During the summers, Denali Park allows visitors to meet and greet with the Alaska Husky sled dogs at the Kennels located about 15 minutes into the park. I’ve wanted to go for a long time and despite the fact that Andy implored me to drop the idea as the entire thing, in his opinion, was a tourist death trap, I still insisted on going. He was right too – as usual. The entire bus was filled with over-eager tourists, their million lbs of luggage, and one incredibly intense man from Ohio who while stopped at a bridge repair, launched a bus-wide complaint against the use of Alaskan taxes to repair said bridge. Those dogs were in for a treat with this guy.
I literally felt like a child at this thing and for a small period of time I remember what it was like to be 5, where time stood still and you just couldn’t contain yourself. Andy kept telling me to calm down and stared at me terrified and slightly embarrassed at who I had become. “When are we going to see the dogssssssssss??” followed by “Tiny Wife. Stop.” A couple times he reminded me of my age. It was getting serious.
After listening to Ranger Cinnamon (not kidding) for what felt like the length of the World Cup, we finally got to see the dogs. They did their little show for us and then we got a chance to meet them and pet them.
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| The show! |
Once Ranger Cinnamon gave the go-ahead for petting time, I bolted towards the dogs. And Andy bolted from me. Multiple issues arose at this moment. For starters, there were just too many tourists. These dogs got a brief glimpse into the life of a sea anemone at the aquarium. Everyone was all over them, admittedly including myself.
You could tell the veteran dogs in this bunch. The had checked out of tourist season before it even began. They wanted zero to do with our tax friend from Ohio.
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| Tuya wants zero to do with you. |
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| Prusik is no more likely to get on board with your manhandling than his buddy Tuya |
The success of the afternoon was determined by the dogs who still had patience for the tourists – and for me. They just made my heart melt.
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| This guy even posed for the camera. In exchange for a belly scratch. |
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| “Andy can we take this one?” “No, that’s a felony.” |
We almost missed the bus back. I pouted the whole way back to the entrance of the park because I didn’t get enough time with the dogs. Andy was very patient. “We can come back and see them anytime you want.”
Once I stopped pouting we went to The Prospectors Pizzera and Alehouse to have our Denali-tradition Kwak beer. It was tasty as usual.
We ended the day with dinner at our favorite restaurant, 229 Parks on the Parks Highway. It is our favorite restaurant in the park. They are a vegan friendly, all organic restaurant that uses locally grown produce. You can taste the difference in the food. The staff is always friendly and inviting, and the presentation is beautiful. Each meal comes with a flower on it that you can eat.
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| My salad. Their salads are the best things on their menu. You can taste the fact that everything in that bowl was grown right in the area. |
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| Andy’s lobster stuffed pastries. Notice the spinach there. The Bachelor Andy would have removed the spinach completely from the plate and hid it. The Engaged Andy would move the spinach to the side of his plate. |
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| And the Married Andy is EATING it!! Good source of nutrients and iron for his Mt. McKinley climb. |
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| In true Andy form, the spinach was quickly followed up by an ice cream sandwich. With an eatable flower.
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