The Midnight Sun
A very tired "greetings" from the land of the midnight sun. Everyone is tired at this time of year in Alaska. The huge amounts of daylight (over 19 hours of it here in Anchorage) really messes with your system. You go out for a little evening hike and before you know it, it's midnight, and the sun is still high in the sky. The sun comes shining through your window in the morning and, after getting up, you realize that it is barely 5:00 AM. I'm trying not to whine, because I LOVE the midnight sun. I have energy and purpose all summer long (unlike the cold dark winter days). The whole house is a flurry of activity from the time that we get out of bed (the second time), until we are finally able to convince ourselves, and our children, that it is really bedtime. (Hint: Heavy curtains are the key for kids).
The tour season is in full bloom too. In the early spring, it was almost like looking for a moose, looking for the first tourist. You had to look hard. But now, like the forget-me-nots, fireweed, and the mountains… those tourists are everywhere. They are the ones wearing jackets and carrying a map. I sometimes stop and see if they need help finding something. I love to find out where they are from. The little blue haired ladies often declare that they've been waiting their whole lives to come here. They gush about seeing Denali (AKA: Mount McKinley). The backpacked 20-somethings are just as awed by their surroundings, though they try to be cool about it. They are, perhaps, a bit more surprised at how wild the wilderness is (no fences, and once you leave Anchorage, few stores or amenities or even stop lights along the roads). The older generation seems to expect the wild side of Alaska a little more that the younger set. Everyone seems surprised when they have a little health issue on the road and the only healthcare option is a nurse practitioner (if they are lucky) or a helicopter ride to one of the larger cities (if they are not).
So, come to Alaska if you want to see the midnight sun. Go up above the Arctic Circle if you want to experience 24-hours a day of light. I was up there, in Barrow, July 9th once and got up at 2:00 AM to watch the sun set with the group I was with. The sun dipped below the horizon. We stay up for sunrise too… five minutes later.
