Blogs from Fairbanks, Alaska, United States, North America - page 10

Today was a long, marvelous, busy day.It started with breakfast in the "lodge". It was better than just a continental breakfast, and the "lodge" actually had moose antlers over a stone fireplace. Then, we decided that since it wasn't raining and there weren't too many clouds, we'd drive back up the park road and try to get a glimpse of Denali. We got lucky! Only 30% of visitors get to see it because it is only "out", as in not enshrouded with clouds, about 10% of the time! We took pictures of snow-covered mountains nearby. Then, in the right spot to be able to see the mountain, we thought we saw a peak that was not a cloud. We got out the binoculars and there it was! The pictures make it look like it's floating. We ... read more

The end of Day One in Fairbanks was pretty sweet. The first few lectures were kind of dry and I was a little excited to get out of that lecture room during the break. But at the break, I started up a conversation with a new UAA professor who interestingly enough just moved up from Moscow, Idaho. It's a small world! She got her Ph.D at the UofI and just got hired on at UAA last August and will actually be going to Moscow this weekend to get married by Coeur d'Alene. She was a pretty nice lady and I ended up chatting with her more by the end of the night. I saw a few more people I knew then took off to the Housing Building down the road to check in. The halls are ... read more

So it's only about 12:10 but already today, I feel like I should write an update. Also, I'm kind of bored and sitting in this huge ass lecture hall by myself. waiting for the days talks to start. You read the title correct -- I am in Fairbanks! After spending a little too late last night reviewing my knowledge of fish anatomy (hehe...totally worth it), I awoke with sleepy eyes as I punched my cell phone with my palm, the alarm stirring me at 5:45a.m. What cruel joke is it to arise at this hour? Nevertheless, I pried myself from my warm sheets and spent the next 45 minutes running around my room, trying to remember what to pack, what to take. In the end, I ended up with half my hiking bag full of two ... read more

In the car to Fairbanks Early Monday morning, we packed up the car & head north up the Parks Hiway to Fairbanks, Alaska. Snow capped mountains & frost covered trees lined the roadway as we gained higher ground and cooler temperatures. Just outside of Denali Park, the GPS soon reported single digits - 9 degrees! Yikes! (Can you hear Kathy saying "yeah!"???) After 4 + hours of driving, nature called to fill our bellies & empty our bladders. (Hmmm, was there a roadside squat?? We'll never tell!) A roadside Grill provided yummy burgers for all!! Soon we were back on the road and making tire tracks to Fairbanks. Sadly, there were no real wild-life sightings other than a LARGE Raven or two, but that didn't discourage us from enjoying the gorgeous scenery. Our agenda included a ... read more

Spent the day yesterday puttering around getting ready to drive to Fairbanks when Mark got home. We got on the road by 4:30PM in rather poor weather. Rain and we just washed the Element! Visibility was so-so and just past Wasilla we stopped to wash the windows and headlights. Did that a few times. By the time we got to Talkeetna the roads dried up and stayed dry till we pulled into Fairbanks by midnight. The only wildlife we saw was a lone red fox who was trying to cross the road in front of us but thought better of it and went back into the woods instead of becoming a hood ornament. Woke up around 9:30am, after chatting a bit went back to bed. Missed the sunrise at 10ish, now we are drinking coffee, talking ... read more