Northern exposure: An Alaskan adventure
Do any of you have a bucket list? Mine is pretty long, so I’ve been working my way through it for years now to ensure I don’t have to rush to finish it. One of the items on my list has been to see the Northern Lights, or the Aurora Borealis.
My Twitter friend DK Mashino (@DKMomus) went to Fairbanks for New Year’s Eve to see the Aurora Borealis, but came back unfulfilled. He said, “I’m going back in March for a do-over. Want to come?” And of course, my instant reaction was, “YES.” I booked my tickets, but had to stay in a different B&B because his was sold out.
Now, just because you go to Alaska in the winter, doesn’t mean you will see the Northern Lights. The lights are actually always there, but you need to be in a dark place (with few streetlights), the sky needs to be clear, and you need to be in the right place. For example, they may appear over Iceland, but not necessarily be over Fairbanks. Some people travel to Alaska several times and never see it — it’s always a gamble. So we filled our time with other activities to ensure the trip wasn’t a total bust. The conditions were ripe, though, as the solar flares were causing the sky to light up dramatically two weeks ago.
Here’s a quick show-and-tell of the flight over:
Northern Exposure: Day 1
When I arrived, it was minus 2 degrees, quite a dramatic change from the sweltering 80 degrees I was in just a few hours earlier! Interestingly enough, although it was cold, it wasn’t painful. It was just … well, cold. On colder days, I would wear a tank top, then expedition-weight thermal underwear, then a thick sweater or sweatshirt. A puffy jacket is good, and having a hat or hood is essential. This isn’t to say you can never go outside without four layers; when I got to A Moose in the Garden, we went outside with Alaska local Donna Blackburn on a whim (with no jackets) to demo this cool, I mean, cold, trick.
DK and I pretty much hit the ground running once he got the car. Most of the day was gone, but we managed to check out the Alaska Raw Fur Co. and head out to Chena Hot Springs.
Alaska Raw Fur Co.
Before you anti-fur people get crazy, just remember: This is Alaska. Their use of animal fur here is not for fashion, but more for warmth. When you are faced with a minus 20 degree day, even without wind, the cold could probably kill you (eventually). Furs are a way of life, and this store gets theirs from villages all over rural Alaska. We stopped by to see their wares and take in the unique pieces of culture.
Alaska Raw Fur Co.
4106 Boat St.
Fairbanks, AK 99709
http://www.alaskarawfur.com
I think it hit minus 20 while we were at Chena, and despite having a few layers, I think it was extra harsh because we still had to acclimate. When we got to the car to go home, we sat there with the heater running for about 20 minutes, trying to thaw out!
Tomorrow’s blog will show our little(?) trip to Denali in search of wildlife. I do want to note that a lot of people said they were hoping to see more photos of food, but even the locals will tell you, “You don’t come to Fairbanks for the food.” It’s a place to seek new sights, wild animals, and the Aurora Borealis — but the next few days’ worth of blogs will not feature much food.
To see the raw photo files from my first day in Alaska, click here.
One last note for everyone who asked if I was on a cruise: Cruise ship season in Alaska is in the summer only.
