It really turned out to be a beautiful day and after dinner, I took a couple of loops around the NARL campus to enjoy the lack of wind. It was still only 1°F but without the wind, it was very pleasant. These pictures were taken at about 8:00PM which is still a couple of hours before sunset and many hours before it's actually dark. This is the location of a geocache which sees pretty good traffic. I dropped something off and picked something up.
The wind blown snow really sticks to things and I kind of like the way it looks. This is how utilities are run if you can't bury things into the ground and I believe that it is still used for natural gas lines. These overhead "tracks" run all over the NARL campus and seem to start at what I think was the former power plant when this place was first built back in the mid-40's. I really enjoy walking around this place with all of the rusted steel and frost covered paint.
I had to put in at least one ocean view though it isn't quite the same as where the water isn't solid. It's still nice in its own special way. I did manage to get in a nice five mile walk all the while looking out for polar bear. This morning, there was a polar bear alert as a one was spotted just a short distance from NARL on the ice. By 8:30am, the guards said that it looked like they were headed back out onto the ice away from town.
I now have about 95% of what I had intended to do on this visit done and looking forward to doing a training session for a couple of staff members on the use of the AV system tomorrow morning. Then I will be receiving training on the keyless entry system that has been in place since the building was constructed but has never worked.
Polar bear alert ! Holy cow. We just had grizzlies and black bears to watch out for when we lived in PG. I think I would lve daylight for extra hours.
ReplyDeleteI just heard it on the handheld two-way radios that many carry of the logistics staff carry. I'v only seen a polar bear once on all of the trips I've made up here. And it was about 500m from shore out on the ice.
DeleteSunset was after 10PM today so there is lots of daylight. It's almost 11:00PM now and it still isn't even close to dark yet.
Dear Richard:
ReplyDeleteSo what the hell would you have done if you saw a polar bear? What would I have done if I saw a polar bear? Aside from rubbing myself down with barbecue sauce, I can't think of anything else. It was 40 degrees here today, and I opened the windows.
Fondest regards,
Jack/reep
You head for the closest door. The outer door of buildings are left unlocked just for that reason.
DeleteIt does look like a beautiful day for a stroll. I would definitely be digging the old metal runners too. And the water shot is definitely interesting frozen. Still holds charm.
ReplyDeleteAre polar bears aggressive? As in, if they see you they will go for you? Not a case of they are more scared of you than you are of them?
No, I'm told that polar bear could be pretty aggressive and fear little. I don't think it's a case of them being more scared of you. That's why bear guards are sent out with all of the research groups working in the field. Someone to keep an eye out while others are focusing on their research.
DeleteFrom what I understand, a polar bear will kill you if the dsy is cloudy, sunny, cold, warm. early, late, a national holiday, a weekday, or a slow weekend.
ReplyDeleteNow see if I have this right... My eyes have identified two dark spots, bear eyes, moving across the ice towards me. I run to the outer door of the political science hall, wich open outwards, and run in. The dors are glass. I now look like an appetizer at the deli counter. So all I have to do is hold the door shut?
I would cut my own throat. :)
It sound like you have it right, except there are few glass doors around here. Too poor of an insulator. And I think that you are right that, essentially, you aren't at the top of the food chain.
DeleteSo pretty when we can actually see the view.
ReplyDeleteGlad you had a day of no wind/blowing snow.
Hard to fathom that was 8 pm and bright and sunny.
It was a beautiful evening to be out and about. There was a geocache in the area that I wanted to visit and that's always a good excuse for a walk.
DeleteSoon it'll be 2:00am, bright and sunny. (n.b. I didn't say anything about warm)
So when DOES Barrow say something about warm? :)
ReplyDeletehttp://theoasisofmysoul.com/about-me/ was mentioned on another blog
I just discovered this one; have you visited
wherethehellismurph.blogspot.com ?
Well, if your idea of warm is up into the 60's (°F) then it's warm in Barrow in July.
DeleteA good day is always a bear free day in my opinion (white, brown, black ... I don't care what colour they are.)
ReplyDeleteI wonder how many folks have logged that geocache?
Lots of people visit that particular geocache which is why I dropped off some track-ables from my brother in-law. It's fairly easy to get to and large enough to hold a lot of stuff.
DeletePolar bear alarm sounds even scarier than the black bear alarm we get here close to the city but if you live in their country you better respect nature. I find the ocean view rather... terrifying. It looks like there will be a very slim chance of survival if you get lost out there...
ReplyDeletePolar bear are a very serious creature to deal with as they are right at the top of the food chain. I still enjoy looking out over the expanse of sea ice and try to imagine what possessed explorers to pack up and head out.
DeleteIt is amazing what a difference wind makes.
ReplyDeleteI have never lived where bears were a problem. This is not a complaint.
It is wonderful how beauty seems to be everywhere...if one has eyes to look. I'm glad you have the eye and the willingness to see...and to share.
Thanks.
Bears are a problem in many parts of the continent. When hiking in CA, we always had to hang our food as black bear frequently wandered into camp. The same has been true in most places I've ever camped. The most bear that I've ever seen was along the Cassiar Hwy last summer.
Delete