chena river
2012 Iron Dog @ Chena River
Don’t miss the Iron Dog finish this Saturday, downtown on the Chena River right below Centennial Footbridge! Watch the lead teams of this grueling 2,000+ mile snow machine race sprint to glory in the final leg of their trip.
Updates and full schedule available on the Iron Dog’s official website.
Here’s the breakdown for the day from that site:
Saturday, February 25th: Pro Class Finish
- 9:00 am | Tired Iron races.
- 11:30 am | Iron Dog starts moving in to setup for the Finish.
- Approximately 1:00 pm | 1st Place team should be getting close to the end of the race.
- 5:00 pm | We start wrapping up most of the big Finish activities and head for the award ceremonies.
- Late night | After party at Pike’s Landing!
When:
Saturday, February 25th approx. 1:00pm
Phone:
(907) 563-4414
chena river
2012 Tired Iron @ Chena River
Tired Iron, an annual celebration of vintage snow machines, has teamed up with Iron Dog and will offer a full schedule of weekend activities right next to the Iron Dog finish. That means you can attend two great events at once!
2012 Tired Iron schedule is as follows, from the official website:
SATURDAY February 25, 2012 – RACES & EVENTS
10:00 A.M. – 11:30 A.M.
“Radar Run”
(Held from the Wendell St. Bridge to the Steese Expressway Bridge, in front of Graehl Landing)
11:00 A.M. – 4:00 P.M.
Sideline Games/Events
(These events take place between the Finish line and just below the Cushman St Bridge)
11:30 A.M. – 12:30 P.M.
“Jurassic Classic”
(Starts at the Start/Finish line in front of the Golden Heart Plaza)
1:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M.
“2011 Iron Dog” Finish
(Timed “Hot” finish ends just downriver from the Wendell St. Bridge, near the confluence of the Noyes Slough. Then they proceed downriver, in a shutdown mode, to the Centennial Footbridge, exiting the river on the south bank into Griffin Park for Photo Op.)
1:30 P.M. (or 30 minutes after 1st place Iron Dog team finishes) till 3:00 P.M.
“Wired Iron”
(Junior’s race 120 cc sleds on smaller course, between the Start/Finish line in front of the Golden Heart Plaza and the Centennial Footbridge)
6:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M.
Drivers’/Safety Meeting at Elk’s
(Short Order food and drinks are available)
SUNDAY February 26, 2012 – RACES & EVENTS
11:00 A.M. – 12:00 noon
“Tired Iron Classic”
(24 mile river race for Air Cooled sleds through 1979 model year)
11:00 A.M. – 4:00 P.M.
Sideline Games/Events
(These events take place between the Finish line and just below the Cushman St Bridge)
12:30 P.M. – 1:30 P.M.
“Wet Iron”
(24 mile river race for Liquid Cooled sleds through 1979 model year)
2:00 P.M. – 3:30 P.M.
“Fun Run”
(24 mile river race for Air Cooled sleds through 1979 model year)
6:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M.
Awards Banquet at Elk’s
(Short Order food and drinks are available)
When:
Saturday, February 25th 10:00am – 8:00pm
Sunday, February 26th 12:00pm – 8:00pm
Phone:
(907)452-8602
chena river
CHOOSE YOUR CHENA ADVENTURE
Though you may float the Chena in a canoe, kayak, or inner tube, you can never experience the river quite like a rubber duck during the annual Golden Days Rubber Duckie race, or a watercraft in the 15th Annual Red Green Regatta.
That’s why we’ve written our promotion of these events as a Choose-Your-Own-Adventure story, complete with parallel narratives depending on whether you fancy yourself a rubber duck or a duct taped watercraft.
Choose wisely- and proceed.
Chapter 1- ARRIVAL
If you picked a rubber duck- You arrive in downtown Fairbanks on Saturday, July 23rd tangled in a net with 5,999 of your closest friends. You soon find yourself suspended from Wendall Street Bridge awaiting your 2:30pm dump into the (freezing cold) Chena River. Accustomed to long months in a storage container, this is not how you typically spend a Saturday morning.
If you picked a Red Green Regatta vessel- You arrive at Graehl Landing in downtown Fairbanks on Sunday, July 24th around 10am for registration. Fellow watercraft are poised in trailers and pickup beds, looking intimidatingly swift and buoyant. Luckily, your own duct tape construction has been reinforced with inner tubes and milk jugs- both techniques stolen from last year’s crafty floaters.
Chapter 2- LAUNCH
If you’re a rubber duck- You plunge twenty feet into the frigid Chena waters, and come close to drowning as several hundred fellow contestants land atop you. Luckily, your rubber duck instincts help you pop up and stay afloat. Your beady-eye vision is too narrow to make out the thousands of spectators lining the banks and bridges, so all you see is a mass of bright yellow bobbing before you.
If you’re a Regatta vessel- Chaos ensues as launch time approaches, and your captain does a fair bit of elbowing to get you in the water- fast. The Regatta mantra of “It’s not a race- it’s about getting from one end to the other” seems to have escaped him. It seems your captain’s got a bit of a competitive edge in this annual “friend-raiser” for KUAC.
Chapter 3- THE FLOAT
If you’re a rubber duck- The Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce has marked you with a number to pair your placing in the race with a ticket holder, and thousands of dollars are at stake based on your performance. That said, you can only float so fast. So while the crowd’s jeers and cheers keep you plenty anxious and looking for breaks through which to maneuver with the best of plastic finesse, you’re not feeling particularly competitive.
If you’re a Regatta vessel- You’re cruising down the river, flag waving and duct tape holding strong, when a sudden collision with a makeshift pirate boat perched atop garbage cans leaves you springing a leak in your inner tube “hull.” Your captain is oblivious while he swordfights the pirates with a piece of PVC pipe he’s been using for a paddle. After a noticeable dip, he starts to unlash the faulty inner tube from the rest of the craft. You’ll have to make it to Pioneer Park -with thick crowds of people watching- on two tubes and a half dozen milk jugs.
Chapter 4- FINISH and TAKE OUT
If you’re a rubber duck- Nudging your way through a gap just before you pass under the Cushman St. bridge, you find yourself within stride of a first place finish. The ten duckies between you and the finish line are in close range. A lucky push by a sudden wave plops you down in front just as the course funnels to a close, making you the 2011 winner of the Golden Days Rubber Duckie Race. You can hardly believe it when you’re plucked out of the water to cries of “FIRST PLACE!”
If you’re a Regatta vessel- Paddle though he might, your captain and his PVC pipe can’t keep up with the best of ‘em, and you finish behind a collection of ragtag ruffians including pair of couches and a cardboard kayak adorned with floaties. Real prizes are awarded based on flair, though, and not order of finish. Your captain struggles to pull you ashore and falls back to rest on the bank after heaving you up to the Pioneer Park take-out.
Chapter 5- PRIZE CEREMONY
If you’re a rubber duck- Excitement abounds for your first place finish as you’re tossed up and around to have your number checked, double checked, and recorded. The ticket holder who matches that number will soon be privy to $10,000 and the rubber duck glory will be yours for the next year. Which seems pretty fair to you- you can’t think of a single thing you would buy with $10,000.
If you’re a Regatta vessel- Your position on the bank of the Chena is the best place to watch the other vessels float in. Once all are accounted for, spectators assemble for the awards ranging from a canoe to assorted items from Compeau’s. More colorful prizes are also handed out for “Best Viewed from a Distance” and “Judge’s Choice.” You and your captain don’t claim any winnings this year, but look forward to another round of the Regatta in 2012.
Don’t miss either of these spectacular events- and the stories that follow- this weekend during the 2011 Golden Days celebration in downtown Fairbanks!
Click here for a full schedule of downtown Golden Days events.
Picture from Traveling with Andrew and Jennifer
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PARK DOWNTOWN FOR THE DOWNTOWN WALK
Park downtown then walk to the Immaculate Conception Church on the Chena River by 6 PM to catch the start of the Visitor Industry’s Walk for Charity this Friday the 13th. The walk ends at the Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center. The Parking Garage is central to the start and finish and the 3-hour rate is only $3. Enter the garage from 3rd Avenue.
The registration fee for the walk is $30 for an adult and can be paid at the event. To register ahead of time or to get more information, call Charity at 459-3791 or Karen at 459-3758. If you have not already settled on a recipient organization, please consider walking for the Downtown Association of Fairbanks Community Services to support downtown promotions, events and the operations of the Community Service Patrol.
chena river
FAIRBANKS PADDLE & PEDAL
Fairbanks Paddle & Pedal
408 Wickersham Drive, 907.388.4480
Get outside, in town! We are a fourth generation, family-run day tour operator providing the best boating, dining, cycling, history and relaxation Fairbanks has to offer. An easy float and bicycle sightseeing trip, this tour is designed for any skill level. We can customize length and time to fit your needs. We can even paddle in the midnight sun! Call for more information and to book a tour. Open May 1- Oct 31.
Learn more about Fairbanks Paddle & Pedal.
chena river
CROWDING THE CHENA
A long and treacherous Iron Dog came to a close this weekend on the Chena River, as Chris Olds and Tyler Huntington sped by Todd Palin and Eric Quam just hours before the finish in downtown Fairbanks.
This year’s 2000-mile snow machine race was burdened by lots of snowfall and sudden winter storms. The crowd turnout on the Chena River at around 6 p.m. on Saturday, just before Olds and Huntington raced in for their title, was a great show of support for these hard-working teams.
Several hundred fans leaned against the railing of Centennial Footbridge and lined the fence around the official finish line. People from all ages burst into applause and shouts at the first glimpse of Huntington and Olds, who quickly dismounted their sleds, embraced, and turned to greet the throngs of fans and media waiting in the cold.
The Tired Iron (read a great recap here) enjoyed similar success. This year’s two-day event had scores of activities for children as well as vintage snow machine races for those loyal to their pre-1979 sleds.
Kids got a chance to race, too, and their competitions were in full swing on Saturday afternoon. Little boys in big helmets and racing jackets lined up their snow machines under the footbridge. The small course for the “Wired Iron” Juniors Race required three laps, and it was soon apparent that a young girl would give these boys a run for their money.
Those children without a miniature snow machine enjoyed sliding down the banks of the Chena (on sleds or their bottoms), or being launched down a cleared section of river ice by the giant slingshot in an inner tube (the popular “Kid-a-Pult Curling”).
Big Daddy’s BarB-Q provided hot dogs and pulled pork all day long out of a tent in the Golden Heart Plaza.
Congratulations to these two fabulous winter events- it was great to have you downtown!
Help us plan for next year. Take a short survey about the events this past weekend.
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HAVE YOU HEARD?
Downtown Fairbanks will host a variety of high-energy and popular snow machine races this weekend! Come out to watch the finish, support the teams, join the river games, and spend a day on the (frozen) river.
IRON DOG FINISH
Race update: The Iron Dog finish has been rescheduled for around 6 p.m. on Saturday because of weather conditions, but check their website for the most up-to-date time.
Don’t miss the Iron Dog finish this Saturday, downtown on the Chena River right below Centennial Footbridge! Watch the lead teams of this grueling 2,000+ mile snow machine race sprint to glory in the final leg of their trip. 22 teams remain in the pro class, and their standings have been switching almost as fast as the online GPS tracking system can record.
The first teams are expected to arrive in Fairbanks around 1pm on Saturday.
This is sure to draw a crowd, so come early and find your spot!
TIRED IRON
Tired Iron, an annual celebration of vintage snow machines, has teamed up with Iron Dog and will offer a full schedule of weekend activities right next to the Iron Dog finish. That means you can attend two great events at once!
Tired Iron will host events on the river in front of Golden Heart Plaza on Saturday from 11am-4pm and Sunday from 11am-3:30pm.
The schedule is as follows:
SATURDAY (2/26)
Races are in bold
starting at 11am- Kid-a-Pult Curling
starting at 11am- Dogsled Rides for kids
11:30am -12:30pm- Jurassic Classic
12-1:30pm- Potato Gun Softball
12:15pm- Sani-Can Porta Potty Olympics
12:30-1:30pm- Mini Arctic Man Contest
1-4pm- Iron Dog Finish
approx. 1:30pm- Wired Iron (Junior’s race)
12:30-2:30pm- Fairbanks Offroad Lions Big Tug-o-War
SUNDAY (2/27)
11am- 12pm- Tired Iron Classic
12:30- 1:30pm- Wet Iron
2-3:30pm- Fun Run
Click here for full descriptions of all races and events.
See you downtown!
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WHEN RIVERS BECOME ROADS
Radar Run, Wired Iron, Jurassic Classic, Wet Iron…
What, might you ask, are all of these colorful words about?
None other than the 5th Annual Fairbanks Tired Iron!
The vintage snow machine race is back.
Bigger, better than ever, and in a new location on the Chena River in the heart of downtown Fairbanks.
The Tired Iron, celebrates the snow machine (the older the better), recognizes the many different makes and models, and has come up with ingenious categories for these amazing, restored machines to compete in. On February 27th and 28th downtown will be filled with a wide variety of snow machine competitions and activities. If you have a vintage machine you’d like to race, now is the time! Go to their new website at www.fairbankstirediron.org for entry forms, maps of the courses, sponsorship opportunities and more.
Snow machines are an integral part of Alaska history. With such little infrastructure in our wild, sub-arctic climate, rivers become roads for snow machines during the winter months. These snow machines and river roads have allowed people access locations all across our great state. Dedicated to showcasing this history, the Tired Iron allows people to share their stories and then race their vintage snow machines on the “River Rally Race Track”, on the Chena River.
However, this event is not without a sense of humor. The annual “Fun Run”, featuring all shapes and sizes of snow machines of yesteryear (with few exceptions the snow machines have to pre date 1975), is less race and more red-green regatta. And this year’s Tired Iron is also adding plenty of carnival like fun on Saturday February 27th, at the new “Downtown River Party” from Noon until 2 pm, with activities such as the Kid-a-Polt, Bunny Boot Golf Contest, and the Turkey Toss & Shot Put. Try your hand at these amusing, unusual contests and maybe you’ll win big! All proceeds benefit the Presbyterian Hospitality House.
So come on Downtown watch the races and play some games, or better yet, sign up to compete!
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AND THE WINNER IS…HANS GATT!
Chills and tears or not, the 2010 Yukon Quest race turned out to be one, over the top, fantastic race. The first six mushers to arrive in Whitehorse (that’s right the first SIX) beat Sebastian Schnuelle’s 2009 Quest record of 9 days 23 hours and 20 minutes. The winner, Hans Gatt, of the Yukon Territory, came in at a smoldering 9 days and 23 minutes, almost a full day faster than the Schnuelle’s time. Lance Mackey, was just an hour behind him, and musher number six was none other than 60 year old Sonny Linder, the first musher to ever win the Yukon Quest- 26 years ago! Seventh place winner, 22 year old Joshua Cadzow of Fort Yukon, was crowned the “Rookie of the Year” for his excellent performance, and to date only 1 musher has scratched. All in all an amazing showing.
Shattered records, happy, healthy dogs, great weather and one incredibly strong group of mushers made the 2010 Yukon Quest International Sled Dog race a truly momentous race.
