Saturday, May 5, 2012
My day has arrived! Neccessity required I share it with the tires, however. Other than visiting some native galleries, which we stumbled upon last night, there was only one thing I knew I wanted to do, and it's not that big a thing. Actually, there's something big that I REALLY want to do in Anchorage but it's not open for the season yet. It's Seavey's Wild Sled Dog Show. I've been interested in it for years, ever since I got hooked on the Iditarod. But now that 26 year old Dallas Seavey WON the 2012 Iditarod, well, now it's a must! Maybe I can do that when I have to drive to Anchorage for The Fisherman's Africa trip. I'm also looking forward to seeing my Anchorage friend from the Christian Writer's Conference atGhost Ranch.

Anyway, back to The Ulu Factory. Ulu knives are native tools with a curved edge and a short handle held in the palm of the hand. They're very popular tourist items but very functional as well. I love mine at home for chopping and dicing salsa ingredients. Unfortunately, the Ulu Factor was a let down. The metal smith doesn't work on the weekends, the wood shop was simply creating the cutting board bowls that come with some ulu knives (an all automated process within a casing so there was nothign to see), and the gift shop was small and typical. We did see some nice and expensive ulu knieves with antler handles, as well as some antique ulus from the owners personal collection, relics from ancient native villages. On to the tires and then down the Turnagain Arm to the Kenai Peninsula where we had dinner with The Bear and Miss K. Slept in the waterless but spacious (16x16) and warm cabin that held most of our stuff during our road trip north.