Happy Statehood Day Alaska!

 On Jan. 3, 1959, President Eisenhower signed a proclamation admitting Alaska to the Union as the 49th state.

Alaska's been in the news A LOT recently, particularly because of a certain former Vice Presidential candidate.  But, since this isn't a political blog (though I'm not saying I won't have one of those too, some day),  I wanted to write a little about the majesty of Alaska and celebrate the day it joined the Lower 48 as part of our great union.  

I can hardly believe it when I write that my family has a thirty year history (when you take into account that the state's history is just slightly more 50 years) with Alaska.  

My husband spent two long  summers working at a fishing lodge in Alaska during college.  

To this day, this fact still surprises me.  Not because my husband is a true southerner, born in Memphis and raised geographically almost as far from Alaska as you can be in the U.S., and not because my husband doesn't seem like the type to do this kind thing (because he does), but because I don't think I seem like the type of person that would marry a guy who did such a thing.  

The Brooks Falls in the Katmai National Park is famous for bear viewing.  My husband took this photo in 1982

However, his job at Brooks Lodge working alongside his brother, sister--in-law and a good friend (now brother-in-law) was a great experience; one of many great experiences my husband had as a young man.  Living in the heart of of Alaska's backcountry, working as a fly fishing guide, traveling via float plane - these things are all a part of who my husband is today.

My husband and his brother kayaking in Naknak Lake.

Just slightly less surprising than my marrying a guy who did all that is the fact that I traveled to Alaska twenty years ago this month.  

Growing up in the mid-atlantic (though still considering myself a southerner), I could never have imagined myself venturing to the arctic tundra of Alaska.  But when my husband had a business trip there, just 6 months after we got married, I surprisingly said yes.  

So we made the long trip (Atlanta to Denver, Denver to Seattle and Seattle to Anchorage) on the day the first Gulf War broke out (not really relevant to the story, except that airport security was crazy, crazy for  pre-9/11 anyway, and I really think my fear of flying began in earnest then).  

My husband and me freezing in Alaska in 1991 (and no I don't know why I took my work coat or,  more importantly, what possessed me to buy this ugly green one!

But, we arrived safely and yes, it was cold, but oh so beautiful.  Of course in the winter, the sky is dusk-like 24/7 and  it never really got light outside (i.e., the street lights stayed on). So while my husband was visiting his client, I walked from store to store, venturing in just long enough to warm up but not really shopping.  We didn't do much sight-seeing (I mean, it was January) just a bit of driving around. We saw some bald eagles, a glacier or two, the oldest schoolhouse in Alaska and a few other things. I must also admit the time-change played havoc with me.  But I am so glad to say that I have been to Alaska.

Finally, last summer, our 16 year daughter decided that Alaska was a place she'd love to go. No doubt as a result of her dad, aunt and uncles sharing their tales of Alaskan adventure. 

My daughter, on the left,  with some fellow hikers and her enormous pack in 2009. 

Let's just say, my husband said yes to her idea and I didn't stop him.  So she flew to Alaska and met up with a group - an outdoor adventure kind of group, and traveled through Alaska for 21,  shower-free, days.  And I don't mean rain shower.  Needless to say for a girl who is committed to real personal hygiene (our water bill attests to this fact) and all the modern conveniences and who had never even been camping in her own backyard before, it was an adventure.  It was three challenging weeks of hiking and canoeing and white water rafting and it was beautiful (she took lots of great photos including the one at the top of this post) and she's very glad she did it. 

So Happy Statehood Day Alaska! Thanks for being another thing that makes America great.  And thanks for being so special -- for the Iditarod, and igloos, and the singer Jewel (who hails from Alaska) and lots of other great 49th state stuff and thanks for the memories!