If you're not someone who tolerates fur, this isn't the post for you. But then again, if you're not a fan of fur, the entire Rondy is probably not an event you'd enjoy in the first place. Use your own discretion regarding whether or not to continue reading...
The Fur Rendezvous began when trappers and miners would bring their wares into Anchorage for sale. Seventy-five years ago, an enterprising Alaskan decided to make a bigger event out of it and organized a three-day sports competition to coincide with the incoming fur traders. Before long, we had the Rondy as we know it today.
This is the auction. We thought about buying our souvenir fur here, but many of the hides were untanned. That means an extra expense and a long wait until summer before the fur would be ready. We decided not to buy anything that wasn't already tanned.
The second day of the auction was a lot of large bear hides. Oh, and see the guy in the fox hat in the left of this photo?
He had the best hat at the whole Rondy. Awesome. All four paws, tail, and taxidermied head.
This weener dog is wearing a dyed rabbit fur coat with a crystal fox ruff. As much as I love my dogs, not one of them are getting a fur coat. Nope.
Here's Jane on the left, in her new fox hat. Jim's wearing his beaver hat that I made for him during my fur sewing class. I'm wearing my "Illiamna Grandma" work hat, which is shearling and raccoon trim.
Here's a better look at my work hat. Very warm, and quite nice on my second ride on Jim's snow machine.
I brought this beaver dress hat with me, but I didn't wear it at the Rondy. I wanted something to cover my ears better in the low-20-degree weather. James got me this fur for Christmas.
Jim and I decided on these two fox pelts - a blush fox, which looks white unless you stroke the fur or the wind blows it, and then you can see the reddish undercoat. The other fur is a crystal fox. It has a lavender look to it when the light hits it right. Jim will probably have something made of that, and I'll have something made of the blush fox.
I'm really glad I took the fur sewing class. Now I know how to treat the furs and make the things we'd like to keep us warm and stylin' through the winter.
More Rondy posts are coming, so check in again later!
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