Not Cold in Alaska

We made the trek (i.e., direct flight) to Fairbanks, Alaska for Memorial Day Weekend to visit friends who have lived there for the last year.  While cool and rainy in Seattle, Fairbanks was hot and sunny.  Even though I checked the weather forecast and knew it would be warm, I still packed my fleece jacket and multiple cardigans and neglected to bring tank tops and shorts.  I just couldn't quite wrap my mind around the fact that it would be hot in Alaska. 

We checked out C&B's digs---they spent a year in a dry cabin.  Despite the horror experienced by all of their friends at the thought of living in a place where it regularly gets -40 F without hot water, they embraced it. The view from the back porch was pretty unbelieveable. 

C&B's dry cabin (as in no running water)

 

C&B's outhouse (it turns out C is WAY tougher than I am)

C&B's "back yard"

Saturday, we went on a kickass hike called Angel Rocks.  Then, we stopped at the Silver Gulch Brewery for tasty food and beer.  

C&B on the Angel Rocks Hike

Andy relaxing at Angel Rocks

Sunday, we checked out Creamer's Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge then headed to Gulliver's for book browsing and sandwiches and to Hot Lick's for super creamy ice cream (I had Arctic Refuge Wildberry Snap, which had berry puree and gingersnaps---yum!).  Then, we had to check out Pioneer Park (formerly known as AlaskaLand!).

C and me at Creamer's Field

C at Creamer's Field

Monday, we headed the Museum of the North in the morning and then to Sam's Sourdough Cafe for lunch-sourdough pancakes and reindeer sausage (that tasted like kielbasa!!).  We tried to do another hike along the same road as Angel Rocks but were turned away by flooding in the road!  We ended up doing a nice hike on some birch-lined cross-country ski trails.  For dinner, we feasted on homemade Indian food.  

Museum of the North on UAF's campus

As expected, it doesn't really get dark in Fairbanks at the end of May.  

10:24 pm Fairbanks