Alaska Man Monday - Abandoned Vehicles, Cute Kids, and Local Art

Part of my morning routine, when I come downstairs and before walking over to the office, is to check our indoor-outdoor thermometer. Saturday morning, it read a whopping nine degrees.

Brisk.

We had a cold weekend, although it was mostly due to clear skies. On cloudy nights, a low cloud cover can actually retain some warmth from the day, whereas clear skies just let the previous day’s warmth radiate away. But sometimes, in winter, a low-pressure system will park itself over the Gulf of Alaska and just suck Arctic air down from north of Broad Pass, and that’s when we get temps in the 20s and 30s – below zero. That’s downright bracing. Fortunately, we’re ready. The heating oil tank is full and we have plenty of firewood.

Remember my bit about abandoned vehicles a few weeks back? Well, up in Cantwell, we see how it can be done.

On 09/27/2024, Troopers on the Parks Highway investigated an abandoned vehicle at Mile 211 Parks Highway. A suspect was identified as the owner of the abandoned vehicle. On 10/12/2024 Troopers contacted Kenneth Ross, age 39 from Fairbanks. Investigation determined Kenneth drove the vehicle to where it was left beside the road and he intentionally used license plates from another vehicle. Kenneth was issued misdemeanor summons for DWLR and Misuse of Plates.

I hope they make the jerk pay for removing the vehicle, too. This is a weird Alaska thing that I've commented on before, and it's good to see the state police and the boroughs doing something about it besides just towing away the offending vehicle. Seriously, Mr. Ross, you horse's rear-end, you live in one of the most beautiful places on the planet, and you junk it up just because you don't want to bother getting rid of an old vehicle properly.

Alaska Man score: 1 of 5 moose nuggets. I give this jerk one point, reluctantly, for serving as an object lesson to other would-be vehicle abandoners.

Now for something happier: The Alaska Federation of Natives annual conference is underway, and part of that event is a photo contest. Some of the snaps, I must say, are adorable – and very Alaskan.

When this year’s Alaska Federation of Natives convention gets underway in Anchorage this week, you’ll see pictures of children everywhere at the Dena’ina Center. From posters on the wall to signs at the entrance of the main convention hall, to the cover of the program guide, you’ll see lots of round, sweet faces smiling at you.
Proud parents from across the state submitted these snapshots to AFN’s annual subsistence photo contest, which showcases the wide variety of wild foods that are gathered year-round.

The contest is not so much a competition as a celebration of the Alaska Native subsistence lifestyle.

If it's a competition, a competition as to who has the most adorable little ones, and I have to tell you, it's neck-in-neck.

So cute! Alaska Man score: 5 moose nuggets. No doubt about it.

Speaking of our Native communities, there’s a unique art form, as far as I know, to Alaska – etching such things as beluga whales and salmon onto whale baleen. Baleen is a common household decoration in Alaska. We have a lovely example ourselves: a six-foot length of shining black baleen hung on the wall in our dining room. But the native art is fascinating – and amazing.

Fish hanging in a smokehouse, a wolf holding a piece of meat, a beluga whale: Those were some of the images etched on bowhead whale baleen during a workshop at the Elders & Youth Conference.
More than 50 people gathered on the first floor of the Dena’ina Center on Tuesday afternoon to inscribe their designs on keychains and plaques made from bowhead whale baleen. The workshop was presented by Utqiaġvik’s Ilisagvik College and offered participants a chance to use the Iñupiaq art form to depict what subsistence means to them.
“Etch about your future. Etch about what Indigenous ways of life mean to you. Etch about what makes your heart happy,” said Tigigluk Frieda Nageak, Ilisagvik College spokeswoman and one of the workshop hosts.

We bought our unadorned baleen at a tourist gift shop in Talkeetna. We had an old friend visiting from Iowa, and as we often do with guests, we took her to Talkeetna; it’s a fun little tourist town with lots of Alaska-themed souvenir shops for visitors to buy Alaska shinies to take home. If you’re ever in the Great Land, Talkeetna’s a fun place to visit – and the Denali Brewpub is a great place for some good food and a local brew or two.

Alaska Man score: 5 moose nuggets. Because—Alaska!

Now then, let’s talk about predators!