Hands down, my favorite week of the semester is always the week we spend in Alaska. I don't know if it's just being in the midst of absolute beauty or if it's the fact that we always take a little time to enjoy the view (at least more than we do during any other travel week) but this week is always incredibly insane and incredibly enjoyable.
Don't get me wrong. The week in Alaska is no vacation. The universities we work with pack our schedules with events, meetings and fairs. We're constantly on the go and have very long days...but as the saying goes, work hard...play hard.
And we do.
Like usual, we started the week down in Anchorage. I couldn't believe how warm the weather was. I barely needed layers. It was so weird. We have so many events at UAA that there isn't a lot of time to breathe, but at least it's productive. After coming to AK for a few years now, it's nice to see some progress in getting students abroad. AK students are interesting for a variety of ideas, but more and more, they are fertile g interested in going overseas.
After a brief stay in Anchorage, we moved on to Fairbanks. The flight was beautiful. Denali was clear as day and we arrived just around sunset. The Yukon Quest, a 1000 mile dog mushing race that had been going on for about a week and a half was coming to a close and the finish line was right across from our hotel.
The end of the race is right in the middle of the frozen river. It was so cool to see a few of the teams come in. The first guy we saw come in was right after we returned from our campus meetings was named Lance McKay who has won both the Yukon Quest and the Iditarod a number of times. So cool.
The end of the race is right in the middle of the frozen river. It was so cool to see a few of the teams come in. The first guy we saw come in was right after we returned from our campus meetings was named Lance McKay who has won both the Yukon Quest and the Iditarod a number of times. So cool.
As it was in Anchorage, the weather in Fairbanks was incredibly odd. Last year, when we went dog sledding, it was about -28 degrees. This year, a balmy 25 degrees. There was snow on the ground, but apparently about a foot less than usual. Last year, I was afraid of loosing my nose to frostbite. This year, the weather was so "warm" but the snow was so low that the ride was incredibly bumpy. It was still an amazing experience. Friend A and J and I went to the same woman, Eleanor, that I went to last year. I really liked our ride last year and was more then willing to work with her again.
Since the weather was warmer, the dogs were a little slower. Eleanor said that the warmer it gets, the dogs have a harder time pulling. They have even had to cancel a few tours because of the warm temperatures. #crazy
We went for an hour ride. The sun was out, the birch trees were beautiful and the dogs pulling us were majestic. Moments like this make me wonder why I spend so much of my life indoors. It's so easy to get locked up, eyes on a screen and miss the wonder of nature. In Alaska, the beauty surrounds you (even when it's so cold outside) and you can't help but want to soak it in.
After warming up with some hot chocolate, we were on our way to the Chena Hot Springs, a small resort about and hour and a half outside of Fairbanks. I'd never been before, but have wanted to go for awhile.
Since the resort is so far outside of the city, it was surround by snow and ice that had crystalized the trees. The hot springs were outdoors and I wasn't sure how we'd get out there without instantly suffering from hypothermia. But, obviously, the resort had it down. Heated walkways.
Amazing.
The springs was so incredibly warm. After the beating my body took during the dog sled ride, the heat felt amazing. It was so neat to be outside, surround by snow and soaking in a pool. I wish I could have stayed there all day!
Work began later that day with the start of the Alaska Reentry Conference. Our outdoor adventuring may have been over, but getting to see our students and hear their experiences is pretty darn cool as well.
