Living in Alaska: Golden Days Fun!

Each year, Fairbanks hosts a multi-day celebration of the discovery of gold and the history of Fairbanks. The events range from a barbeque championship to a rubber duckie race to the Governor's Picnic to a regatta to bathtub races. This is the first year that Mike and I have attended several of these events. Needless to say, we had a BLAST!

On Saturday, we went to the street fair and the rubber duckie race. The organizers dropped over 6000 rubber duckies into the Chena River. The cute, yellow duckies floated from the Wendell Bridge to the Cushman Street Bridge. The person who bought the winning duckie won some monetary prize. Mike and I resisted the urge to waste, oh I mean, spend our money on a rubber duckie. Instead, we sat along the river bank and watched them float by.

On Sunday, Mike and I got up and headed into town for the Red Green Regatta. During this event, contestants build "things" that float. They then float this floating "things" from Graehl Park to Pioneer Park. Most people get pretty creative in their designs, as you will see below.

After the Regatta, we walked over to Pioneer Park for the annual Governor's Picnic. Each year, the Governor hosts a picnic where he serves hotdogs and hamburgers to people who are willing to stand in very longs lines just to have him put a hotdog on a bun. Other political politicians are there, as well. Today, Mike and I met the Lt. Governor, the Commisioner of Education (I introduced myself to him and gave a brief history of my education experience), and the Commisioner of Health Services, who was handing out calorie busting, artery clogging potato chips. After eating, the Governor and his wife asked to have their picture taken with Mike and me. We happily obliged their request.

Later in the day, Mike and I watched and helped out at the Bathtub Races. Each race team consisted of 5 members. One member had to ride in the bathtub filled with water and bubble bath, while the other four raced them around Pioneer Park while carrying towels, bars of soap, and washcloths. The team who finished with at least one gallon of water in their tub and all of the aboved mentioned items in the shortest time won. Mike and I had some good laughs at other people's expense at this event!

We are now home and resting from a busy weekend. Mike is on the sofa with Zoee watching Mission to Mars (which I personally do NOT understand nor am Iinterested in it). I am now turning my thoughts to my last two classes this week for the politics class I am taking. So, good night and have a great week!

Okay, only ONE flower pictures this post. Isn't it pretty???