March 7, 2017
The Neatest Little Paper Ever Read®
Issue 00308
• Armstrong • Cherryville • Coldstream • Fintry Please • Lavington Lumby454 • Spallumcheen • Vernon • www.tidbitsvancouver.com Westside Rd • Bold Medias Publishing For Advertising Call•(604) - 1387
Every year on the first Saturday in March, sled dog teams line up in downtown Anchorage, Alaska, for the famed Iditarod race to Nome. This week, Tidbits dashes along the route to bring you the facts on this grueling competition. • The Athabaskan village of Iditarod was a hub of Alaska’s gold mining district from the late 1880s until the mid-1920s. Translating “far distant place” in the native language, the community was located on the Iditarod River. Mail and supplies were received by dogsled teams traveling along the Iditarod Trail. When the gold ran out and transportation methods changed to snowmobiles and airplanes, the village became a ghost town. • As the tradition of dogsledding continued to disappear, long-distance races were established to keep it alive. • The first Iditarod was held in 1973. Thirty-four mushers, all from Alaska, were at the starting line, and 22 of these completed the race. The winner was Dick Wilmarth, an Alaskan miner and trapper who won with a time of 20 days, 0 hours, 49 minutes, and 41 seconds, and claimed prize money of $12,000. It took the last-place finisher over 32 days to cross the finish line. • The race begins with a ceremonial start in downtown Anchorage and winds through several miles of city streets and trails before heading out to the foothills to the east to the official starting point. The time for the ceremonial opening does not count toward the musher’s official race time. • The exact distance of the Iditarod race varies from year to year. The trail alternates between a northern route (run on even-numbered years) and a southern route (run on odd-numbered years). Prior to 1977, there was just a northern route, but the southern route was added to
Q: What does a sled dog that was an Iditarod competitor become after it is ten years old? A: Eleven years old.
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® Musher Martin Buser moved from Switzerland in 1979 to compete in the Iditarod the following year. He has raced every year since 1986, and has won four times. Following his 2002 win, Buser became a naturalized U.S. citizen in a ceremony held under the finish line arch in Nome.
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“If you actually think this is fun, you have a problem.” - Iditarod winner Mitch Seavey of Seward, Alaska
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financially benefit the smaller villages in that area. Although the northern route is officially 975 miles (1,569 km) and the southern route is 998 miles (1,606 km), snow, ice, and other terrain issues can impact the length of the course. In 2015, oddly enough, the race had to be re-routed due to a lack of snow. There are 26 checkpoints on the northern route and 27 on the southern route. All mushers must sign in at each one. Prior to the race, mushers have prepared “drop bags” of supplies that are flown ahead to checkpoints. That way when the musher arrives, there is food, dog food, extra dog booties, spare headlamps, batteries, sled repair parts, and tools. Rest is not mandatory at each checkpoint, however, there are three mandatory rests throughout the course, including one 24-hour layover and two 8-hour layovers. Only northern dog breeds, such as Siberian huskies and Alaskan Malamutes, are permitted to race. This became an official rule in the early 1990s after one competitor used European standard poodles that had to be left behind at checkpoints with frozen feet and hair-matting problems. Teams of 21 dogs are allowed, with the average team consisting of 16. At least six dogs must be on the towline at the finish line. The typical sled dog weighs between 45 and 60 lbs. (20 and 27 kg). It needs about 12,000 calories daily to maintain performance. Along the trail, dogs are fed frozen chunks of meat or fish. At the checkpoints, they receive a
warm meal along with vitamin supplements. • It’s a rule of the race that all dogs wear booties, and each competitor must have at least eight extra per dog. The booties aren’t so much to keep the dogs’ feet warm, but rather to protect their foot pads from the ice and rocky terrain along the trail. In addition, all dogs must have collar tags and be implanted with microchips about the size of a grain of rice. • The first place finishing time of about 20 days has been shaved down to less than 10 days. Last place finishing has been reduced from 1973’s 32 days to about 13 days.
• There is a special award for those mushers who finish last. It’s called the Red Lantern, and it has its roots in the early days of mail delivery by dog drivers. Along the route were a chain of roadhouses between the villages. A kerosene lamp was lit and hung outside to help the driver find the stop, as well as signifying that a team was out on the trail. When the last driver safely reached his destination, the lamp was extinguished. The tradition continues by bestowing the lantern to the last Iditarod
Siberian huskies were introduced to Alaska during the Gold Rush. The name “husky” probably is a variation of the word “Esky,” which was once used for Eskimos. The husky’s coat, thicker than most other dog breeds, is made up of two layers, a dense undercoat and a longer topcoat, which allows the dog to withstand temperatures as low as -58 to -76 F (-50 to -60 C).
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• 1. How many smaller races must each musher participate in to qualify for the Iditarod? 2. In what year did a woman first compete in the Iditarod? 3. In 1974, Doug Swingley became the first nonAlaskan to win. Where was he from? 4. Huskies are known for often having heterochromia. What is this? 5. How old was the oldest Iditarod musher to complete the race?
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finisher, indicating that all teams are safely back. The longest time for a Red Lantern finisher was John Schultz’s time in the inaugural Iditarod in 1973 of 32 days, 15 hours, nine minutes, and one second. The fastest time for a musher finishing last was in 2010, when a Deer Lodge, Montana, nurse named Celeste Davis received the Red Lantern. Despite hitting a tree head-on along the trail, rolling her sled, breaking her nose and receiving a concussion, Davis crossed the line in 13 days, 5 hours, 6 minutes, and 40 seconds, smiling in spite of her two black eyes. While several people have won the race four times, only one has taken the title five times, Minnesota native Rick Swenson, who won for the first time in 1977 at age 27, followed by wins in 1979, 1981, 1982, and 1991, the only musher to win in three different decades. There was almost a sixth win for Swenson in 1978, when Dick Mackey finished just one second ahead of Swenson, literally by the nose of Mackey’s lead dog. Dick Mackey’s son Rick made history in 1983 when he became the first son of an Iditarod champion to win the race. In 2007, Dick’s son Lance furthered the Mackey family wins. Each of the Mackeys won in their sixth attempt. The youngest winner ever is also the most recent winner. Dallas Seavey had his first win in 2012 at age 25. His fourth win came in 2016, with the record-setting time of about 8 ½ days. His father Mitch took the title in 2013 at age 53, making him the oldest winner. The first woman to win the race was Libby Riddles, in 1985. Susan Butcher won the next three years, making for female wins four consecutive years. Butcher also took the title in 1990. She is the only musher to finish in either first or second place for five straight years. A woman hasn’t won since Butcher’s 1990 win. UNUSUAL PLANTS:
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VENUS FLY TRAP
Here’s your opportunity to learn more about the remarkable Venus Fly Trap, as Tidbits brings you these bizarre facts. • Although we might think of the Venus Fly Trap as a tropical plant, it’s actually native to North America, and can only be found growing wild in bogs on the shores of North and South Carolina. It’s estimated that there are only about 33,000 plants remaining in the wild, all within 75 miles (121 km) of Wilmington, North Carolina. • Because the soil where they grow has little or no nutrients, this carnivorous plant captures and digests insects in order to thrive. Its diet varies from 33% ants to 30% spiders, 10% beetles, 10% grasshoppers, a few flying insects, and the remainder crawling arthropods. • The plant itself is a rosette, with each lobe or pod of the plant containing six trigger hairs and 14 to 20 teeth that point in a radius out from the trap, used to sense and capture insects. The leafy blades have sharp, toothed edges that secrete a sweet-smelling nectar that draws in hungry insects. They also emit a blue fluorescent glow that attracts bugs. • Each trigger hair must be stimulated twice within 20 seconds before the trap will respond and capture the insect with a snap of the trap in one-tenth of a second. It closes tightly around the insect and begins secreting digestive juices. It takes about 10 days for the plant to completely digest the insect and reopen the trap. After six catches, the trap turns brown, withers, and falls off. • Even though the Venus Flytrap is carnivorous, it doesn’t actually “eat” any kind of meat, so don’t try feeding it hamburger. It will digest strips of human skin, however, if they are placed in its pods. • The plant is able to distinguish between something living and a non-living prey, which explains why it doesn’t close when rain falls on it. If a trapped object isn’t food, such as a rock or nut, inChris about 12 hours’ time, the trap will Willan reopen and spit it out. It can even detect if you feed it a dead insect. You will need to move the Head Geek dead bug around in the trap so that it imitates the movement of a live one.
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• Would you like to grow your own Venus Flytrap? Don’t try to dig one up in the wilds of its native North Carolina. This act is considered a felony theft in several counties in that state. You can purchase a bulb online and plant it root side down with the top of the bulb even with the soil. Because it thrives in poor soil, don’t add fertilizer, as this will kill the plant. Use a mixture of sphagnum moss and sand for planting. The bulb does need soil that is well-drained, and expect to give it 14 hours of sunlight every day. Don’t water it with tap water, as the chemicals found in that will also kill the plant. Use distilled water to provide moisture. Using a dome to keep its environment humid is also a bad idea. The best environment is one that imitates the plant’s natural habitat; however, even then, because it’s a swamp plant, it’s difficult to grow. • The plant will produce white flowers in the Spring, but most growers pinch them off early because the flowers consume much of the energy needed to produce traps. • How much will your Venus Flytrap eat? Just a few houseflies or small slugs a month is enough to keep it healthy. It’s not unusual for one of these plants to live up to 25 years!
MISSION SWALLOWS
1. Name the famous sled dog who took part in relaying a diphtheria anti-toxin to Nome in 1925. 2. How much of Alaska lies within the Arctic Circle?
Each year on March 19, the “Miracle of the Swallows” takes place at the San Juan Capistrano Mission in California’s Orange County. This week, Tidbits explores this fascinating phenomenon. • The San Juan Capistrano Mission was founded in 1776 by Father Junipero Serra, a Spanish Franciscan priest, as a means of expanding the territorial boundaries of Spain, and to spread Christianity to the Native Americans of California. By 1806, the mission was a shelter to more than 1,000 people, 10,000 head of cattle, and the Great Stone Church, the largest and most ornate structure of all of California’s nine missions. Situated near two rivers, the location provided plenty of insects for birds and the perfect place for swallows to build their mud nests each Spring. • The Mission began to decline in 1812, following an earthquake and the Spanish government’s inability to keep it supplied with goods. The Great Stone Church was in need of preservation, and during the work, the swallows’ nests were removed. However, the birds merely diverted to other areas of
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1. U.S. STATES: Which state’s nickname is “Land of Enchantment”? 2. MEASUREMENTS: What does the Fitzpatrick scale measure? 3. MOVIES: Who starred as the kid in the original “Karate Kid”? 4. GEOGRAPHY: Which is the second-largest of the Hawaiian Islands? 5. FOOD & DRINK: What is a knish? 6. THEATER: What famous play features a character named Sally Bowles? 7. ANATOMY: What are alveoli? 8. HISTORY: What were that last names of the 1930s crime duo known as Bonnie and Clyde? 9. LANGUAGE What is the end of the famous San Juan Capistrano. • The migratory American cliff swallows average just 5.1 in. (13 cm) in length, yet make the 6,000-mile (10,000-km) flight from their winter home in Goya, Argentina, in just 30 days. The tiny birds depart Argentina on February 18, and arrive in California on March 19, St. Joseph’s Day. This feast day was dedicated to Joseph, husband of the Virgin Mary, in the 10th
Patient: “Doctor! I keep thinking I’m a sled dog!” Doctor: “How long has this been going on?” Patient: “Even since I was a pup.”
proverb that begins, “People who live in glass houses ... “? 10. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: What does Hitler’s title -- “Fuhrer” -- mean in German? Answers 1. New Mexico 2. Skin’s sensitivity to ultraviolet light 3. Ralph Macchio 4. Maui 5. A pastry filled with meat, cheese or potatoes 6. “Cabaret” 7. Air sacs in the lungs 8. Parker and Barrow 9. “... should not throw stones.” 10. Leader (c) 2017 King Features Synd., Inc.
century, and falling in the midst of the Lenten season, it is a day of abstinence from meat. The swallows’ journey involves 15 hours of flight daily, from dawn until sunset, at a speed of about 18 mph (30 km/h).They fly at altitudes of more than 6,600 feet (2,012 m) in order to take advantage of favorable tail winds, while avoiding predators at the same time. • The California community organized a festival around the swallows’ faithful return, ringing the Mission bells as soon as the birds were sighted. San Juan Capistrano even passed a city ordinance prohibiting the destruction of any nests. • In recent years, with the rapid urbanization of southern California, the swallows have chosen other sites in the area for their nests, such as overpasses and the underside of bridges. Restoration work at the Mission destroyed old nests, which the birds had always made use of to start new nests. After 200 years at the Mission, thousands of swallows have made a new home in the eaves of Vellano Country Club’s clubhouse, 50 miles north of the Mission’s ruins. • An expert ornithologist is working on an ecological plan, using recordings of mating calls, in an attempt to draw the swallows back to the Mission. Speakers situated behind statues play the courtship calls, hoping to lure them to the church. • Every year, on the morning of October 23rd, the Day of San Juan, the swallows circle the community and begin their journey to Goya, where they will arrive about November 24th, greeted by a local series of festivals there. Their preferred nesting spot in Goya is San Martin Square, where a monument to the swallows has been constructed. • The musical group, The Ink Spots, had a hit on the charts in 1940, with the song “When the Swallows Come Back to Capistrano.” After reaching #4 on the charts, it was later recorded by several others, including Glenn Miller, Guy Lombardo, and Pat Boone. According to the lyrics, “that’s the day I pray that you’ll come back to me!”
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Mashed Potatoes With Cheesy Cabbage If this doesn’t make your Irish eyes smile, nothing will! 6 cups purchased coleslaw mix 1/4 cup Land O Lakes Fat Free Half & Half 1 1/2 cups diced Velveeta Light processed cheese 1/8 teaspoon black pepper 1 1/3 cups instant potato flakes 1 1/2 cups boiling water 2 tablespoons Land O Lakes no-fat sour cream 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Light Margarine 1. In a large skillet sprayed with butter-flavored cooking spray, saute coleslaw mix for 6 to 8 minutes. Lower heat. Stir in half and half. Add Velveeta cheese and black pepper. Mix well to combine. Continue cooking over low heat until cheese melts, stirring often. 2. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine dry potato flakes and boiling water. Mix well to combine. Stir in sour cream and margarine. For each serving, place 1/2 cup potatoes on a plate and spoon about 1/2 cup cabbage mixture over top. Makes 4 servings. HINTS: 1) 5 cups shredded cabbage and 1 cup shredded carrots may be used in place of purchased coleslaw mix; 2) For a main dish, stir 1 full cup low-fat ham into slaw mixture when adding cheese. * Each serving equals: 178 calories, 6g fat, 11g protein, 20g carb., 986mg sodium, 301mg calcium, 2g Fiber; Diabetic Exchanges: 1 1/2 Meat, 1 1/2 Vegetable, 1 Starch, 1/2 Fat; Carb Choices: 1. (c) 2017 King Features Synd., Inc.
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by Samantha Weaver * It was award-winning American author Ann Patchett who made the following sage observation: “The question is whether or not you choose to disturb the world around you, or if you choose to let it go on as if you had never arrived.” * As St. Patrick’s Day approaches, you might want to remember that the color originally associated with the Apostle of Ireland was blue, not green. * In 1861, when a group of Unionist counties decided they didn’t want to be part of Virginia any more, West Virginia became the only state formed by breaking away from a Confederate state. That wasn’t the only attempt, however; a group of citizens in northern Alabama and eastern Tennessee wanted to band together and form a new state that would be allied with the Union. Unfortunately for this pro-Unionist faction, plans for the would-be state of Nickajack never came to fruition. * Are you a coddiwompler? You are if you sometimes travel purposefully toward an as-yet-unknown destination. * At the time of its completion in 1885, the Washington Monument, at 555 feet, was the tallest building in the world. The cornerstone had been laid on July 4, 1848, but insufficient funds and other interruptions repeatedly delayed the work. When the monument finally opened to the public in October 1888, visitors could take a 10-minute steam-powered elevator ride to the top. During the last 12 years of the 19th century, more than 1.5 million people visited. * Hibernation doesn’t always happen in cold weather; warm-weather hibernation, known as estivation, is common among some species of lizards, turtles and snails.
SPECIALITY SHARPENING
All your sharpening needs, and for your convenience, drop off and pickup at Vernon’s Water Store. 180, 4400 - 32 St (250)308-4866
• Lopez golf bag grey $20, • Big Bag Boy golf cart $25, •Right hand Medicus golf driver + putter trainer + instruction cd $60, •Wine rack holds 20 bottles $30, •Sanyo sterio cassette deck + manual $15 obo, • Sirius Stratus 6 radio and car kit new with 3 months free trial $40, • Royal Albert Silver Birch China call for price. (250) 550-8486 Call after 6:00 PM. ( Vernon)
• 2 atv winches, 3000lbs @ $125 and 2000lbs @ $100 both are new • Stihl leaf blower model # BG55 excellent condition $150 • Remote controlled helicopter model # F645 with camera in original box - $180 (250) 308-6421 ( Vernon) Royal Albert MARGUERT Tea Set. 6 cups and saucers, cream and sugar, teapot, 6 pie plates and one large serving tray. $300 (250) 542-5698 ( Vernon)
BOOK WAREHOUSE #35, Alpine Centre, 100 Kal Lake Road OPEN on WEDNESDAYS and SATURDAYS 9 AM TO 1 PM Quality used books & more, most priced $1 or less Supporting Special Olympics, Vernon & other local charities Phone 250-275-2676 for more info. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
Build a Shaklee business online while keeping your present job, using your computer and phone. Go to www.naturalfreedom.net to learn more.
Thought for the Day: “The radical novelty of modern science lies precisely in the rejection of the belief ... that the forces which move the stars and atoms are contingent upon the preferences of the human heart.” -- Walter Lippmann (c) 2017 King Features Synd., Inc.
There may still be some snow on the ground, but spring has sprung in the V.J.H. gift shop (just inside the south entrance to the Jubilee Building.) Be sure and check us out----We’ve got Spring purses, clothing, and scarves. We have new musical stuffies, Endless glass knots, Wishing thread crystals, Giving plates, and Acrylic ornaments. Remember when you patronize us you are helping YOUR hospital.
CELEBRATING GREATER VERNON’S BEST BUSINESS EXCELLENCE AWARDS GALA Friday 10 March 2017 VERNON LODGE Join us as we honour the best of the best in our community! For information and tickets call 250-545-0771
Lumby & District Community Showcase 2017 Join us on April 29th inside the Pat Duke Memorial Arena. If you and/or your business would like to take part, contact the Chamber! More information coming soon.
Armstrong-Spallumcheen Chamber Week Events Come Taste the Valley on May 7th Hosted by Fieldstone Organics Call for Vendors! Deadline is March 15th events@fieldstoneorganics.ca or phone 250-546-4558 • Save the Date: April 12 Provincial All Candidates Meeting – Armstrong Seniors Activity Centre RSVP or questions? 250-546-8155 or staff@aschamber.com
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1. 3 2. 1974 3. Montana 4. Different colored eyes 5. Col. Norman Vaughn was 84 when he raced in 1990.
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1. Balto 2. Nearly one-third
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