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Robert Forto

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Recreation

Alaska Chicks Vodka

March 31, 2013 by robertforto Leave a Comment

It’s Easter Sunday. What better way to celebrate than whipping up a batch of Alaska Chicks Vodka.

Why do we call it Alaska Chicks Vodka? It’s simple really, we use vodka that is distilled right here in Alaska and we use Peep’s marshmallow chicks.

How do you make it?

1 large Mason Jar

3/4 bottle of Frostbite Alaska Vodka

8 Peeps (or more)

Place the Peeps in a jar and cover them with the vodka. Seal it. Place in the refridgerator for three or four days. Enjoy! You can drink it straight or strain the vodka through a coffee filter. Your choice.

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Filed Under: Alaska, Daily Post, Recipe Rants Tagged With: alaska, easter, Easter Sunday, Food, Mason Jar, Peep, Recreation, Vodka

Dog Works Radio Show

November 30, 2012 by robertforto Leave a Comment

For almost four years I have been on an incredible journey hosting the Dog Works Radio Show. We have had some of the greatest guests in the world. Some of them have been world famous movie producers, authors and filmmakers, others have been cancer researchers, service dog advocates and even a dog that was campaigning for mayor in Denver.

As we approach our fourth anniversary in January, I just want to thank all of you for listening and for making all of this possible, because without you, the rabid listener, there is no reason for this show to continue!

Listen to Dog Works Radio shows now

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Filed Under: Daily Post, Dog Works Radio Tagged With: Blog Talk Radio, denver, dog, dog works radio show, pets, Radio, Recreation, Service dog

Road Trippin: Hatcher Pass, Independence Mine and Blueberries

August 24, 2012 by robertforto Leave a Comment

This past weekend we took the Jeep for a road trip over Hatcher Pass from the Willow side.

After stopping off at Willow Hardware for a lug wrench (just in case) and filling up for gas at the Townsite Foodmart we were on our way on a beautiful Alaskan summer day!

We stopped off at “the sign” for Nicole to get a picture. Roads… We don’t need no stinkin’ roads! As we got out of the Jeep we noticed a screw stuck in the aggressive tread pattern. No worries we’ll keep on truckin’ (err jeepin’) along.

We stopped along the way for a photo pop here and there and finally made it to the top of the pass where there is a cool lake. It is a popular stop for travelers so we weren’t alone…in more ways than one! As Michele was picking flowers a prairie dog (or whatever they are called here in the Great White North) chased her down screeching at her as he got closer.

The lake was the furtherest we have been previously, thinking it was a long way to the “Palmer side.” Boy were we wrong!

Just over the pass and down a steep grade we came to what everybody is talking about. Independence Mine and the accompanying tourist traps. Well not really a tourist trap–just the Hatcher Pass Lodge.

We decided to grab lunch. We thought it would be cool to sit where the miners sat, and boy is there one heck of a view of the Mat-Su Valley.

We ordered sandwiches and cokes. A coke was $2.75 for a can and the bill was over 50 bucks! Wow! That is the most I have ever paid for a can of soda. The atmosphere made up for the high prices and we had a nice leisurely lunch together next to the coal burning stove.

After lunch we headed up the hill to Independence Mine. It was awesome. Check out all the cool pics. It truly took you back into history.

We walked around for an hour or so in the sprinkles before getting to the real reason for this trip.

Blueberry Picking!

We had found a location on an eight year old blog post–you gotta love Al Gore’s Internet–a place off of Archangel road.

Obviously this was the place on everyone’s list as there was probably a couple hundred people with their butt’s in the air picking berries.

There was no shortage of blueberries. They were everywhere! We spent the better part of two hours picking filling our bucket, about a gallon and a half worth.

There were so many blueberries it was like a treasure hunt. Around every bend was another bush blooming with ripe berries.

We headed down the hill back to the Jeep. Our hands were purple and our butts were stained but we had a great time.

We finsished the trek down to Palmer, stopping at Red Robin in Wasilly for dinner.

Total trip– about a 90 mile loop. 

If you are visiting Alaska or just a resident looking for something to do, this is a trip you have to take. It is worth every minute of it.

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Filed Under: Alaska, Daily Post, Road Trippin Tagged With: alaska, Hatcher, Hatcher Pass, Jeep, Palmer, Recreation, Willow

Neighbor…

August 6, 2012 by robertforto 4 Comments

This post is disturbing on many levels. One of much is the sheer disregard for a person’s right to privacy, but I have also included the language as transpired. 

After 850 miles in 30 hours this weekend, all Michele and I wanted to do is come home, take a hot shower and sleep.

We arrived at 10:15 and knew that bringing three new dogs into the dog yard would stir up the others and make a fuss. Our dogs are pretty good about settling down quickly and not causing too much of a commotion.

Not three minutes of our arrival with the dogs barking we started hearing our neighbor, Dave, screaming at the top of his lungs:

Mother fucker. Mother fucker. Mother FUCKER.

Dave lives on the corner of Allen Drive and Sue Drive in our neighborhood of less than 10 homes. In this little community there are five of us that are mushers. The dogs outnumber the humans, something like 12 to 1.

Dave has a reputation of being to the full extreme against the mushers in the neighborhood. Some would call him a bully. Some would call him a pest.

He is out of control.

Dave has a history of filing complaints with the borough. Video taping us as we run by with our teams and even blocking our access on more than one occasion.

Every musher in Willow knows Dave. His actions supersede him. But last night he took it a step too far.

When we applied for our kennel license we were required to have an inspection by Animal Control to make sure we were in compliance. The officer checked things like, proper waste disposal, noise control polices, the number of sled dogs, etc.

We received our license with a bit of advice: If that guy gives you any problems, call the troopers. Get everything in writing and make sure you document everything.

Over the past couple months Dave has harassed my daughter Nicole. Has walked INTO the dog yard while Michele was feeding and harassed her and had more than several screaming fits from his front porch when the dogs bark.

Dogs bark. That’s what they do. 

I have lived in the company of sled dogs for the better part of twenty years. The normal cycle of a dog yard barking is that it ebbs and flows with the barking not lasting more than a minute or two maybe once or twice a night if something riles the dogs up.

Up to this point we have dismissed Dave’s actions and non-consequentiual. Just a bitter man that wants to push his weight around and be the neighborhood bully.

Then at 12:27 AM the chaos began that will change the course of history for our little neighborhood and it is not something that anyone should be subjected to.

Michele and I had laid down to sleep and Nicole rushed into our room saying, “Dave’s in down in the dog yard!”

The dogs were barking like crazy.

Michele and I jumped up and ran downstairs. We could hear our son, Tyler, on the front porch saying, “Sir, why don’t you just get outta here! The dogs will calm down once we leave. Sir, just leave!”

Dave was in our driveway at that point standing next to my Jeep. He was screaming at the top of his lungs,”Robert, you mother fucker, shut those dogs up before I bash their heads in!”

That was it. The last straw.

As I was getting dressed in our bedroom at the back of the house I could hear Michele frantic on the phone. She had called 9-1-1. She was giving the dispatcher the run down. Saying things like, “I don’t know if he has a weapon!”

By 12:36 I was dressed and out in my truck. I was shaking. I could taste pennies in my mouth. As I drove down our little road, that is no longer than a 1/8 of a mile, I saw the Trooper vehicle approach–blacked out as they call it–heading up the hill.

The trooper took a statement and was there for no longer than five minutes. Dave, curiously, was not home when they went to his place. I wonder where he was?

I was so stressed I went for a drive.

Some will ask, why did you leave? For one I knew the troopers were there and had it under control. Two, if I were to confront Dave it could have end up much worse than it did. Knowing that Dave sometimes carried a weapon I didn’t want to find out if he had one that night. I don’t own a gun and I don’t intend to.

I arrived back home about an hour later to a quite dog yard and a dark house. I had been texting Michele so I knew what had transpired since my departure.

When one moves into a neighborhood they expect certain things. The right of peaceful enjoyment. The right to privacy and the ability or at least the hope of getting along with their neighbors.

Having a neighbor dispute can disrupt everyone’s lives. I can’t think of much worse. Can you? The satisfaction of enjoying your property is diminished if you don’t know if someone will approach and go off the deep end. I have known people that have moved for neighbor disputes much less than this.

I know my dogs bark. All of the sled dogs in the neighborhood do. It is not an issue, at least as far as I can tell, for anyone except Dave.

It has now been 12 hours post event and I don’t know what will happen from here. I just hope that we could all just get along…

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Filed Under: Alaska, Daily Post Tagged With: alaska, dog, MUSH, Recreation, Sled dog, Sled dog racing

Iditarod 40: The Trail. Elim to Golovin

March 11, 2012 by robertforto Leave a Comment

Iditarod 40: The Trail. Elim to Golovin   28 Miles

The trail leaves Elim, following the ice along the coast for 10-11 miles to a cabin just north-northeast of the limestone cliffs, and here it turns right (inland) and crosses the Kwiktalik Mountains. This range is a low series of hills (1,000 to 1,500 ft.) with moderate grades. Vegetation ranges from small spruce to barren ground. Some of the grades are long (1 mile) but none are excessively steep. The barren sections are often windblown and icy. The last descent to Golovin Bay is long and sometimes runs side hill. At the Shelter Cabin on the coast, the trail turns sharply right and crosses the ice to Golovin. The village is located on a spit and is easily seen. (Counting the cabin below Elim where the trail leaves the ice, there are three shelter cabins on the trail, one of them being nine miles from the coast where the trail intersects McKinley Creek.)

Golovin (GULL-uh-vin) — (GOL) Lat 64.32 Long 163.50 — Population 171 – Not an official checkpoint, but a community with a large welcome. Golovin has one store. From here the trail heads across Golovin Bay, then overland to the next checkpoint.

 

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Filed Under: Alaska, Daily Post, Iditarod 40 Tagged With: Elim, Golovin, Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, Kuskokwim River, Recreation, Sled dog racing, Sport, Trail

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