MACHINER
BARBARA TROST:
I got hooked on sled dogs in 1996, during my first Alaskan winter in Fairbanks. As a marginal skier, I relied on my dogs to get me out in the snow and enjoy it. They taught me how much fun winter can be to be outdoors, even at 25 below. What started out with extended ski-jor trips soon developed into travel with a dog sled.

My husband, Alan and I have been doing dog trips over the past eight winters. We purchased a dogsled, so one person could train all our ski-jor dogs at once. Soon the dog sled was carrying both of our gear for trips throughout Alaska, including the Alaska Range, the Copper Valley and the White Mountains. Typically we would use only one sled with one of us on the runners while the second person, on skis, held onto a tow rope attached to the sled. Our trips extended to over a week, and were only limited by the weight and space in the sled. We started out with three long distance race dogs and now have a small kennel that allows both of us to use sleds for our trips together.

Alan and I moved to Eagle River several years ago. I work as an air quality monitoring specialist for the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation in Anchorage. In my line of work, I frequently travel to rural Alaska. I have graduate degrees in physics and atmospheric chemistry.

I participated in the 2005 Serum Run, which was a great adventure for me. I was impressed by the vastness of the State and the beauty of the country surrounding the trail. Alan and I switched off on dog sled and snow machine, which worked out well for us. Interestingly, we have very different impressions of almost all segments because of the different mode of travel. What was an easy day on snow machine might have been a hard day for the dogs and musher. A slow day on the dog sled gave me the time to really absorb the country where Alan on the same day arrived at the next stop without noticing the little details which passed him by so fast. On Serum Run 2006, we will again be alternating our mode of travel, but on opposite sections of the trail from last year. It is fascinating so see how a group of strangers turn into a great team. I’m looking forward to another journey with some old and some new friends.