Winter Comparison

alaskaguy · 12-11-2007, 12:24 PM

For all those people that are bummed about the snow and ice in the midwest, you should try living in an area where there is only four hours of daylight. And even when the sun does rise it hangs along the horizon so our day is more of a twilight. The lack of daylight makes me want to eat a bunch of lard and then crawl back into bed.

We've been having much warmer temperatures than normal; its been downright balmy here with the nightly lows in the mid 20s and the highs in the mid 30s. In terms of the temperature it hasn't really been any colder than Ames, Iowa.

I'm curious whether they sell studded running shoes in Iowa. They are a regular fixture up here allowing runners like myself to hit the trails.

dmclone · 12-11-2007, 12:33 PM

Don't know how you do it

SpokaneCY · 12-11-2007, 12:33 PM

I spent 2 years at Eielson near Fairbanks and the coldest winter I spent in Fairbanks is when I got on the plane when it was 30 below and stepped off in DSM where it was 20 above and wet. Never been so cold in all my life as I was in Iowa that Christmas.

Summers were tough too since you could go all night and into the wee hours of the morning with sunlight.

Where abouts are you up there?

cardinal&gold · 12-11-2007, 12:36 PM

It's bad here in Texas, too. I think it got down to like 70 this morning.

ajk4st8 · 12-11-2007, 12:37 PM

wow 70?

you almost got neg rep

IcSyU · 12-11-2007, 12:39 PM

Originally Posted by alaskaguy

For all those people that are bummed about the snow and ice in the midwest, you should try living in an area where there is only four hours of daylight. And even when the sun does rise it hangs along the horizon so our day is more of a twilight. The lack of daylight makes me want to eat a bunch of lard and then crawl back into bed.

We've been having much warmer temperatures than normal; its been downright balmy here with the nightly lows in the mid 20s and the highs in the mid 30s. In terms of the temperature it hasn't really been any colder than Ames, Iowa.

I'm curious whether they sell studded running shoes in Iowa. They are a regular fixture up here allowing runners like myself to hit the trails.

I know they're available, but you have to go to Fitness Sports or other specialty stores to get them.

cstrunk · 12-11-2007, 12:42 PM

Originally Posted by SpokaneCY

I spent 2 years at Eielson near Fairbanks and the coldest winter I spent in Fairbanks is when I got on the plane when it was 30 below and stepped off in DSM where it was 20 above and wet. Never been so cold in all my life as I was in Iowa that Christmas.

You bring up an interesting point. I have heard that most people from Alaska and Canada are used to the extremely dry cold as opposed to average wet cold. So, if they venture down into the lower 48 where it is below freezing and maybe snowing, they think it is even colder than where it was below zero. It's all because of the moisture in the air, it's a different type of cold.

cardinal&gold · 12-11-2007, 12:44 PM

Originally Posted by ajk4st8

wow 70?

you almost got neg rep

Well, actually I think the northern panhandle got some of the ice storm that hit Oklahoma, and it's supposed to be in the mid-50s with drizzle all week down here. I would say that today is an outlier, but it was still 82 this past weekend, so that's not really true.

alaskaguy · 12-11-2007, 12:48 PM

Originally Posted by SpokaneCY

I spent 2 years at Eielson near Fairbanks and the coldest winter I spent in Fairbanks is when I got on the plane when it was 30 below and stepped off in DSM where it was 20 above and wet. Never been so cold in all my life as I was in Iowa that Christmas.

Summers were tough too since you could go all night and into the wee hours of the morning with sunlight.

Where abouts are you up there?

I love the 24 hour daylight during the summer.

I live on the west coast of Alaska; Nome. My house is 12 miles from town. We are not connected to municpal power so I rely on a diesel generator for electricty. In addition, there is no telephone service (land lines or cell phones) where my house is located. I have yet to turn my furnance on this winter. I stoke up the wood stove in the morning and again in the evening to heat my house. There aren't any trees in this region (tundra) so I cut up pallets and burn them in the wood stove.

Some of the things that I really enjoy about living where I do:

I've never locked my house; I don't even know where the house keys are. Ditto for my pick-up truck.

The abundance of wildlife; moose, caribou, reindeer, and musk ox all visit the area around my house.

I never have to worry about crowds or long lines.

Flag Guy · 12-11-2007, 12:51 PM

I would love to come visit Alaska - especially in the summer months. So much about Alaska sounds beautiful, but I don't think I'd want to live there for an extended period of time...

Plus 4 hours of daylight would drive me insane

Ames · 12-11-2007, 12:52 PM

Doesn't seem like there is anything to stand in line for though?

cybsball20 · 12-11-2007, 01:01 PM

We had a kid on the baseball team from Juneau. Granted, thats a long way from where Alaska guy lives but we were all shocked to find that their winters were actually much milder than the ones we had in Ames.

mapnerd · 12-11-2007, 01:04 PM

Originally Posted by alaskaguy

I love the 24 hour daylight during the summer.

I live on the west coast of Alaska; Nome. My house is 12 miles from town. We are not connected to municpal power so I rely on a diesel generator for electricty. In addition, there is no telephone service (land lines or cell phones) where my house is located. I have yet to turn my furnance on this winter. I stoke up the wood stove in the morning and again in the evening to heat my house. There aren't any trees in this region (tundra) so I cut up pallets and burn them in the wood stove.

Some of the things that I really enjoy about living where I do:

I've never locked my house; I don't even know where the house keys are. Ditto for my pick-up truck.

The abundance of wildlife; moose, caribou, reindeer, and musk ox all visit the area around my house.

I never have to worry about crowds or long lines.

Seems like a place where a man could die and no one would find him for months. Is your internet access via satellite? How big is Nome? One last question - are you insane?

CTAClone · 12-11-2007, 01:07 PM

Originally Posted by alaskaguy

I've never locked my house; I don't even know where the house keys are. Ditto for my pick-up truck.

Then how do you drive your truck if you can't find the keys? I've been to Alaska once, and I loved it. Everything was so much bigger there. Can't wait to get back again.

BTW, how do you get internet?

redrocker · 12-11-2007, 01:17 PM

Originally Posted by alaskaguy

I love the 24 hour daylight during the summer.

I live on the west coast of Alaska; Nome. My house is 12 miles from town. We are not connected to municpal power so I rely on a diesel generator for electricty. In addition, there is no telephone service (land lines or cell phones) where my house is located. I have yet to turn my furnance on this winter. I stoke up the wood stove in the morning and again in the evening to heat my house. There aren't any trees in this region (tundra) so I cut up pallets and burn them in the wood stove.

Some of the things that I really enjoy about living where I do:

I've never locked my house; I don't even know where the house keys are. Ditto for my pick-up truck.

The abundance of wildlife; moose, caribou, reindeer, and musk ox all visit the area around my house.

I never have to worry about crowds or long lines.

Do you live in an igloo?