It isn't always ice and snow in Alaska

No one expects Alaska to have a Summer.

Most of the time, when I leave the state,

people (who know where I'm from)

 ask me two questions.

#1 - Doesn't it get really cold and dark up there?

and

#2 - Do you know Sarah Palin?

*insert chuckle and headshake here*

Let me tackle #2 first,

and there is something you need to remember when  talking about the big AK.

Our state is HUGE!

The distance from Fairbanks (where we are stationed)

to Anchorage is over 364 miles.

Translation: the drive from Sacramento, CA to Los Angeles, CA.

Sarah Palin lives in Wasilla,

 which is an hour and some outside of Anchorage.

So, she is nowhere near me.

BUT

I did get the opportunity to meet her during her reign, at the governor's picnic.

Other then that, I have no idea what she loves to do, or what she loves to eat.

Alright, onto question #1!

Alaska is so large, as stated above, that it isn't the same in one place.

The difference between weather in Reno Nv and Las Vegas

is very similiar to how it is up here.

During the winter, Fairbanks can see highs up to 30 above.

Our average low is below 0.

most of the time, -15 is warm.

AND

if you're wondering if we have a month of totally darkness you're part right.

WAY at the tippy-top of the state is Barrow and Nome.

Those cities do get a month of darkness.

 Being in Fairbanks, we gradually lose sunlight until (around) the 21st of December.

When Winter solstice hits, instead of losing hours of sunlight we gain them.

This last year we had, roughly, 4 hours of sunlight TOTAL before winter solstice.

But to every coin there is two sides.

Summer Solstice is the start of Summer and for us in Alaska, the sun doesn't set.

Literally.

At the peak, we will be having 23 hours and 54 minutes of sunlight.

So today, our lovely town celebrated the midnight sun!

Usually, you'd celebrate the solstice on the solstice, but since solstice fell on a Tuesday this year, we decided to celebrate early.

By throwing an all-night party in the center of downtown!

Our summers can reach the high 90's, but mostly hover around 60-75 degrees. (with a breeze)

This year has brought lots of rain,

and so the above average mosquitos have made their presence known. (ick)

But that doesn't deter Alaskans (originals, transplants & tourists alike)

 from taking advantage of the great outdoors.

With so much to do, and so much to offer, it's no wonder that people vacation up here during the summer!

I get to watch all the new summer movie midnight premieres with the sun still shining outside.

Mwhahaha