Fairbanks' Best Kept Secret

I read this blurb on the web tonight. It was in response to the question, "What is Fairbanks weather like?"

"The weather is probably Fairbanks's best kept secret. With less than 12 inches of annual rainfall and only 70 inches of light, dry snow each year, Fairbanks has just the right weather for summer boating, fishing, birding, hiking and winter snow-machining, snowshoeing and skiing. Summer days are breezy, dry and warm and most winter days are clear or slightly overcast with almost no wind."

This makes winter in Fairbanks sound downright balmy! How is it that so few people come to this veritable paradise? I don't understand.

Perhaps (and this is merely a suggestion) it's because the author of said note failed to mention the nose-hair freezing, front door frozen shut, don't-forget-to-plug-your-car-in-or-you're-screwed, freezing temperatures!

 

How Cold Is It? -- Part Two

Last winter I wrote a post describing how cold it was. Lord, I didn't know nothin'! That was merely a warm-up for this winter!

I used to believe I needed to experience -50 or colder, just once. You know, just so I would know what that felt like. I no longer hold this belief. Not only have I now experienced -50, I've experienced it multiple times. I'm hear to tell you, no one needs to experience that. No one.

So You Think You Can Drive

As the saying goes, be careful what you ask for. The last few days I've been lamenting that I didn't have anything to write about on the blog. What to say, what to say, what to say. Things have been rather quiet as of late: no astute snow metaphors about life, no stupid human tricks, and no driving escapades.

Whoops. Hang on there. Driving shenanigans, you say? Ding, ding, ding! We have a winner!

Plentiful Sunshine

I noticed today that The Weather Channel describes Fairbanks weather not only as "bitterly cold" but also as having "plentiful sunshine". Interesting.

Bitterly Cold

I find it hilarious that the weather description for Fairbanks and other Interior locations these days is "bitterly cold". One day last week Fairbanks topped the chart as being the coldest place in the world. Colder than Antarctica! We were all so proud.  

The Weekend Part 1: Friday Night

It was a busy weekend so this will be a two-part post. First, a re-cap of Friday evening and half of Saturday.

The weekend got off to a strong start with Attitude Adjustment Hour (AAH) at The Roundup. I pass the Roundup almost everyday on my way home from Crossfit.

Ice Park

A few weeks ago I went to the Ice Park. It's an international competition of ice sculpture and this was it's 22nd year. Currently there is a bit of political upheaval as to whether the competition will continue to be held in Fairbanks. I hope it stays.

I didn't have my regular camera with me and had to make do with my cell phone camera. Sorry for the less than clear pictures. They don't do the ice justice but you'll get the idea. Check out the website for better pictures: http://www.icealaska.com/

Chena Lakes

Awhile back, when daylight barely stretched to 5:00pm, and daytime highs topped out at 0 degrees (one a warm day) I went for a trek at Chena Lake Recreation area. In the summer this place is hopping, I'm sure. Nice big lake for fishing and kayaking, beaches for soaking up that precious vitamin D and only 30 minutes south of Fairbanks.

In winter, not as popular.

How Cold Is It?

This was the temperature when I arrived at work this morning:

Up until I started experiencing -40 degree temps I was holding my own with the cold. Telling people, "As long as you're dressed for it -22 doesn't feel that bad. It's a dry cold -- I've felt colder in San Francisco on a damp, windy, foggy day!" 

What a bunch of malarkey! That's like saying when it's 107 degrees, "oh it's a dry heat --so much better than a humid heat."  No. Sorry people, at that point it's just hot. And so when the thermometer drops to -40, it's just cold. Windchill or not, dampness or not, it is cold. There's really nothing else to say about it. But I will.