More Fairbanks Activities

Being Tourists in Fairbanks!

We have found lots to do here in Fairbanks!  And we have had time to just "chill" and catch up on some chores around the RVs--like doing laundry, getting cars washed, cleaning, fixing, paying bills--you know, routine stuff!!

The Ice Museum

There is an old movie theatre in downtown Fairbanks that has been converted into an unusual museum.  With the advent of the multiplex, modern movie theatres in suburban shopping centers, the old, central, downtown, one-screen theatres have become a relic of our collective pasts.  In the case of Fairbanks, the old place has new life as The Ice Museum.

Here we are, huddled in the back refrigerator--check out the thermometer behind us:  minus 20 F!!!

I was in my shirt sleeves; Ray and Tam had their jackets on; Betty and Jack were "freezing!!"  It was brisk, but it was a "dry cold"--just like in Arizona people say it is "dry heat"!  Frankly, my Norwegian heritage liked the freezer much better than the "dry" desert heat!! 

In late winter, one of the headline activities here in Fairbanks is an international Ice Carving Championship.  There is a pond which produces what they call "diamond ice":  it is crystal clear.  The organizers of the championship chain saw huge blocks of ice off of the pond and transport it into some woods which is a park.  Ice carvers (artists, really!!) then have a set amount of time to create their masterpieces.  There are two classes:  single block and multi-block.  In the multi-block category, up to four carvers work on their creations--most using scaffolding to reach the upper most blocks!
Once the time deadline is reached, the judges make their choices, and the woods are opened to the public for viewing this year's creations.  The creations are often lit with colored lights, so it is quite an artistic endeavor!

What the city has done is put some refrigeration equipment into the old movie theatre to showcase some of the ice carvings.  All along the left side of the theatre is an ice slide:  you can take a special sled, walk up to the back of the theatre--inside of the refrigerated "room", of course!--put your sled on the top of the slide, and take a toboggan ride down to the "front" of the theatre on the ice slide!  None of us tried it, but there were several in the crowd who did!

An "ice slider" gets ready to shove off on his ice slide ride!

Another fellow says, "Honey, are you watchin'?"  [In the South, it would have been, "Hey, y'all!  Watch this!"]

All along the right side of the theatre is an "ice room" which has the ice carvings of a musher, his sled, and dog team.  Here are a couple of pictures:

This would be a carving from the multi-block catergory--a bit hard to see it in this photo!

One of the dogs in the sled team.  Note his tongue hanging out!

Note the background--all carved out of the "diamond ice" from the special pond in Fairbanks!

Up behind the stage, there is a large "ice room" with various carvings which allow for viewer participation.  While we were not dressed for freezing temperatures, we had to join in the frivolity and pose for the camera:

Ray and Tam make like Icekimos!

Then it is Jack and Betty's turn...note the frosted bonnet over Betty's head--all part of the carver's skill!



Give a wave, there, Ritchie!

There were many ice carvings in the back room:  one was a full sized bar, and Rich stepped behind it to act like an ice-tender!!

"Martini, please, shaken, not stirred--if you please!!"

Then there was the ski-mobile which had a bath mat for a seat so that one could pose without doing too much freezing to his privates!

"OK, quick, click the shutter!  This is a cool ride"

In the back of the theatre [or the front, depending on your orientation!] was another "ice room" with lovely carvings...a few of them:

Tam is walking through the back ice room which was full of carvings.  Check out the evergreens behind her!!

 

I had planned to add in our trip to Gold Dredge No. 8, but I want to get a post made to our blog, so I will close this one on the Ice Museum and save the gold trip for posting tomorrow or whenever!

Lovin' Alaska!!

For the Alaska Odyssey team, Good Night and God Speed!

Rich H.