20 replies to this topic

[Bryan Bondurant]

With the news of Bob going off to Alaska on another Thread I just moved this over here to not hijack that one.



Bob, Ketchikan is just awsome, For that matter the whole South East is great, Do you know how to fly fish? Unless you want to keep your residence in your current location for discounts on school the first thing you should do upon arrivel in Alaska is change your drivers licence to Alaska to prove residency in the future . There are just to many advantages after youve been living there a couple years if you decide to stay anyway. The cruise ships in the summers there could be a great group to sale to, Im sure they would like to see you hammer down on some steel and then exchange some coin, You might want to think about some kind of cheeper faster make like a few candle holders or something for the easy sales at around 20 bucks. The only real disadvantage will be spending time with the oppisite sex, There just aint many women up there at least for a ugly hillbilly such as myself, Unlike Thailand/Malaysia/Cambodia/Laos where I cant even walk down the street without beutiful women smileing and waving at me. Here they are atracted to light colored skin whereas in Alaska they are atracted by green paper and gold cards.

Just remember never go nowhere without TP, A head net, and Bug Dope, and as soon as you pull down your droors spray the bug dope on the backside. The alternative of this is not acceptable.

Gary, You get out the Steese Much? You in Fairbanks or North Pole? Did the Yukon go out yet?

[Ice Tigre]

"whereas in Alaska they are atracted by green paper and gold cards."
Not in my experiance, what ya drive can have an effect though..... get a pick-up truck!

I'm in Fairbanks, (out Chena Hot Springs area). No, I don't get out the Steese much, at least not past Fox. I do like to go further north towards the Livengood, Manly Hotsprings area though. Good fishing out there! Unfortunetaly I've never got to see the south east area. Unless Valdeez counts? Nice down there.

Don't know about the Yukon, slightly out of my teritorial range..... You got me interested though, as I don't know when it usualy does go... I'll have to ask around.

Bryan; What brought you to Alaska? just curious...

Bob, if your here a while, you should try to see the interior, and maybe further north, the diversity of the land is like travely across several different worlds in some areas.

He's right about seeing if you can change your residency, especialy since you'll be working here. There are a couple good advantages. The university is cheaper if you are an Alaska resident for one. Also (what I've heard), depending on the area, driving with an out of state licence for more than 6 monthes or so can get to be difficult, if you get stoped for anything.

Gary

[Guy Thomas]

it sounds awesome up there, twenty-two years ago when I graduated with a teaching degree in History my wife and I had some half-baked plans on going up to Alaska and teaching there. They never came to to fruition, though I really wish now that they had, things might be much different right now! Such is life, just add it to the regret pile and get over it, however do you guys have any idea what teachers make in Alaska now and are they in short demand? (I still have "Northern Exposure" fantasies! )

[Bryan Bondurant]

"whereas in Alaska they are atracted by green paper and gold cards."
Not in my experiance, what ya drive can have an effect though..... get a pick-up truck!

Basicly the more money you have the easier it is to hook up with women.

I'm in Fairbanks, (out Chena Hot Springs area). No, I don't get out the Steese much, at least not past Fox. I do like to go further north towards the Livengood, Manly Hotsprings area though. Good fishing out there! Unfortunetaly I've never got to see the south east area. Unless Valdeez counts? Nice down there.

I lived out the Steese a few years working off and on between the Hot Springs and running chainsaws with a shortime working at the old trading post in Circle, Circle is mentioned in Jack Londens "White Fang" and was the destination of those coming down the Yukon River from Canada after coming up the South East Alaska coast and crossing the mountains into Canada Yukon Territories

Don't know about the Yukon, slightly out of my teritorial range..... You got me interested though, as I don't know when it usualy does go... I'll have to ask around.

It should be all over the news when it goes out as it makes great pictures and usualy damages villages. I just checked the miner, heres a couple links.

flooding story link

FAIRBANKS NEWS MINER ONLINE LINK

Bryan; What brought you to Alaska? just curious... ,Gary

I grew up exploring and hunting the forrests, rivers and bayous of Arkansas in the 70s and always dreamed about Alaska, Books like "to Build A Fire","White Fang" and other periodicals also had a big influence on me wanting to live there. Also Howard Hill and other Archary hunting Stories too, I gues the 70s was the hayday of magazines and stories about Alaska and camping and such things, Now days If you google Alaska it will tell you 1000 places you can get a hotel room not that camping is free anywhere in the state. After awhile even Alaska started getting a little small for me so I moved on to Asia, But Arkansas and Alaska are still big parts of my life. Bryan Lee

[Bryan Bondurant]

it sounds awesome up there, twenty-two years ago when I graduated with a teaching degree in History my wife and I had some half-baked plans on going up to Alaska and teaching there. They never came to to fruition, though I really wish now that they had, things might be much different right now! Such is life, just add it to the regret pile and get over it, however do you guys have any idea what teachers make in Alaska now and are they in short demand? (I still have "Northern Exposure" fantasies! )

Guy dont worry about the past Alaska needs teachers every year, Alaska has more money for teachers than any other state. I was offered around 50,000 dollars for a one year contract a few years ago and that would include a house. I can try and dig up a few links to schools if your interested. The thing is you can get on at a remote location and they will provide you with a house and food if you get it in the contract. Its a great lifestyle if you are married and can get on at a real Eskimo village. All you need is a snow machine in winter and some traps.

[Bob Ouellette]

I really can't wait to get up there now. It should be a whole lot of fun. The ladies will be attracted by my rugged good looks and charm

[Bryan Bondurant]

I really can't wait to get up there now. It should be a whole lot of fun. The ladies will be attracted by my rugged good looks and charm

Yea Bob, Those sexy 75 year old ladys on the cruise ships will be pinching you on the butt when your bent over digging around in your forge. I can hear it now, some old maid telling her sister how cute you are "Martha get your digital camera and get ready cause I want to get a picture with my teeth back in and him, Hes a cute one"... All kidding aside there are some great girls in Alaska theres just not that many around and most of the ones I know were married, So not available. Im happy for you though, A young guy setting off on a big adventure.

[Ice Tigre]

:35: :35:

well....... some guys like older women......

Gary

Edited by Ice Tigre, 21 May 2006 - 05:23 AM.

[Bob Ouellette]

Cruse ships you say? It just so happens that a good friend of mine is going on a cruse to Alaska this summer, right around the time that I'm going to be up there. I think it would be quite funny to meet up with him on the other side of the country. I can imagine it now, "Hey Bob, we traveled over 3000 miles to see you, hahahaha"

If I would be forging up there that would be freakin' awesome, but I will be on a knife-making dry spell I will be taking a bunch up with me so I can get some advertisement, maybe even fight off those crazy 75 year old women that decide to come and look at knives instead of sweaters and other such products that are being sold in the other store.

Regarless, I think I will have a lot of fun. I'll have the use of either my cousin's bike or her car (sweet deal to get out and see the country side).

[Ice Tigre]

If I may ask.... what's the job?

Gary

[Alan Longmire]

Where did I miss that Bob's going to Alaska? I thought he was moving to Charleston, SC?

[Bob Ouellette]

I'm going to be going to be in Alaska untill the ABANA conference in July. Then I'm comming back to Maryland before finally moving to South Carolina.

I will be working in an art gallery (possibly selling knives) or in some other store owned by the same company. I might even be able to get some extra hours in working making breakfast and watering plants and other random tasks. I can't wait to get up there.

[Alan Longmire]

Groovy. Wish I could go, I haven't seen a glacier since about 1990 or so...

[deker]

Good luck ya bastid! My wife has wanted to move to AK for years now. She's only ever managed a week up there. I haven't been at all. I do have family around Anchorage though, so it's just a matter of time...

Enjoy, have fun, take lots of pictures!

-d

[Bob Ouellette]

I will try Rob... Still not sure if I'm going though.

[Bob Ouellette]

Well, it turns out that my trip to Alaska won't be working out. My grandfather recently passed away so I no longer have the free ticket that I was going to get with his American Airlines miles. So in light of this, I'm going to be moving my stuff down to Charleston, SC after the 14th when I can have help from one of my friends.

[Alan Longmire]

Sorry to hear it, BobO.

[Adlai Stein]

That sux BobO. Sorry to hear it.

[Bob Ouellette]

Thanks guys. It was a lot sooner than we expected. He had cancer that went under his tongue and made it so you could hardly understand what he said. One of the last things he said was after hearing that I might be going to Alaska was, "North Carolina, South Carolina, tell Bobby he needs to settle down and get his education because it's pissin' me off" I thought that was just too funny. Anyhow, thanks again, he had a big influence on me.

[Bryan Bondurant]

Bob, sorry to hear about your grandpa, soon my grandfather will have been gone twenty years and my own father for 5. I still think of them often and remember the life truths they told me trying to get me into adulthood. No worries about Alaska as it will be there and waiting for you in the future. Adventure, Moving, and traveling in general is great, but settling down and staying in one place is respectable, responsible, and most of the time a better financial desicion for the long term. Good Luck with whatever you do, Bryan Lee