Fairbanks – Arctic Circle

Less than 2% of the population in the world can state that they have been north of the Arctic Circle.  I guess we are now in the minority.  We booked a plane excursion up to Coldfoot that left at 7:30pm.  Still hard to get my head around it being light up here until well past midnight.

Had a great flight and we were able to see some of the land, lakes, streams and tundra from the air.  Rivers that spawn from glaciers are very milky looking due to the amount of fine particles in them that has been rubbed off the mountainside.  We landed in Coldfoot and then traveled up to Wiseman, Alaska where we were able to witness how modern day man survives in this climate.  During the summer months they bag moose and caribou that they preserve for the long night.  Additionally they grow vegetables which they can and chop and chop and chop firewood for the stoves.  Again, the value of the Busse Bus came to mind.  Wiseman is home to 15 people who probably get to know each other very well in order to survive.

On the return trip we stopped at a gas station/restaurant/bar/convenience store.  Had a quick beer from America’s most northern brewery – Copper Creek.  Tasted like my favorite kind of beer, cold and wet!

We got a semi-sunset on the way home that Ariana really enjoyed.

Landing at the airport reminded me of my brother, Allan, who was stationed at Eielson Air Force Base in Fairbanks while serving his country.  That’s the reason why my family traveled here in the late 60’s.  One night Allan smuggled me into the barracks where I spent the night with the boys.