Web Log Entry #0013, Sunday, November 24, 2002: Day 6

Anchorage Sunrise: 9:28am Sunset: 4:03pm High Temp: 45° Low Temp: 30° First, I took my life into my hands by going for a swim 28½ minutes after eating breakfast. This was my first swim in the hotel pool, and I learned that it's harder to swim in Alaska. When we lived in Phoenix (about thirty years ago), our house had a pool and we swam almost year round. Swimming for an hour was no big deal. The pool here tired me out within a dozen laps! Being closer to the Pole must make the water thicker, or something. Weird. But then it was Moving Day! I packed up all my stuff, checked out of the hotel, and drove out to my Home Away From Home. If anyone felt like sending mail to me, they'd send it to: >> ADDRESS REDACTED FOR SECURITY REASONS << I got there about 10:00am, and sunrise colored the clouds all orange and pink. It's a bit strange to see a beautiful sunrise only a couple hours before noon. Technically, the sun came over the horizon at 9:28 today, but it rises at such a flat angle that it starts getting light well before then, and slooowly makes the transition to full daylight. Even at noon the sun is low over the horizon, making a mid-day drive south feel like driving into the sunset back home. Of course, most days have been overcast, dividing a 24-hour period into "Dark" and "Gray." Just like Portland! Even with my two bags and a carry-on, I spent a couple hours figuring out where everything goes. I finished in the early afternoon, so I went for a self-guided tour of the area. I drove downtown (almost as far north as one can go and still be in Anchorage), then headed south on the highway. Cruising along on a dry road with big, puffy clouds lit up by crepuscular rays, huge snow-capped mountains to the east, I realized I was enjoying myself! Anchorage can be fun! Okay, I admit that I wasn't entirely suffering up to this point, but the icy road excitement and process of relocating, starting a new job, and finding a place to live had been more "stress" than "party." Now that the basic logistics are taken care of, I hope to spend more time in the hedonistic pursuits for which I'm known.

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© 2002 Evan M. Nichols