The town of Nenana, south of Fairbanks, marks the approach of spring with the Ice Classic Festival. During the festival the town erects a four-legged "tripod" on the frozen Tanana River. The tripod marks the official moment the ice goes out, and break-up begins. All across Alaska, bars and stores sell tickets, on which people guess the fateful moment. In 2000, the jackpot was $335,000. We came to watch the tripod go up, and got shanghaied into helping out. It was about 20 below zero and plenty windy out on the ice. So we warmed up in Moocher's Bar with beers and hot toddies.

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