I'll tell you this: those women in Alaska really know how to throw
a party!
What
made LCC 2001 uniquely Alaskan were the special touches...from
the Welcome and Blessing by Traditional Native Spiritual Leader
Kenny TimberWolf Gardner at the Thursday night opening meet and
greet, to the fabulous entertainment Friday night by Pamyua (Bum
Yo-Ah)...performing Inuit and Yup'ik Eskimo music, blended with
gospel and jazz arrangements. You could have heard a pin drop
during their concert...in a group of 500 mystery writers and fans,
that says something.
And
then there was the moose! Posing for pictures across from the
hotel. I suspect it was from Rent-A-Moose ...the same outfit who
supplied the moose for the opening credits of Northern Exposure.
That was Saturday morning. Saturday afternoon Libby Riddles (the
first woman to win the Iditarod) brought one of her sled dogs
to the conference and held a standing-room-only crowd spellbound
with her one-hour slide presentation.
The
best part for me? Going on a dog sled ride Sunday afternoon! The
only time I actually wore the ankle-length down coat with fur-trimmed
hood I'd hauled all the way from the Virgin Islands to Alaska.
The rest of the time I ran around - indoors and out - in my jeans,
turtleneck, Irish sweater and sandals or duck shoes with Alaska
socks.
Anyone
who wimped out of LCC because of the weather missed the experience
of a lifetime. Anchorage looked like winter wonderland...lots
of twinkle lights and virgin snow. A block from the hotel was
the Fur Rondy midway...ride a Ferris wheel at night in a parka?
Why not? It's Alaska!
So
it took me 21 hours to get there and 36 hours to get home. I wouldn't
have missed it for the world. Thanks to LCC for putting on a hell
of a party.
Kate
Grilley
Kate Grilley