Hi All:
No funny story to tell but
wanted to relate a few experiences in Fairbanks, Alaska. It hasn't gotten
cold yet (highs in the single digits), but I've found that my blood has
thinned from what it was when I lived in Maine. All the major parking areas
on post and in town have what looks to be parking meter posts, but contain
electrical outlets to plug your car in while parked. All the cars,
including our rentals, have electrical engine heaters with extension cords
wound on a rack mounted to the front bumper. I've seen a lot of people
also leave their cars running while parked. There are many people who are
very large (OK, fat!) in Alaska. I think that comes from the reduced daylight
hours, the cold weather, and boredom. People also seem to frequently eat
out and to socialize. The hotel that we're in has excellent tasting food,
and a two-for-the-price-of-one menu. The breakfast I ordered came to $4.50,
which included eggs, bacon, some fries, toast. It was served on a
12" plate that was completely covered and rounded. I am beginning to understand
why people get fat up here. The cold, brisk, fresh air really works up
my appetite.
The sun when it rises is still low to the horizon. At noontime, if at arms length you held your fingers horizontally in front of your face and put the bottom finger on the horizon, the sun would be just above your thumb at its highest arc. In Barrow, Alaska (located on the North Slope), they only have one sunrise and one sunset per year. If you were watching the sun set in the summer, it would move towards the trees and then before touching the horizon, climb back up into the sky.
Tonight I saw the most beautiful sight. I have had people (from the southern states) ask me if the trees in New England turn the brilliant colors that you see on the postcards. They believe that it is fake or enhanced. As my northeast friends know, some years the leaves are a sight to behold. Well, tonight was my first vivid Northern Light experience. In Maine, I have seen them many times. It kind of looked like a greenish haze in the sky. But tonight, it looked just like the brightest pictures I had seen on postcards. We drove out of town to get away from the city lights. People, the sky was jet black, with brilliant green streaks (sometimes florescent) almost as bright as the moon. The Northern Lights would flicker and dance like flames in a fireplace. Constantly changing shapes and intensity. It would be really bright in one corner of the sky a nd then I'd see what looked like a green vapor trail go from one horizon to the other and connect to another ever changing display. At times, if you continually gazed, sections of the green would turn to red for a couple of seconds then return to green. Other sections looked more like green storm clouds that would be hanging over your head. It was truly more awe inspiring than any brilliant rainbow I have ever seen.
Tomorrow, I hope to skip over to a town named, North Pole. It is only about 20 miles from Fairbanks. I wanted to drive to Delta Junction because it becomes very windy due to multiple mountain ranges converging at one spot. I have been told that temperatures of -70 are not that uncommon. It is about 100 miles from here. With my work schedule I won't be able to make it.
Take care, Larry G.