Read about Marc's previous stop on his Kenai Peninsula trip - Homer.

Saturday, December 10
This morning was the set-up of the Kenai site with Cheryl. Everything was very slippery, so we had to use crampons to get enough grip. This was important not only for walking but to be able to drill as well. I tried to drill with just bare boots, and I just ended up doing a little dance. The ice was bare and the thickness was about 34 cm. Again, due to the warmth, the set-up was very quick and pretty much uneventful.

I was quite tired and it was too icy to really do anything outside, so, I pretty much spent the afternoon lying around my hotel room doing a little work, playing on the computer, and watching TV. Unfortunately, not a terribly interesting day.

But did I mention it was really icy out?

The ALISON Kenai site at Marathon Lake. The snow along the transect has been disturbed by a snow machine.

The tall blue tower structure in the background is used in the summer by the local fire department to practice water rescues.

Sunday, December 11
Today was a little bit of a bummer.  I had planned on going to Alyeska for a nice day of skiing, but the past week of rain and above freezing temperatures kind of knicked that plan.  It especially didn’t help that it was raining as I drove by Girdwood on my way out.

Instead of a nice day on the slopes, I had a nice 500 mile/9 hour drive from Soldotna to Fairbanks.  The driving was not too bad, just  little sketchy through Turnagain Pass and south of Cantwell.  And, to make it slightly worse, I was stuck behind a “Wide Load” trailer/building convoy for over 100 miles (south of Cantwell to just south of Healy).  With blowing snow and somewhat slippery roads, it is not the safest to pass on two lane roads.  But I made it home in one piece, so all is well in the world, or at least mine.