Happy 90th birthday to Chuck Berry. A truly one of a kind artistic talent, whose wonderful, visual lyrics and guitar prowess transformed multiple generations.
To paraphrase Bruce Springsteen: “You may have never seen a ‘coffee-colored Cadillac’, but you know exactly what one looks like.”
The Pond has frozen
Temperatures this morning were in the low teens here, and the wind has not stopped howling since early Sunday. It made for a rough day out there, as I attempted to frame a deck in, while trying to keep the lumber from blowing away.
For the first time this season, the long underwear top went on, as did the flannel-lined Carhartt jeans. I do love those pants.
In other Alaska News:
Barrow, AK on 15 October 2016. Photo credit: Barrow Sea Ice Cam!
Utqiagvik, also known as “The Community Formerly Known as Barrow”, set a new record this autumn for the latest accumulation of snowfall. The old record was October 12, set in 1998, and every day without snowfall extends the record. Utqiagvik has seen flurries, but nothing measurable.
The first ten days of October saw Utqiagvik hit record warm temperatures. During that period, temperatures averaged 10.4 degrees above normal.
It should be noted, that “The Community Formerly Known as Barrow” also experienced a record early snow melt this past May. That record beat the old one by 10 days.
The northern Alaska community voted earlier this month to change the town’s name from the English “Barrow” back to the Inupiaq “Utqiagvik.” The vote was: 381 votes in favor to 375 votes opposed. Utqiagvik is pronounced Oot’-kee-ahg’-vick.
Photo credit: Bob Hallinen/ADN
A wildfire is growing between the towns of Palmer and Sutton here in Alaska. At first report, it was at 10 acres, but the dry autumn and currently high winds have seen it expend to over 200 acres in less than 24 hours. Several fire hoses and water tankers, on site to fight the fire, froze over night.
Another wildfire, estimated at 350 acres in size, is burning in the Northwest part of the state near the community of Noorvik.
D-1 Hockey returns to Fairbanks with the annual Brice Alaska Goal Rush. Anchorage joins Fairbanks as the two Alaska programs take on Canisius and the University of Nebraska – Omaha.
The puck drops at 4:07 on Friday afternoon for game one.
Graphic courtesy of Alaska Nanook Hockey
Anchorage Depot
While in Anchorage, we took a tour of the Anchorage Depot of the Alaska Railroad. Founded in 1902, the Alaska RR first hit the rails in 1914. Today, the railroad is owned & operated by the State of Alaska.
Inside the Anchorage Depot
The rails extend from the south eastern towns of Whittier and Seward, through Denali National Park, and north to Fairbanks and Eielson A.F.B. The main line has 470 miles of track.
Alaska RR train getting ready to leave the station. Probably the Glacier Discovery run.
The Alaska Railroad is one of the last flag-stop routes in the country. The Hurricane Turn run allows any passenger to get on or off the train along the route. Just wave a white flag at the engineer, preferably while not standing on the rail.
In 2015, the Alaska RR hauled 4.29 million tons of freight, and carried 475,034 passengers.
A happy birthday to the famed aviator and author, Ernest Gann. Gann was born in Lincoln, NE on this date in 1910. He learned to fly in the early 1930’s and by the end of that decade was flying DC-2’s for American Airlines. In 1942, like many American pilots, Gann was absorbed into the Air Transport Command to assist in the war effort.
The Douglas DC-2
Gann would turn his adventures of flying into a second career as an author. He wrote over 26 novels, of which 21 would become best sellers. He also wrote the screenplays, adapting 11 of his novels for both film and television. When I first moved to Alaska, I came across my favorite of Gann’s books: Fate is the Hunter, and I gobbled up any of his books that I could find. Some of his other literary works include: Island in the Sky, The High and the Mighty, Soldier of Fortune,and The Antagonists.
Flying magazine lists Gann #34 on their list of 51 Heroes of Aviation. Ernest Gann died in 1991.
While in Anchorage, we took a side trip down to the Kenai Peninsula. It was a beautiful drive. The swans seemed to be floating in every puddle. Both trumpeter and tundra swans were migrating through, and their numbers were in the hundreds.
Autumn is a perfect time to visit the Kenai. Very little tourist action is going on this time of year, with absolutely no combat fishing. Although, that also means that almost nothing was open.
Kenai Lake near Cooper Landing
The Sterling Highway as it snakes its way through the Kenai Peninsula
The Puck ‘A’ was awaiting Alaska at their bench Sunday afternoon. Sadly, there was no ‘M’ waiting for Minnesota players.
Friday:
The Anchorage Seawolves vs Minnesota Gophers
If Friday night was any indication, 2016-17 will be a very long season for the Alaska-Anchorage Seawolves. Minnesota outplayed UAA from the opening puck drop, and the Gophers cruised to a 6-0 win. UAA averaged only 4 SOG per period in the loss.
Saturday:
“Down in front, Doc!” The Nanooks take on the Seawolves
Life didn’t get any easier on Saturday night for UAA, as Alaska took it to the Seawolves in a 4-1 win for the Nanooks. The tone was once again set early, as Alaska held UAA to only 3 SOG in the first period. So far so good for my two teams, as both Minnesota and Fairbanks won round one. Now they would face each other.
Sunday afternoon:
Minnesota and Alaska during warmups
I didn’t know what to expect when Minnesota and Alaska took to the ice; it had been quite a few years since the two teams had met.
I didn’t like it. I didn’t like it at all.
I grew up watching the Golden Gophers, but I’ve been attending Nanook games for over 20 years now, and I know this team and see the players throughout the year in Fairbanks. I was torn, so much so that The Curator told me to “Stop cheering for both teams; it’s confusing!” A Nanook win would be huge for the program, but a Gopher loss would be bad for rankings down the road. All I could do was hope both teams played well, and try to just enjoy the game. It didn’t help that we were surrounded by Nanook parents. The mother of Justin Woods warned me that I better not be cheering for Minnesota in front of her.
Alaska takes on ranked Minnesota
I expected a small crowd on Sunday, since UAA was not playing, but this was absolutely pathetic. There were some transplanted Minnesotans at the game, as well as a fair group down from Fairbanks, but overall I thought there was about 700 people in the stands. The announced paid attendance was 1900 and some change, but there sure as hell were not that many people in the seats.
Alaska played Minnesota tough. The Nanook defense played well, and I thought Jesse Jenks played well in goal for UA making 21 saves, but Minnesota was always a step ahead and an outbreak away. Minnesota tallied 2 SHG’s and an ENG on the way to a 6-3 win. Alaska twice cut the Minnesota lead from 2 to one, but the Gophers found a way to rally each time. Eric Schierhorn, the Minnesota goal tender made 17 saves and had an assist on the first Minnesota short handed goal.
According to The Curator, Minnesota is now #2 in the pairwise rankings.
