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Jeff
King, the "winningest musher in the
world," opens his Alaska homestead
to the public every summer for a fascinating
tour of his champion dog kennel. Jeff
won the 1,049 - mile Iditarod Sled
Dog Race in 1993, 1996, 1998 and 2006.
In 2004, he came in second. During
the past 20 years, he has logged more
than 100,000 miles on a dog sled. His
homestead is home to more than 80 dogs.
The Husky Homestead Tour was
recognized as the highest rated land
tour in 2006 by Royal Caribbean and
Celebrity Tours. The 1½ - hour
tour (2½ hours
including pick-up and drop-off)
is unique because it doesn't just focus
on racing dogs. Jeff shares what it
is like living in Alaska and raising
three daughters in a place where temperatures
can plummet to 40 degrees below zero.
For many years, his family lived without
electricity or running water.
A gang of happy puppies greets
visitors, and a puppy may happily
bounce into your arms. You are
encouraged to pick up the puppies
and play with them.
The first half of the tour
takes place in the dog lot.
You'll learn about the dogs
themselves, their history and
lifestyle. You also get to
personally meet some of the
champions.
Jeff and his staff demonstrate some of their exercise
equipment, including state-of-the-art, dog -
powered training carousels. Teams train all year
round, including summer, so you may have an opportunity
to see the dogs in action in front of a four
- wheeler. See for yourself the enthusiasm the
dogs have for what they do.
For the second half
of the program, gather inside a heated seating
area. There, you'll learn about the Alaska
lifestyle, natural history of the
area, stories from the trail, and
some specific information about the
Iditarod Sled Dog Race. The walls are filled
with fine art by Donna Gates King, a well -
known Alaskan artist.
Jeff and his staff give a detailed
tour of his mushing equipment. He
talks about his training regime and
visitors learn about the special
relationship between musher and dog.
There's a lot going on year round
to make the journey to Nome a safe
and successful trip.
There is plenty of time for photographs
and for questions and answers, both
in a group and one - on - one.
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