Cold November rain ... in July

Bundled up in a semi-rainproof jacket and hat, I went for a walk last night around 9 p.m. in a cold November rain. That wouldn't be too bad, except for the part where it's only July 27th. Most neighbor's fireplaces were in full use, while one man in a jacket, smoking a cigarette, mowed his white-topped weeds with his lawnmower. Temperatures were in the upper forties, and the rain was really just a light drizzle, no big deal.

Hard to believe, Denali National Park closes for the winter in six or seven weeks. The shuttle buses quit running on September 16, 2010, and after that the "lottery" is available for just a few days to local residents. See that link to the park if you've never heard of the Denali National Park lottery.