bears, walruses, see some of the salmon spawning, bears scooping up these amazing fish and choke streams. please come on by. but most of that happens during the spring and summer and fall. in the winter, of course, is the longest season in alaska, and in my opinion, it is one of the best times to experience our state. so for those watching on tv or in the gallery, we want to welcome you to alaska. come on up. you'll have the, you'll have the trip of a lifetime. i guarantee it. but, mr. president, it is truly the people who make my state such a truly special place. sand what we try -- and what we try to do each week is stalk about some of those -- is talk about some of these people in what we've termed the alaskan of the week. celebration, to talk about community, to talk about so many alaskans who are helping not only their state and their community, but the country. generous yet tough and competitive people who make up our wonderful state. and many of them get real excited when the snow starts to fall. they strap on their skis and they fly through the snow. one group of alaskans who eve