Homer Alaska - Local Stories -

"It's one of those once in a lifetime kind of things to be asked to represent your state," said Riddles. "These floats will just drive you crazy. They are just creative and incredibly beautiful."

The float, sponsored by ACVB, the Alaska Railroad, the Alaska Travel Industry Association and the Alaska Statehood Celebration Commission, was designed by Fiesta Parade Floats designer Raul Rodriguez and featured masks representing all five major Alaska Native cultural groups in Alaska, a variety of Alaska wildlife and depictions of outdoor life, including kayakers and hikers.

The day before the parade, the float received a national trophy, "Best Depiction of Life in the U.S.A. -- Past, Present or Future."

"We are absolutely thrilled to have won this award," said Julie Saupe, president and CEO of the ACVB. "We've applied to be in the parade for six years in a row now, so to have won an award in our very first outing is just incredible."

Riddles' friend, Caroline Muegge-Vaughn, who is sales manager for ACVB, first approached her about the idea a month ago.

"I don't watch a lot of television and I didn't really know much about it," said Riddles. "I had to go online to find out about it."

The parade, in its 110th year, features more than 50 floats and 20 marching bands, and reaches millions of viewers worldwide via television broadcast. Many of the floats cost in excess of $200,000 to design and build and several of them feature computer-driven hydraulics and animation. All are required to be covered entirely with organic materials.

In addition to its flower dogs, Alaska's float featured alder branches flown in from Alaska, dried seaweed molded into the shape of a whale, an Iditarod sign made of seeds and a dusting of snow made from coconut.

"The coconut smelled wonderful," said Riddles, who rode the entire 5-and-a-half mile course while wearing a parka.

"It really was pretty warm, but we're big, tough Alaskans," she said. "I can't exactly sit there in a tank top on top of the Alaska float."

Riddles said the crowd along the parade route, estimated in the hundreds of thousands, was enthusiastic and interested in Alaska.

"The thing we heard the most was 'where's Sarah?'" she said. "We didn't have a good comeback for that one."

Riddles returned to Homer on Monday.

"I'm excited to get back home and I'm excited to get back to running dogs," she said.

Aaron Selbig can be reached at aaronselbig.@homernews.com.