Heat wave in Iqaluit

The weather report suggested clouds and freezing rain at 0730hr - it was cold early this am walking up to the gym but everything is relative.I had less heavy layers and wind pants instead of snowboard gear. As the day went on it just got better and better. It seems the sun plus a drop in temperatures to about -5 to -9 brought everyone outside. I walked the loop overlooking Iqaluit. I discovered a number of murals below the QGH hospital and scuplture on the front lawn of the Arctic College. The Frobisher Inn dining room was full, so I just kept walking. Skidoos were everywhere - snowmobilers on Iqaluit waterfront are the equivalent of bikeriders on the Toronto boardwalk. Given the blazing sun and drop in wind, I took a long hike out onto the bay. It seemed to make sense to follow the trails skidoos had made. But once they were past, they were out of eyesight very quickly. That left me in the midst of huge tossed piles of pack ice and large snowdrifts.I am not sure where everyone was going but kids were packed aboard sleds and on the backs of skidoos and they all winded their way out to the middle of the bay as if they were on mobile roller coasters.