Trip to the Hot Springs at Chena, Alaska

Sunday is our day off so a group of ten of us took a day trip. We went about 55 miles north and west of Fairbanks to a place called Chena Hot Springs.
Chena Hot Springs is a natural hot spring. The water is 106 degrees. Although I did not go into the water, they say it is wonderful for what troubles you. You can only stay in about 20 minutes at a time, then get out for awhile, go back in, etc.
We also saw the Ice Museum at Chena. Excellent sculpting by two men who have won several international ice sculpting contests (in Fairbanks, the last winter olympics, etc).
There is apparently a Japanese belief that if a couple has a child that was conceived under the Aurora Borealis the child will be blessed throughout their life. Well, it turns out that Chena Hot Springs is a wonderful place to see the Aurora Borealis in the Alaskan winter. So each winter the place is inundated with Japanese couples. Signs around the lodge and springs are in English and Japanese.
On the way back to Fairbanks we saw a moose, with it's winter coat still on, eating next to the highway.

All in all a very nice trip. It was good to get away from the hotel and the books for a few hours.