It's 5 in the morning, and I feel fine.
I guess it's odd to be talking about Northern Exposure when I am somewhere
South of Paris, but this is where is was filmed and it's does get pretty cold
up here in winter.
I've never been much in the way for tourism, so a trip up to Roslyn, the
physical location for Cicely, Alaska seemed like a pretty daft idea, but
sometimes you have to just go with these feelings. Cliff was kind enough to
offer to drive me up there. The trip there was, well, flat then hilly. The
dividing line between the desert and the trees is really quite sharp. It's
maybe a mile from the first tree to the full out forest. Once you get to the
forest, it really starts to look like Northern Exposure territory.
We got into Roslyn late; we'd stopped for a quick lunch which had taken ages,
after they lost the ticket (the offered us a free starter, but Cliff just got
his cash back instead). The sun was still up, but there wasn't much left. The
town is tiny, but relatively compact — no urban sprawl here. There is a
central road running through it, which is actually at right angles to what
appears to be the main road on TV. In the fading sunlight, the place was
beautiful; lots of wood construction everywhere, peaceful and with the intense
smell of coniferous wood smoke everywhere.
The effects of Northern Exposure can be seen on the town, but only in a small
way. Joel Fleischman's office is now the Cicely Alaska museum. Just over the
road is the corner store and at the bottom, the Brick. The famous mural is, as
it says, on the wall of Roslyn('s) Cafe, rather than the Brick which is the
impression that you get. The Cafe, as far as I can tell, is not featured
beyond the mural. KHBR radio is just over the other side of the main road;
it's still there with Minnifield Communications network up on the door. We
stopped for dinner (veggie burger and fries) in the Brick; inside it bears
little resemblance to the TV version; it's much, much bigger than it appears,
has a stage and long bar, and a big log stove in the corner. I guess that the
interior shots are actually studio based, and not here at all.
The town itself is much as it appears to on TV. But there is more to it. It's
mining heritage is lost on TV (which would have placed it in the wrong
area). The museum they had there was wonderful. As well as the camel mural,
there are several others, including celebrating Roslyn's past. And just outside
KHBR radio is an "war" memorial to those who lost their lives in the mining
industry. I like these small towns; I could have happily spent a couple of
days there, hung over, drank beer, drove (or walked!) up some trails.
The experience of being a dumb fan-boy tourist was a little uncomfortable for
me, and combined with the declining day light, I didn't quite get the pictures
I wanted (forgot to take on of the doctors office), so I'll have to go back
another time.
It was a strange way to spend a day, but it was a quintessential American
experience. Spudnuts and coffee to start (you may view the spudnuts here, but
please prepare yourself first — it's not pretty). At lunch, we got fast
food, and I got to see Cliff complain (no one complains like an American),
then we drove for hours for little readily apparent purpose, to a place where
I took lots of photos of nothing apparent. Wonderful.