Sensory Overload
The PolarTREC teachers-in-training were a buzz as they exited the plane. Questions about the temperature outside, how would it feel, was it really -22 degrees? However, for me, it wasn't the exposure to the extreme cold that first caught my attention. Perhaps, growing up north of the Adirondacks gave me insight on what to expect as the doors opened to the chilly and noisy night air.
The culture of Alaska swirled around me as I waited in the crowd for my baggage. The sounds of the heavy accents of burly outdoorsmen chatting about the next great hunt as they waited for their gear and coolers to slide down the ramp, native Alaskans speaking in a dialect that I only wish I could understand and packages labeled North Pole, Alaska made me realize that yes, I had finally arrived in Fairbanks, Alaska.
Daily Routines in Fairbanks
If you look around most parking lots in Fairbanks, you would assume that it was a city full of hybrid vehicles. Most parking lots have standing electrical posts and most establishments have additional external outlets with extension cords for customers. Unfortunately, the provided power is not for alternative energy sources, but out of necessity. Most evenings have reached -30 degrees Fahrenheit and a few have bottomed out at -35. Therefore, people who live in Alaska plug in block heaters located under the engine to ensure their vehicle will start.
Power posts to plug in your vehicle
I was quite surprised to learn that Fairbanks struggles with air quality issues quite often due to the volume of smoke pollution created by burning coal and wood so frequently. Throughout the day and into the night, as you look out to the horizon, vertical plumes of smoke rise and linger in the frigid Alaskan air.
Smoke plumes over Fairbanks
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