I guess I got a tad overconfident about the weather when I posted last weekend. It seemed like Spring. It felt like Spring. But Mother Nature had other plans.
Beginning early yesterday morning, we got hit with a major snowstorm that is just now finally moving on to bother someone else. When you’re in a business that’s involved in transporting vacationers and giving them a wonderful experience, a snowstorm is a BIG DEAL. All we could say was “Welcome to Alaska!”
My hopes of driving into Denali National Park today were dashed, so instead I’ve spent most of the day watching movies. I’m figuring that no self-respecting grizzly would be out wandering around in a blizzard anyway, and even if he was I wouldn’t be able to see him! I did go out and clear about eight inches of wet, heavy snow and ice off the car I leased for the season. There wasn’t an ice scraper or snow brush in the car-it was only for the summer, after all.
I’m holding on to great hopes that I might get into the park tomorrow, which is the last day cars are allowed to drive beyond Savage River. With the snow it’s likely I won’t get beyond Savage anyway, but it’s worth checking, anyway.
Alaska has a long-standing tradition called the Nenana Ice Classic. It started in 1917, probably by people who were suffering from cabin fever and needed something to do. Why not bet on Spring? Besides, Alaskans will bet on almost anything. So every year a tripod is set up on the ice on the Tanana River, in the town of Nenana, south of Fairbanks. When the tripod falls over, breakup is official. People buy tickets and make their guess on when the ice will go out. Last year the winner received $350,000. The latest the ice has ever gone out was May 20, 1964, the same week I graduated from high school in Anchorage. I remember it being a cold spring-I wore a heavy coat over my graduation gown because it was so cold. It looks like this year might set a new record. On May 6 the ice was still 40 inches thick. That was the last measurement, because the ice starts to get soft and it isn’t safe to go out on the river. With the very cold weather we’ve been having, I somehow think that ice hasn’t deteriorated all that much in the last couple of weeks. I’ll keep checking and let you know when the ice goes out. I;m ready for it right now!
I always try to live in the moment and enjoy whatever comes, especially in Alaska. There is so much beauty here, and the many seasons and types of weather make it a constantly changing picture. But I’ve been here now for seven weeks of winter. Seriously, I’m ready for summer.
Travels with Billie 