Anchorage Spring Breakup Memories

Ah, Spring time in Anchorage - slushy roads, potholes, cars covered with dirt and the promise of summer.

Those welcome warmer temperatures bring slushy roads, mud puddles and potholes almost big enough to swallow your vehicle.

It’s a time in Anchorage when a good sense of humor, along with a pair of “breakup boots” helps get you through the day.

The Long Winter

Freezing temperatures and snow marked those long winter days and nights.

The fun music video below takes a look at a heavy snowfall in Anchorage, complete with cars stuck in the snow and helpful pedestrians lending a hand. You may have seen this video before, but it’s worth another look. Enjoy.

BONUS

But as winter comes to an end, Anchorage “enjoys” another season.

Our 5th season is called “breakup” and you have to go through it before you can enjoy Spring.

During breakup, warmer temperatures begin to melt the ice and snow. Roads fill with slush, mud puddles and those famous potholes.

BONUS

Check out this fun breakup music video.

The Attack of the Tudor Road Potholes

Freezing temperatures and traffic take their toll on Anchorage roads.

As a result, during breakup, holes appear in paved roads… and dirt roads too. Some are small and some seem big enough to swallow up your vehicle. And city road crews can’t begin to keep up with needed repairs. Tudor Road always seemed to have more than it’s share of potholes

One local TV show was going to do a comedy video about local city road crews trying to keep up with breakup road repairs. But Mike of Anchorage Memories had another idea… “wouldn’t it be funnier if the video showed the road crews secretly “creating” the potholes with picks and shovels?”

Breakup at Portage Glacier

Remember driving down the Seward Highway to spend some time at Portage Glacier?

In the photo above, Mary of Anchorage Memories enjoys an afternoon at the glacier with daughter Nikki and son Christopher.

During breakup one year, we went for a drive to Portage Glacier. We had no sooner had we stepped out of the car when we heard “snap, crackle and pop”… All the ice covering the water in front of the glacier began breaking up and flowing down to the creek.

It was an amazing site.

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Breakup Humor

During breakup one year, while using a pick to help break up the ice around the house, Mike of Anchorage Memories drove the pick into some ice next to the deck at the back of the house.

When Mike pulled back on the pick and broke up the ice, the air was suddenly filled with an overly strong smell. Mike had uncovered one of the places where our family dog had been making his pit stops during the winter. Ugh.

Spring Breakup

by Joyce Pennington

When it’s breakup in Alaska

And the streets begin to flow.

All the potholes start abloomin’

‘Neath the everlasting snow.

Cars are joggled, splashed and muddy.

Axles bend and drivers curse.

Don’t despair, and just remember

Things are going to get lots worse.

All the kids leave lovely footprints.

And the breakup that they talk of

Isn’t ice, but mothers’ backs.

‘Fore the end of this “sweet” season

All the snow will melt away,

And the junk you left last autumn

Will upon your front yard lay.

Don’t give up-the summer’s coming

With its flowers and glorious fun.

And we’ll soon be having picnics

‘Neath Alaska’s Midnight Sun.

Anchorage High School Memories Comments.

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Contact Mike and Mary

OK, time to take off those clunky breakup boots.

We hope you have enjoyed this edition of your Anchorage Memories VIP Newsletter.

Got a comment, question or just want to say “I hope my lightweight sneakers still fit”.

You can reply to this email or Contact Us right now.

Until Next Time

Mike and Mary

Anchorage Memories.com