Mail

Several folks have asked for a mailing address. I don't have one yet. Give me a few more days. Most everyone uses the Post Office as a collection point for their mail, i.e. PO Box blah blah blah. I haven't been able to make it there during business hours yet.

Don't eat pink snow?!

Here are a couple shots of some flora native to interior alaska. This is wickedly hardy stuff. It even sprouts through several inches of fresh snow in its search for sunlight. Its very stiff, almost bristly. I assume it is some distant relative of either a thistle or a cactus. It is very arid here, so it must not need much water.

More pictures

Today, after watching the Cheeseheads slowly, methodically beat the Bears for the first half, I decided to take advantage of the low winds and relatively warm temperature, only -5, to take some pictures while the sun was up.

Post lodging. I am on the second floor in room 217. I have a pull out couch if anyone wants to come stay for a day, week or month.

Here is the front door to my humble abode.

Power poles in the parking lot for plugging in cars to ensure they start. Got me thinking about electric four wheelers and motorcycles. If these things are on all the time, I may have to go the electric route. I wonder if they make an electric snowmachine? I just found out, that with a recreation permit, I can pretty much ride anywhere on post recreationally as long as the area is not closed for training, which it sounds like this side of the highway rarely is closed for training. We may have to change the name to Fort Greeny.

The end of Gabriel Auditorium and Building, where my office resides. Notice more electric poles for vehicles to plug in. I read an excerpt today with information for warming a vehicle if no electric is available, to recap, charcoal hibachis, a small camp stove, coals from a campfire, candles, sterno burner. Basically any open flame that is somewhat controlled. Rule #1. don't set fire to the car you are attempting to start, just warm it gently. They recommend covering the hood with a tarp or blanket as well to unfreeze the working parts.

The entrance I generally use. A few of the buildings have these big rock dedications in front of them. I guess relocated erratics (glacial rocks left behind when glaciers recede) make for good landscaping.

El Suburbano. My MWR conveyence to and from Fairbanks and now around post when I am being lazy.

Here's another shot of the Granite Mountains of the Alaska Range in the distance. I never grow tired of looking at them. Cannot wait for warm weather to go hiking in them and maybe even climb them. Anyone care to join me?

Clemson Tigers and not so awful things

The place where I just moved from is the home of the Gamecocks. Named for a revolutionary war General. They are the backbone of the sporting life in Columbia, South Carolina. Wether it be National Championship level baseball or Football (yeah, Auburn beat us to become the National Champs), the University of South Carolina at Columbia has a sports program with a psychotically loyal fan base and deservedly so. 

All teams have rivals. Several teams feel they are at the level of the Gamecocks and consider themselves their rivals. An excellent example are the Clemson Tigers. Now let's give them their due, a few years ago, maybe they would have been considered at the gamecocks level, but with their crushing defeats this past year in Baseball, Football, Soccer and Basketball at the spurs of the Mighty Fighting Gamecocks, I think USC will have to start looking for a more suitable rival. A team more at their level like Alabama or the Florida Gators. Anyway, just to show I don't hate everything Clemson, I do love their new hot sauce. Oddly, I never saw it in South Carolina, probably been banned in Columbia, but it is tasty on chili and scrambled eggs.

Made with Real Clemson Fans. Oh so tasty.

The above is tongue in cheek (Sorry Brad and Foxy), I watch the Gamecocks but not being born and bred in the South I have no true Gamecock loyalties beyond living in Cola. The tailgates are certainly fun though.

The Chili (near) Fiasco

Most nights the Dining Facility has 2 piping hot cauldrons of soup on the buffet bar. They are never labelled, you have to investigate and put your best deductive reasoning to work to assess their true nature. Clam chowder, chicken and rice, vegetable, vegetable beef, vegetable with extra vegetable, seafood chowder, chicken noodle, chicken dumpling. All worthy soups indeed. But up until last night never chili. Not once.

I am a chili lover. the warmth it can provide on a cold night in your tummy. Of course, there's not much use for the stuff in sunny South Carolina, except for the 5 Points chili cookoff and on hotdogs with mustard and onion a la Jimis Mart Hotdog Heaven (That's the real name and I have the t-shirt to prove it, they go beanless though).

It's safe to say I've been looking forward to a killer bowl of chili in Alaska.

I had a long day with the early morning drive to Fairbanks and the drive back, so when I stumbled into the dfac last night, I failed to investigate the soup options. I grabbed a plate of the hot brown offering, in this case hamburger stroganoff over flat egg noodles and headed to a booth, grabbing a rootbeer along the way. I scarfed down the stroganoff and could feel the noodles expanding right away towards blissful fullness. However, I wanted dessert and sometimes they have pudding or moose (chocolate, not the herbivore) on the buffet bar. Out of curiosity, I peeked in the soups. CRUD!!! Chili. Hot. Tomatoey. Meaty. Full of that warm chili pepper fragrance. And there I stood, full to the gills on hamburger stroganoff. I thought about an instant case of bulimia but instead manned up and decided to cram a bowl of goodness in on top of the stroganoff. I filled a bowl to the top, threw in some shredded cheddar and fresh onions from the salad bar and a few drops of hot sauce for good measure. It was delectable.

Lesson learned, always check the soups first. 

the fun office

At all hours of the day; howls, hoots and laughter can be heard eminating from the fun office. I've also heard music and singing and witnessed dancing. Ah, the joys of MWR.

This is Jess, of the fun office. I think her official title is Official Fun Assistant to the Stars. I'll have to check her position description, we may be overpaying her if we deduct the cost of the fun from her check.

(l. to r.) Ashley (financier), Letty (financier assistor and office comptroller), Brooke (Outdoor Sensei- no, that's not her real hair), and Jess (you met her already.)

I said 'picture' and within about 3 seconds everyone was ready with a costume of some sort. Fun office indeed.

While not officially residing in the 'Fun Office' Richard nonetheless loves the camera. Strike a pose. Sorry about those Seahawks, he switched to a throwback Bears chapeau on Friday in preparation for the upcoming weekend. Bandwagons always have room for one more :) 

He says his kung Fu is most excellent.

Connie, the boss lady from Belgium, refused to be photographed, something about an outstanding INTERPOL warrant from a weekend in Amsterdam. These are her souvenir mittens instead. Rumor has it she is rooting for the Cheeseheads this weekend. What's that number to INTERPOL again?! Connie is not originally from Belgium, that was just her last duty station before Araska. (Umm, I said duty.) Sorry I couldn't stop myself.



Richardson Highway headed back to Delta

You can barely see the mountains in the distance.

Ah, good old spindrift off the truck in front of me. You can see the grooved ice in the road.

The rolling foothills make for some interesting scenery.

The Mountains as seen from Delta/Fort Greely.

This photo is actually from South of Greely a couple miles. You can see the burnt trees on the left. Remnants from a major fire that almost devoured the Fort a decade or so ago. I hear they make wonderful firewood.