Always wanted to live in Alaska. Did you?
- Thread starter Lee Whitsel
- Start date
I grew up in West Texas, in the oil patch. I swore I would never live where it is cold all the time. Alaska was out of the question. So, I moved to Montana. I'm a genius.
PhilC
Silver $$ Contributor
Same thing I told my wife 1st year we were married. In mid-winter she'd dress like it was mid-summer and crank the heat up because she was cold (I'd set thermostat to 68 she'd raise it to 75). Cured her of that over the past 45yrs.
I spent a year in Galena courtesy of U. Sam, Apr 92 - Apr 93, and loved every minute except for the forced family separation. It was a "CONUS isolated remote" assignment and I got credit for serving a remote tour. Hunted moose and caught a LOT of northern pike in the sloughs off the Yukon.
Wife and I took 2 trips to Sitka to fish coho, halibut, and rockfish in 2016 & 2017 - awesome memories.
butchlambert
Site $$ Sponsor
My wife can tell you about the white socks!! We called them noseeums.
Buttstock-TX
Silver $$ Contributor
I lived there for 28 years. My children were born there and still live there as do my grandchildren. Now in my 60's the Texas hill country suits me a bit better. That said, I dearly love Alaska and the experiences I had there. If you like the outdoor activities, it is wonderful. Winters are long and dark. It is not the cold that affects you after you acclimate, it is the lack of sunlight. Pics below were from my back deck in South Anchorage and fishing out of Seward with my daughter.
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Since I was a little kid, I wanted to live in Alaska. So about 23 years ago, I sold everything and drove up the alcan. For the last 20 years, I've lived in a 2 room, off grid cabin. Its definitely not the easiest way to live, but you're connected to your environment and community in a way that isn't often experienced these days. My water comes
Alaska has definitely allowed me to live my dream of a life of crazy adventures!
All that being said, I'm 51 now & things aren't quite as easy as they were when I was a younger. Im definitely starting to consider someplace warmer on the winter.....maybe even next winter!
Alaska has definitely allowed me to live my dream of a life of crazy adventures!
All that being said, I'm 51 now & things aren't quite as easy as they were when I was a younger. Im definitely starting to consider someplace warmer on the winter.....maybe even next winter!
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butchlambert
Site $$ Sponsor
Yes Sir! The dark is much more trying than the cold!
My Dad was stationed on the Naval base on Kodiak Alaska for 2 years when it was still a territory in 1955-1957.
I was 10 years old and I enjoyed the fishing and hunting before we moved up there and I was in heaven while we lived off base.
Things were expensive on the island, a gallon of milk was $1.00 at the naval commissary.
i remember during the summer months my bedtime was 6PM. I didn't mind because I would go to bed, shut my door and climb out the window, get my fishing gear from behind a bush and walk down to the dock and fish. When I was done fishing walk back home and climb back into my room. My parents didn't find out that I did that until I told them in 2010.
Winters were mild. Due to the warm ocean currents coming from Japan area the bays never froze up and you could walk the low tides and pick up small crabs, round glass fishing net floats that came from Japan currents. Explore the concrete bunkers that were abundant on the top of the hills overlooking the ocean. . When the crab and salmon boats came into the canning factories, you could buy the King Crab and salmon right off the boat. Hell, my dad made some crab traps and at low tide we would walk out into the bay and set them and at the next low tide go out and get the crab. Snagging Sockeye salmon as the came up the rivers to spawn. Snowshoe rabbit hunting during the winter months.
Found bear tracks in the back yard during the early winter months and fish Dolly Varden trout in the stream that was running through the housing development.
My sister was born up there before it became a state.
After we left for the states the big tidal wave came in and wiped out the down town business area of Kodiak, the pictures of the new town just makes me sad that all the old memories were gone.
Do I have very fond memories of Alaska? yes, I still do at 76 yrs old.
The best time of my life were spent on Kodiak Island.
If I could go back in time, I would be 10 yrs old again.
I was 10 years old and I enjoyed the fishing and hunting before we moved up there and I was in heaven while we lived off base.
Things were expensive on the island, a gallon of milk was $1.00 at the naval commissary.
i remember during the summer months my bedtime was 6PM. I didn't mind because I would go to bed, shut my door and climb out the window, get my fishing gear from behind a bush and walk down to the dock and fish. When I was done fishing walk back home and climb back into my room. My parents didn't find out that I did that until I told them in 2010.
Winters were mild. Due to the warm ocean currents coming from Japan area the bays never froze up and you could walk the low tides and pick up small crabs, round glass fishing net floats that came from Japan currents. Explore the concrete bunkers that were abundant on the top of the hills overlooking the ocean. . When the crab and salmon boats came into the canning factories, you could buy the King Crab and salmon right off the boat. Hell, my dad made some crab traps and at low tide we would walk out into the bay and set them and at the next low tide go out and get the crab. Snagging Sockeye salmon as the came up the rivers to spawn. Snowshoe rabbit hunting during the winter months.
Found bear tracks in the back yard during the early winter months and fish Dolly Varden trout in the stream that was running through the housing development.
My sister was born up there before it became a state.
After we left for the states the big tidal wave came in and wiped out the down town business area of Kodiak, the pictures of the new town just makes me sad that all the old memories were gone.
Do I have very fond memories of Alaska? yes, I still do at 76 yrs old.
The best time of my life were spent on Kodiak Island.
If I could go back in time, I would be 10 yrs old again.
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