Top-of-the-world 25th wedding anniversary in Barrow

When my wife Chris and I began planning for our 25th wedding anniversary on Nov. 20, we thought about Hawaii – a pleasant thought as winter hits the Midwest. But in the end, there was only one place we wanted to be, back in Barrow where we got married at Pepe's North of the Border restaurant.

We found a house-and-dog sitter for Greenland Husky Avu, who would have loved to be with us and visit her old dog team. Dug out extra winter gear and off we went -- an early morning drive to the Twin Cities airport and then a flight to Seattle and Anchorage. Got excited that some old friends from Barrow -- Dan and Ellen Frantz, who now live in Anchorage -- were on the plane from Seattle.

Spent a few days in Anchorage with friends, including some we first met in Barrow. Then back to the airport. We hugged old friends from Barrow while waiting for the plane and then it was off to Fairbanks, where a few more friends joined the flight to Barrow.

Hey, I know that car!

We had arranged to stay at the Airport Inn in Barrow -- the place where we spent our wedding night 25 years ago. But first, another link to the past. We did not get a rental vehicle, thinking we could walk or call a cab.

But the first vehicle we saw out the terminal window was our old 1997 Ford Escort, which we had sold to Randy Hoffbeck when we moved from Barrow in the summer of 2008. Now there was his wife Cindy, waiting for him in our old car, which was still going strong. They said to hop in and gave us a quick tour of Barrow and Browerville to get up to date. Then they got our bags and took us to the hotel.

The next morning, I woke up about 4:30 a.m., the same time I used to get going when I did the sign-on shift at KBRW. Manager and morning host Bob Thomas had invited me in for a live interview. Felt real good to walk on the crunchy dry snow in minus-6 weather over to the station.

Enjoyed being interviewed, and of course we wound up with the latest on former Barrow husky Avu. Greeting and hugging folks coming into the station as I wound up my visit was great, too.

We took some cabs and got rides here and there, including a visit to the former Naval Arctic Research Laboratory, which now houses North Slope Borough wildlife staff. Then it was off to Ilisagvik College and the new Science Center.

Walking, talking around town

Wonderful to walk some nights for dinner and see the kids playing with sleds, inner tubes, etc. -- and with T-shirts on in sub-zero weather.

Going around old Barrow, I remembered a number of elders and visits to their small and cozy homes. One of them was the late Sadie Neakok, whose house I always loved -- and where I could sometimes sample homemade bread.

Our three-day anniversary went all too quickly. But as we left on the plane, I knew that I always would have a Barrow home -- along with the one in Medford, Wis., where I spend most of the time these days.

Earl Finkler is a former resident of Barrow and host of the Morning Show on KBRW Barrow -- serving the North Slope. He now lives in Medford, Wis., with his wife Chris and former Barrow Husky "Avu."

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