First Snow

Well, it isn't the greatest picture, but it proves the title of this entry. It's winter.

Back to Red Dog

We returned to Red Dog Mine to set up our field equipment, which will monitor the waves offshore until the ice moves in. Knowing that it was late September, I was a little nervous about how cold it would be, but it was about the same weather as in Fairbanks. Actually the weather at Red Dog was gorgeous, with clear skies and no wind. We couldn’t have asked for anything better.

Here a picture of me (white hard hat, looking like Cousin It) and Oceana running cable down a trench.


Getting there on a Monday and leaving on Wednesday was just the right amount of time to get all of our work done and do a few extra equipment tests to boot. If only every installation would go so smoothly. No wait, then we might be out of a job, but anyway…


It was nice to work in the sunshine and to have a chance at seeing the green flash at sunset over the Chukchi Sea.


We didn’t see the flash, but our surroundings were certainly beautiful enough to give us plenty of other sights to enjoy.


Some caribou ran across the tundra during our drive back to the airstrip. No pictures of those, but the plane coming to pick us up was a great sight as well. It was only three days, but it’s always nice to return home.

It's All Downhill From Here

I went out to my car this morning, same as every morning, and, same as every cold morning lately, the windshield was covered in a heavy dew. One flick of the windshield wipers. Nothing happened. The dew stayed, and all I heard was a dull scraping sound. Another flick of the windshield wipers, and the exact same scene replayed itself. Could it be?...Was my fear becoming reality?...No...Surely not. However, sure enough. The windshield was covered in frost for the first time this season. Luckily I'm lazy enough that my ice scraper was still in the trunk from last spring. I guess it's time to move it to the back seat. It's all downhill from here.

The Last Few Weeks

After returning to Alaska from my southern tour, I wanted nothing more than to stick around Fairbanks for a while and to keep my feet on the ground; however, it was only a few days before I boarded a plane for Colorado. I had a meeting in Keystone and seized the opportunity to visit my cousin Cori in Denver. Unfortunately we were only able to catch up for one evening, and I didn't take any pictures, but it was great to see her again. (Thanks for the great hospitality, Cori!) Soon enough I was in beautiful Keystone, Colorado, where the weather was perfect. I left the window of my hotel room open 24 hours a day and enjoyed the sun and beautiful views during breaks from the meeting.



A few days later, I was back in the Denver airport, yet again returning to Fairbanks. Coincidentally, my friend Carrie's sister Rachel and her daughter Claire were on the same flights as I was. Rachel lives in Colorado and was heading to Alaska to visit Carrie. What are the chances?

Since there were visitors in Fairbanks, a little entertaining was in order. Carrie and Thea, Rachel and Claire, and I headed out to Mt. Prindle to hike up the Quartz Creek Trail and pick some blueberries!


There weren't a whole lot of blueberries to be had, but the view from the trail was gorgeous.



The only wildlife we saw were some grouse hanging out on the hilltop, but it was a sighting none the less.


Since there weren't many blueberries to be had this year, thanks to a few weeks straight of rain, I still had the berry picking bug. It didn't take long when I got a tip that the raspberries at Pearl Creek Farms were great this year (Thanks, Andy!), so I headed on over there and picked a gallon of raspberries in short order. Mette and Kieran joined me for a bit because who can resist raspberries? Yum!


The only other annual tradition that needed to be fulfilled before the snow starts to fly was attending the demolition derby with Carrie. This year Thea was able to enjoy being a 'red-neck-for-a-day' with us, and now you can too thanks to the following video.

Diversified fun is a must!

A Georgia Surprise!

Earlier this year, my mother's side of the family began to plan an August trip to the beach. I was disappointed because I wasn't going to be able to make it. I was supposed to be on the Arctic coast to start a new field project. HOWEVER, in late June, I found out that an Italian drilling company had erected a drill rig on our field site, quickly squashing any work plans, so I went ahead and made plans to join the family on Tybee Island, Georgia. The only caveat here is that I decided not to tell them I was coming. I've never done a long-distance surprise, and I was excited to try and pull it off.

They arrived on Saturday, but I didn't arrive until Tuesday. When I got there, the surprise was on me. I found the house, but they weren't home! I looked for them on the beach but couldn't find them anywhere, so I decided to go to lunch and then try again. After lunch, I found a still empty house. Turns out they went to Savannah for the day, but luckily it was too hot for comfort, and they returned sooner than later.

Surprise!!

It was so much fun, and the surprise went off without a hitch. No one had any idea that I might show up to join in on the vacation fun. Mission Accomplished.

Of course, we spent a lot of time hanging out on the beach, although the heat index was 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Yikes!! That's pretty warm for an Alaskan girl. I had to be sure and stay in the water so that I didn't melt.



Other time was spent hanging out with family...


...and we worked in a ladies trip to Savannah where we toured Bull Street in the heat. (Ha! That rhymed.)


We were lucky enough to be on Tybee Island the same week that Squirty the sea turtle was released back into the wild. He was rescued as a hatchling and raised for two years by the Burton 4-H Center. We paraded down to the Tybee Island pier to watch the big event.


It seems we weren't the only ones on the island who wanted to see Squirty off, but luckily we were early enough to get a great view from the pier and a nice breezy spot.




After the turtle excitement we headed back to the house...


and celebrated my birthday that evening by making party hats! What could be better?


Before I knew it, it was time for everyone to leave. I had a great time with the family and can't wait to see them all again for the holidays. It was especially nice to have the opportunity to spend time with the kids that I usually only see for an afternoon on holidays. I got a chance to learn their lively, cheerful personalities.


I said goodbye, but I wasn't ready to end my trip just yet. You can't fly all that way and not make the most of your time. From Tybee Island, I headed to South Carolina where I spent a couple of days with a very pregnant Shawncee, and then I headed to North Carolina to visit Susan and her family for a couple more days. It was the first week of the Summer Olympics, and after the days in the sun at the beach, hanging out with friends over dinner and Olympic action was the perfect form of entertainment.

While in North Carolina, I enjoyed a reprieve from the heat and hiked the Cox Mountain and Fanny's Ford Trails in Eno River State Park, which is an impressive little haven in the middle of populated area.



There were deer everywhere! Good thing they aren't in Alaska. They would probably be getting shot from airplanes. ;) (Those of you not from Alaska probably won't understand that final comment. Sorry!)

It was a great vacation, but as always, it's nice to be home!