I went to Arizona for Spring Break expecting some warm and sunny weather. We were on a hike when we saw it coming, passing over the city to our west. Undeterred, we hiked onward to Submarine rock when it happened. A blustery, snow storm of small pellets attempting to pound this large rock to the ocean depths. In northern Arizona this is common, but for tourists from the northeast, the vision in our heads is a sunny Arizona which does not include a whiteout event.

Since I will be in Alaska for the first time when this post goes live, I thought about what I expect to see and feel in the coldest state. My first guess was 30-40 degree temps with mix of rain and snow, which is evidence as to why I have never visited this tundra of a state before now.

Visiting a glacier is on the top of most people’s list when traveling as far north as the origin of igloos in most of our children’s literature. The mountains and rainforest will be spectacular. Both are unique to the location where you find them, and what I saw of both of these in Arizona will not match our current sights.

We can be surprised even when we have heard details about what to expect, because our minds may not build the picture in precise blends of colors and topography. The red rock in Arizona, the blue of the ocean along an island shoreline, and the variations of green in Ireland all caught me without a vivid preconception in my brain. How wonderful it is for us to be able to see things we could not imagine.

I hope you have a Happy Friday.