Through the Lens: Northern Lights

As if by magic, during my last weekend in Nome, the northern lights put on the most spectacular display I've seen to date. 

I was sound asleep late at night, but my roommate had been downtown watching one of the Iditarod mushers come in, when she noticed a smudge of green across the sky. I was awoken by her text, and immediately jumped out of bed to check the window. Sure enough, a ribbon of light was pulsing through the heavens above. I don't think I've ever gotten dressed and set up the camera so fast in my life!

Beam us up, Scotty!

Through the Lens: Iditarod

After over 9 months in Northwest Alaska, I have finally returned to the lower-48 and the warm, sunny state of Florida. Over the next few days, I'll try to finish posting photos and reflections from my last couple weeks in Nome, starting with the best of my Iditarod pics.

The crowd awaits the first musher, late Tuesday night

Winning musher Mitch Seavey arrives around 10:30pm

Aliy Zirkle arrives in 2nd place around 11pm 

The media mobs Mitch Seavey at the finish line

Jeff King arrives in 3rd place

Mitch Seavey and Aliy Zirkle less than an hour after arrival

One of the sled dogs

Martin Buser passing in front of my office building

Brent Sass looking epic

Jim Lanier's dogs need a little guidance getting to the finish ;)

John Baker heads down the home stretch

Lance Mackey looking exhausted

Dog close-ups

Final musher Christine Roalofs jogs out from the finish with her dogs

Shaking off some snow

Mush!

As you can imagine, it's been an absolutely insane week and I have so many stories and pictures to share but still no time! Iditarod week was a blast and ended with the most spectacular northern lights I've seen to date.  This week I have a ton of wrap-up work to do, plus I have to pack up my life again (it's amazing how settled-in one becomes in 9 months), and start heading home. 

I will try to post pictures later this week, but for now enjoy the GoPro video I took on my dog sledding trip this weekend. So much fun, and super glad I got to give it a go while I'm up here! 

Playing tourist

Iditarod Week in Nome kicked off today with the moving of the Burled Arch to Front Street, and a snow sculpting contest in the town square. Beautiful weather today too made for a good day to play tourist and take some photos around town. Enjoy!

Angry Bird sculpture won 3rd place

Pineapple sculptors

Everyone hard at work

Awesome muskox sculpture 

The Burled Arch is in place!

Hard to believe this street is going to be packed in a couple days

The winning sculpture

Lounging in the snofa

Pretty icicles in the sunlight

Scary icicles on our roof

Shishmaref

This week I spent 2 days in Shishmaref, the village I visited last November just before Thanksgiving. The purpose of my trip was essentially the same: to talk to local youth about Serpentine Hot Springs and get their perspectives on the area, but this time the experience was far more successful and fulfilling.

On my way there, I was once again the only one on the flight. There was a seat open in the back, but the rest of the plane was packed with cargo -- boxes of milk, orange juice, canned goods, and produce. The pilot asked if I wanted to ride copilot instead: Heck yes!! He even ran inside and got me a headset, and we spent the entire flight talking cameras and aviation. He was pretty excited I had a GoPro and a good Nikon.  

Trying out the GoPro