Hi Everybody,
This is Pat Garley on the Alaska end of Iron Trail. Things here in Alaska are going well preparations are coming along. This past weekend Wendy Croskrey Sculpture professor at University of Alaska Fairbanks and several of her students came down to Palmer and we made sand molds.
There will be 3 pours here each about a week apart. The first will be in Wiseman about 50 miles above the Arctic circle. Wiseman is a small village with about 13 year round residents. there is no electricity or running water in Wiseman unless you count the Koyokuk river. But the people are friendly and the scenery is beautiful. To reach Wiseman you must travel the Dalton Highway 300miles north from Fairbanks . Its called a highway by Alaskan standards because at least 100 miles of it has some pavement. During our stay in Wiseman the sun will not drop below the horizon and we will have 24hrs of Daylight.
The second Pour will be in Wasilla about 350 miles south of Fairbanks. This pour will take place at the Museum of Alaska Transportation and Industry. We thought that this would be an appropriate venue for demonstrating old technology as the Museum has a collection of planes ,trains, and automobiles as well as boats ,snow machines and equipment from Alaska's past.
The iron casters will be joined at the Museum by Artists demonstrating Blacksmithing, Raku fired pottery and other artists for a day long art festival complete with art vendors, food booths and live music.
The third and final stop for the Iron trail will be in the city of Kenai about 150 miles south of Anchorage. There we will be casting on the 4th of July as part of the City's Independence day celebration.
So you can see we will be traveling quite a bit within Alaska over 800 miles from wiseman to Kenai. Pouring 3 times in 3 weeks. Its going to be fun.