The few, the proud, the cold - the North Dakotans

I am always defending my home state against charges that it's too cold there. I have actually said things like, "60 below isn't really any worse than 10 or 12 below." But I may have to stop that now, thanks to this story in the Fargo Forum (registration req'd):

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - Allan Ashworth says his visit to Antarctica was like a tropical getaway from his hometown of Fargo.

The North Dakota State University geology professor recently returned from six weeks at the bottom of the world, about 300 miles northeast of the South Pole.

"It was balmy compared to here," Ashworth said, by telephone from Fargo on Wednesday.

Fargo reported a temperature of 29 below zero Wednesday morning, with a wind chill factor of more than 40 below, the National Weather Service said.

Ashworth said temperatures in Antarctica never got colder than 15 below zero while he was there.

What can I say? I love the place and always will, but it is really, really, cold.
- posted by Anonymous @ 7:41 PM