how do you deal with the cold (Metlakatla: homes, eat)

[NorthWord]

I crave ice cream on cold days.
Glad I'm not alone.

It's true, it is not unusual to see someone walk out of Coldstone with an ice cream cone when it's -30.

[Metlakatla]

I don't even know if I'm hot or cold right now. I'm sick and have a fever and chills, been having hot flashes--I have no clue. I do know that I'm pissed because they're making all the cig smokers screw up the outdoors instead of staying in their little caves and I walked by a bunch and even crossed the street and still got poisioned; wouldn't be so bad if I didn't have such a cold.

[Crossfire600]

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

I don't even know if I'm hot or cold right now. I'm sick and have a fever and chills, been having hot flashes--I have no clue. I do know that I'm pissed because they're making all the cig smokers screw up the outdoors instead of staying in their little caves and I walked by a bunch and even crossed the street and still got poisioned; wouldn't be so bad if I didn't have such a cold.

I bet you just ate some bad penguin.. It will pass.. just hide under the blanky and drink hot liquids.. They need to be cooked really well before eating..

[Floyd_Davidson]

Originally Posted by NorthWord

Beware those "official temps".
Those things are often off by a long way, as the cold air settles into pockets.
During the most recent cold snap (the New Years event), many folks out towards Two Rivers and Salcha were seeing -65 or worse. Of course, the Airport's "official" temperature didn't get below -50 or so.

It isn't that the official recorded temperatures are inaccurate, just that there is (as you've described) a lot of variation depending on location.

Incidentally, I lived in Salcha for two decades.

Typically in the early part of the winter when the first cold spell arrives it is actually colder in Fairbanks than in most parts of Salcha. But when the cold settles in for anything more than about 10 days, that is reversed. Typically for the rest of the winter it is 10-15 degrees warmer in Fairbanks, and during a really long period of very cold weather it can be 20 degrees difference.

One winter I worked at the old communications site that was on top of Pedro Dome, north of Fairbanks on the Steese Highway. That was before the open pit mine was there. It was really interesting to watch the temperature variations driving north of Fairbanks, down into Fox, and then up even higher at Pedro Dome. It never gets down to -30F on Pedro Dome, ever.

[NorthWord]

There's residential lots for sale on Pedro Dome right now.
I don't know if they are decommissioning the commo site or not though. I don't like the idea of stray RF beaming through my skull 24/7.
It would be a nice place for a weekend cabin.

I had a co-worker that lives on Grieme Rd. in Salcha, more or less right off the end of Eielson's runway. I swear that it was the coldest place in the interior.
It was so cold that I turned the corner into his driveway and my headlight beams broke off.

[kinnaq]

Originally Posted by NorthWord

It was so cold that I turned the corner into his driveway and my headlight beams broke off.

Oh yeah? LOL. I was working at Red Dog Mine one year and it was so cold, I couldn't hear my buddy Wally yelling! his words had frozen in mid-air...

It was only -64 below zero.


Now to answer the question, how does one deal with the cold?

(1.) With layers of clothing, so many in fact, one feels like a stick man figure when trying to move around outside as your movement is greatly restricted. For that reason, you don't fall down, because it is awful hard to get back up.

(2.) Only stay outside as long as you have to.

After awhile, you get used to it to a certain degree. I have to say though, at -35 and colder though, it does tend to be less than pleasant to work in.

[MissingAll4Seasons]

Well, the airport temps I'm watching are from the little airfield in Manley; but I suppose those few miles could make a difference on my property's temps. Just like everything else in life -- hope for the best but plan for the worst

I was staying at a friend's cabin outside Nenana and it was so cold that my nostrils & eyelids froze shut just walking a few yards to the truck. Another time my outer mitten got damp, froze solid and cracked... while I was still wearing it.

[Metlakatla]

I wonder if smoked penguin is any good.

I do have some good memories of staying warm in Salcha but I won't post them here

[MissingAll4Seasons]

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

I wonder if smoked penguin is any good.

Guess it depends on what they've been smoking I'd imagine it would taste quite a bit like fishy chicken... everything tastes like chicken.

[arctichomesteader]

Originally Posted by MissingAll4Seasons

Guess it depends on what they've been smoking I'd imagine it would taste quite a bit like fishy chicken... everything tastes like chicken.

Everything tastes like chicken these days except for chicken.