Most drivers like to slow down when the conditions get icy. But a fun-loving group of auto enthusiasts meet each Sunday at the Decanter Inn in Kasilof to see just how fast they can go on an ice-covered lake down the hill from the lodge and bar. With tires mounted inside of tires and steel spikes for traction, they race each other and the elements as long as the ice on the lake holds.
Witnessing the northern lights is an unforgettable experience. Their beauty inspires artists, astronomers and anyone else who is fortunate enough to see them. They are a winter treat, as long hours of daylight drown them out in the summer months. Friends telephone each other in the middle of the night to call attention to a good show. Maria Allison of Kenai, Alaska, performs the music accompanying these images of the northern lights.