20 posts tagged “anchorage”

Jan. 3, 1959, Alaska became the 49th state of the United States. 50 years later and I find myself, at the ripe old age of 28, living here among the moose and bear and the even more unusual animals (read: humans). I never would have chosen Alaska as a place of residence on my own, and I still have plans to leave within the next couple years - but I can't deny that Alaska has its own particular charm and appeal. I could probably come up with a long list of things I dislike about this place, but on the other hand I could likely create a similar list of things I love.

Anyway, the 50th anniversary of our statehood was a few days ago and I was lucky enough to have a prime spot to enjoy the fireworks show. Standing atop the parking garage of our downtown 5th Ave. Mall, shivering in the negative 15 or 20 temp we had that night, I was still able to snap a few photos that turned out decent. We had to get there an hour early and the traffic jam getting out of the parking garage afterward was a joy filled 2 hour adventure, but I suppose it was all worth it for the light show in the sky.

At least I have photos to prove I was there!

Well it has been awhile, I know, and I don't really have any excuses for my long absence - I've just not been in a blogging mood the past month or so.  Life has been carrying on as usual, and summer seems to be dead in the water--to steal a nautical phrase.  This has been an abysmal summer in just about every way you could possibly measure.  It's been cool, cloudy, rainy and just all around depressing.

The only people I know who have been enjoying the summer are the fishers, because the worse the weather the better the fishing.  Or so they say.

Just to put things into perspective, on the way to work this morning I heard a lady call in and say that she was a life-long Alaskan, born and raised, and in all her years the worst winter she has ever seen has been Summer '08.  Yeah I know that she was exaggerating--slightly--but it just goes to show that everyone is noticing just how crappy this summer has been.  I've only had to mow my lawn twice... just twice!  I know that must sound rather nice to you folks who have to mow every weekend, but understand that just as my grass isn't growing, neither are any of my plants and flowers.

It's all just stunted and dead.

This is my 10th summer in Alaska so far and I can easily say that this has been the worst.  I feel bad for the poor tourists who saved up for their "dream" vacation only to be met with dismal gloomy weather the entire trip.  I guess we can't control the weather, but I'd sure like to see the sun at least once again before the summer ends.

I was letting my brother drive my car yesterday to get more practice in before he takes his drivers test, and suddenly he says "Wow that was odd, what just happened...  Is the car overheating?"  I leaned over and looked, said "No, why?"  He responds, "It just got really hot all of a sudden."  To which I replied, "Thats because the sun just came out."  My brother was silent for a moment, then says "Oh...!  I'm not used to that."

That pretty much sums up the Alaskan summer of '08.

I came across these bear tracks today as I was out working near Earthquake Park, here in Anchorage.  While out 'exploring' I came across some pretty fresh bear tracks, leading right down through a small lake / tide pool.  I admit that it was beautiful to see, but I'm just as glad I hadn't been walking past that area a few minutes before when then bear was probably in the process of making those tracks...

OK here is one of the promised photos of the current storm.  The "Heavy Snow Warning" has now dropped down to a "Snow Advisory", which probably means we aren't going to get much more--not that I trust any weatherman these days.  Anyway, if you remember my previous photo of this very same area of my backyard, you'll see we had about 15 inches of snow.  Well this storm managed to one-up our last storm by about 12 inches.  In total here on the east side of Anchorage we've had about 27 inches of snow.


Here is another shot, you'll see the path I had to carve out just so my dog could walk. The snow walls are a solid 12 inches taller than him. Keep in mind; 8 a.m. Friday morning there was NO snow out there. Not even an inch. We were well on our way to summer so it seemed. A little over 24 hours later and we now have over 2 ft of snow. That's Alaska for you.

To be honest I don't expect this snow to stay around long.  Yet having said that, it's already been here long enough to cause problems.  Dozens of car accidents, with at least one fatality.  Multiple social engagements called off or postponed, including our biggest running event of the year, "The Heart Run".  Like I said though, that is Alaska for you.  One thing I've learned over the years I've lived here is that you should always have a plan in the event your plans are foiled by the weather.

Would you believe that Anchorage just got another 10 inches of snow?

Heavy Snow Warning

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ANCHORAGE AK
525 PM ADT FRI APR 25 2008

A COLD FRONT HAS STALLED OVER SOUTH CENTRAL ALASKA AND IS
PRODUCING THE NECESSARY CONDITIONS FOR SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL OVER
THE ANCHORAGE AREA. AROUND 10 INCHES OF SNOW HAS FALLEN OVER THE
ANCHORAGE AREA SINCE THIS MORNING AND SNOWFALL IS EXPECTED TO
PERSIST INTO SATURDAY MORNING. AN ADDITIONAL 8 TO 15 INCHES ARE
EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM BEFORE IT DISSIPATES.

It's almost May! May, for goodness'sake! This is just depressing. I know, I know; I live in Alaska, what right do I have to complain right?  Well pfft on that.  If people in warm states can complain about the heat, and people in rainy states can complain about the water - well then dang it, I can complain about the snow!

But seriously, another 8-15 inches?  Did we do something to anger Mother Nature?  Did we miss her birthday or anniversary or something?  It's starting to feel like she has a grudge against us.

The funny thing is our weatherman said on Thursday, "no accumulation", which means "sure we might get some snow, but none of it will stick on the ground".  Friday morning he changes his mind and says "possibly 4 inches of snow".  I know weather prediction is an inexact science, but how do you go from no snow on the ground, to 4 inches, to possibly over TWO FEET OF FREAKING SNOW?  I could have asked my dog to predict the weather for me and there is a good chance he might of done better than that.

Another funny thing;  I just had my snow tires taken off my jeep yesterday (Friday) morning (when there was not snow on the ground) - and promptly got stuck in my driveway 8 hours later when I got home from work (when there was 10 inches out there).  I should have known better, the last time I considered taking my snow tires off we had about 15 inches of snow fall the next day.

I've got to get out of Alaska.

Here are a few quick webcam photos from around Anchorage.  I'll try to take some photos myself while I'm out around town working later today.  Wish me luck.

Well it's been snowing, and snowing... and snowing a little more.  It's still snowing as I write this, and by morning we are supposed to have maybe 6 more inches.  I think that adds up to about a ft and a half of snow in the past week.  All the snow in this photo is from this week, it was nice a clear out there before that.  Muddy of course, but just about no snow at all.

Anchorage is supposed to only get about 5 1/2 inches of snow, on average, during the entire month of April.  Barely over a week into the month and we'll have about 4 times that already.  Really Alaska, really?

Even my dog went and looked around, then came back and says to me, "Holy crap dude, there is snow everywhere!".  Well you know, that is what he would have said.  I can always tell what he is thinking.

Alaska is one of the few places I've been that doesn't seem to have very much vandalism or grafitti.  Sure, you see the random Tag now and again -- but as for entire buildings or neighborhoods taken over with gang signs and other assorted "art", not much at all.  What we do have, though, are murals.  You'll notice them all around town, but most especially downtown, brightening up the tourist district.

You know, it takes a special sort of place to run a Fur Bikini contest - and Alaska is just that sort of place.  Yes, I truly live in a blessed state.  The contest is what it sounds like, Bikini's made of fur.  I didn't attend this particular contest myself (I had no idea it was happening), so I don't know for certain how it was judged or who won - not that it really matters I suppose.  Anyone who enters a fur bikini contest is already a winner in my book.

I wonder what the etiquette for a situation like that is?  Could one yell up to the stage and ask if that was her natural fur color?  I kid, I kid.  Anyway, this seems to be another fine example of the sort of benefits you get when living in the great state of Alaska.  Our winters are cold, dark and boring -- but at night the women don their fur bikinis and then the world is OK again.

An interesting bit of trivia:  The very last time I ever touched alcohol (years ago) was at the very bar this bikini contest was at.  The two events aren't related at all, I just thought it was worth mentioning.