Hot Springs and Northern Lights

1st September

After a catch-up and cleanup morning in Fairbanks it’s time for some retail therapy. It’s wet today so a good day to checkout Fairbanks stores. New shoes for us both, before wandering around “The Prospector” an outfitters store, Rays Outdoors, Costco, and the Bentley Mall (almost empty). We stop at the Food Factory for lunch not knowing what it will be like but there are lots of people inside so must be good. Both our meals turned out to be excellent along with our root beer floats. (P- my 4th icecream in 7.5 weeks! I am almost unaddicted!)

After lunch we drove out to the float plane area and drove around the planes checking them all out. Not many flying today as its pretty windy and miserable. Later, back at the RV we do some planning for our last week in Alaska.

2nd

We are on the road by 9 driving the 56 mile out to Chena Hot Springs Resort. This has Camping on the grounds on a first in basis so plan to get there early, nab a site and then spend the rest of the day enjoying time in the hot pools. The hot pools are constantly fed by a mineral spring at 165 degrees (74 degrees C) and cooled before filling the pools which are surrounded by large rocks. The water temperature varies depending on where you stand in the pool.

The other reason for coming to Chena is that it is an Aurora hot spot and tonight is suppose to be clear after all the rain. The Aurora is one of the things I particularly wanted to see while here in Alaska. Philip has consulted the weather App and tells me the skies will clear for 3 to 4 hours at the correct time and we will have a very good chance to see it.

Three sessions in the hot pool, the first hour in rain. An interesting experience, beautiful hot water from the neck down, freezing cold rain on our heads and upper body when we need to stand to cool down a bit. The weather clears later in the afternoon and the pools are still very relaxing.

We enjoy a walk around the resort in the late afternoon and note that when the clouds and rain have gone there is a slight cover of snow on the higher peaks surrounding us. Winter is coming.

A late dinner, some reading and a documentary later, its now just after midnight and the sky is clear so we don our warm clothes, hats, gloves, coats, thermals and head torch. Then head outside and across to an open area, the end of the runway of Chena Airstrip and look skyward. We are rewarded with the Aurora, just becoming visible with the naked eye. With the camera it becomes more visible and the colours richer. It dances across the skies above us while we ignore the cold to get some photos and enjoy this phenomena.

(P- while we are on PH words Judith should add “and potentially get Phneumonia! ). The Aurora fades and we head back inside and to bed in the small hours of the morning. The only thing spoiling the night was the guy camped next to us left his generator running until well after 2am. (P- so Judith says, I couldn’t hear it! – Pretty sure the Aurora viewing has added even more “Brownie points” to my well overflowing bucket)!