And the Chena View hotel had no windows on the river side, so no view of the Chena River from the Chena View hotel.
TR ---------------------------------------- *From: *Don Garvett via Mifnet <[email protected]> *To: *[email protected] *CC: *'David Wardell' <[email protected]>; [email protected] *Date: *2026-06-05T17:05:01Z *Subject: *[Mifnet 🛰 76336] Re: Alaskan Adventures > Actually, I voluntarily visited Fairbanks in February, despite having spent > much of my life in Florida and Africa. > I wanted to see the not-to-be-missed World Ice Art Championships (including > seeing both finished pieces and speaking with artists at work). I also > wanted to see people driving snow machines on the frozen Chena River > (generally considered unsafe, but exhilarating). >  > > A week out, it was forecast to be -40 degrees, but fortunately, the > temperature only dropped to a much warmer  -30 degrees. My host (an Alaska > Airlines colleague) provided me with electric-heated boots and gloves since > we would be outside at night for close to two hours (with warming-hut > breaks). I was told that kids are kept inside at -40; play outside at -20; > and that it can go either way at -30. Our recently departed friend & > Mifnetter, Dave Carlstrom, confirmed that as correct some years later. I > know his sons, and they seemed to have survived without ill effects. >  > > Aside from the event itself, I have two clear memories. > * I /almost/ learned how to toss a cupful of boiling water in the air and > have it almost-instantly vaporize. I actually ended up with some very fine > ice crystals. > * I spoke with an Alaska Airlines ramper who was wearing shorts (but it was > only -25 degrees then). He told me that since he worked inside > tossing/sorting bags most of the time and only worked outside part of the > time, he was more comfortable dressing that way. I guess people acclimate. >  > >  > > Don Garvett >  > >  > > *From:* David Wardell via Mifnet <[email protected]> > *Sent:* Thursday, June 4, 2026 3:13 AM > *To:* [email protected] > *Cc:* David Wardell <[email protected]> > *Subject:* [Mifnet 🛰 76323] Re: Alaskan Adventures >  > > Tom, >  > > Great stories. Many thanks for sharing. >  > > I have a few Alaska tales of my own. >  > > One of my daughters lives in the wilderness near the Cook Inlet, surrounded > by moose and bear. The village nearest her home is one where they still speak > Russian. On one visit, during the “warmer” time of the year, I shamed her > into building a fire by sitting in her living room with coat, hat, and gloves. >  > > My own encounter with Fairbanks was a bit viler. As you mention, “Nobody > visits us in winter, voluntarily.” Upon deplaning, I thought that I was going > to die. In my ignorance, I thought that I had dressed properly, but clearly, > I had failed. Eventually I made my way through the terminal and located a > cab. After I announced where I was going, the guy looked me over and > responded: >  > > “OK, but first wouldn’t you like me to take you someplace where you can get > some kit?” >  > > My shame was great. >  > > Old Man Wardell >  > >  > > *David Wardell* > (757) 561-0582 > [email protected] > > [Image][Image > link][cid:[email protected]][https://wardell.us/url/b5s86] > [Image][Image > link][cid:[email protected]][https://wardell.us/url/s9qvz] >  > >  > >  > >  > >  > > *From:* Tom Ronell via Mifnet <[email protected]> > *Sent:* Thursday, June 4, 2026 4:52 AM > *To:* The Mifnet <[email protected]> > *Cc:* Tom Ronell <[email protected]> > *Subject:* [Mifnet 🛰 76321] Re: Alaskan Adventures >  > > > When I was starting out in my career at Northwest in Minneapolis, in order to > avail oneself of one's non-revenue pass privilege, one would have to go to > the pass bureau and fill out a form requesting the pass. Included on the form > was "Reason for travel." > > One February, I requested a pass to Fairbanks. For reason I wrote, "I want to > experience someplace that is colder than Minneapolis." No questions asked.... > > Back then, we had a B727-225 which would arrive at FAI around 02:30 from SEA > and they left it running until departure at 07:00 [I am not certain about the > exact times but I am confident that somebody on Minet will correct me.] > > Years later, in summer, I walked into The Big Eye and the owner shouted out, > from behind the bar, "It's Tom from Minneapolis!" I asked him how on earth he > remembered me? His response: "Nobody visits us in winter, voluntarily." > > When USAF was preparing to receive its first KC-10s, it came to NWA for > advice about operating and maintaining cold-soaked aircraft and operating > such aircraft in the Arctic, due to NWA's experience with DC-10-40s. > > TR > > ---------------------------------------- > > *From: *Dan Solon via Mifnet <[email protected]> > *To: *[email protected] > *CC: *Dan Solon <[email protected]> > *Date: *2026-06-04T08:19:33Z > *Subject: *[Mifnet 🛰 76320] Re: Alaskan Adventures > > Bob, >  > > Pretty sure this would have been very early 1970s, definitely pre-jetway and > also pre-Narita. > On further recollection of the reason for this trip, I am pretty sure it was > in both directions and > definitely in dead of winter. >  > > Agree with Simon that one would absolutely not want to meet either of the > stuffed bears in their > earlier apex predator life cycle. They would probably prefer fresh caribou as > a main course, but a human > being would suffice as a light pre-hibernation snack. >  > > Daniel Solon >  > > On Thu, Jun 4, 2026 at 5:16 AM Robert S. Distler via Mifnet > <[email protected]> wrote: > Daniel, >  > Unsure of the time of the year (dark vs. light), but westbound Flight 801 > transited Fairbanks in mid-afternoon, while eastbound Flight 800 did so in > the wee hours of the morning, like around 0400. >  > I don’t recall having to deplane into the weather using stairs, since there > were Jetways when I traveled at FAI. Bit for a short period during nighttime > runway repairs at FAI, I deplaned on Flight 800 at Eielson AFB; that surely > was an adventure—for U.S. CIQ and company staff. >  > Northwest was first with JFK-NRT one-stop 707’s, before PAA got the rights, > but NWA flew a somewhat shorter—and more commercially attractive for local > passengers—route via Anchorage. >  > Still, many, many fond memories aboard the 707-321B’s. >  > Bob Distler >  >  > *From:* Dan Solon via Mifnet <[email protected]> > *Sent:* Wednesday, 03 June, 2026 10:51 > *To:* [email protected] > *Cc:* Dan Solon <[email protected]> > *Subject:* [Mifnet 🛰 76316] Re: is this a Martin? It's hauling fuel >  > (Very) cool memories of the only time I transited Fairbanks, probably around > mid-winter of 1970-71, > aboard a Pan Am 707-321B Tokyo-New York, or v.v, one-stop. All pax had to > deplane via stairs while we refueled. > Coldest air I have ever breathed. As I recall, there was an enormous > taxidermed polar bear in the terminal. >  > Daniel Solon > Shivering at the recollection >  > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Revised: 20250507 > > You are receiving The Mifnet because you requested to join this list. > > The Mifnet is largely a labor of love, however the infrastructure isn't > exactly cost-free. 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-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Revised: 20250507 You are receiving The Mifnet because you requested to join this list. The Mifnet is largely a labor of love, however the infrastructure isn't exactly cost-free. If you'd care to make a small contribution to the effort, please know that it would be greatly appreciated: https://wardell.us/url/mifbit All posts sent to the list should abide by these policies: 1) List members acknowledge that participation in Mifnet is a privilege--not a right. 2) Posts are always off the record, absent specific permission from the author. 3) The tone of discussions is collegial. 4) Posts are expected to be in reasonably good taste. 5) We discuss ideas and not personalities, and we don't speak ill of other Mifnet members. * The Mifnet WEB SITE is: https://www.mifnet.com/ * To UNSUBSCRIBE from this list at any time please visit: https://lists.mifnet.com/ OR: SEND THIS MESSAGE via email: [email protected]?subject=leave * Send Mifnet mailing list POSTS/SUBMISSIONS to: [email protected] * You may reach the person managing The Mifnet at: [email protected] * Please consider the DIGEST version of The Mifnet, which consolidates all list traffic into 1-3 messages daily. See instructions at: https://lists.mifnet.com/ * Manage your personal Mifnet SUBSCRIPTION at: https://lists.mifnet.com/ * For a list of all available Mifnet commands, SEND THIS MESSAGE via email: [email protected]?subject=help * View The Mifnet LIST POLICIES and PRIVACY POLICY at: https://mifnet.com/index.php/policies * View instructions for Mifnet DELIVERY PROBLEMS at: https://mifnet.com/index.php/delivery-problems * View The Mifnet LIST ARCHIVE at: https://lists.mifnet.com/hyperkitty/list/[email protected]/
