides that they get made into coats, hats, or other embellishments. Hanging on the stage are pelts and pelts of animals such as wolf, fox, otter, and beaver.  On the drive to Wasilla (and no, we didn't visit Sarah Palin), the gorgeous mountains kept me company.