I've been back to Fairbanks Alaska since April 1st. It's like stepping back in to a life I left a long time ago. I was giddy with excitement. For some reason a recurring dream I have is going back to Fairbanks after being away. I was stationed here from 1987 to 1993 at Eielson A.F.B. So this was literally a dream come true. In the dream it never looked like it actually does. I got here and found the place hadn't changed at all really. All things considered it's a lot like I left it. With a few glaring additions. One is the ever present Walmart, Home Depot, Lowe's trifecta. There was one store in town you could get a t.v. and that was Fred Meyer. They are still here but the charm isn't. Fairbanks was always a little on the rundown side but it felt like a frontier town before. Now it just feels like another rundown dump with a Walmart. I'm being a little hard on the town though. It's still one of my favorite places. It's sort of a magical place in the winter and the weather is perfect in the summer. All in all I'm happy I got the chance to come back. And in a strange little twist, while I've been here Eielson A.F.B. was placed on the base realignmentt list. It isn't closing but it will be turned over to the Alaska Air National Guard. I can't help but think of the affect on the local economy. And for obvious sentimental reasons I personally hate to see it close.
More to come...
