Anyone want to know anything about Alaska?

"Osiris - I can haz Euro spec?" (o51r15)
02/21/2014 at 12:25 • Filed to: Alaska

So it has come to my attention that there may be some people on Oppo who would like to know a little about Alaska.

I've been here for almost two years now and I have about a year left before the Air Force moves me again so if you have any questions, please, feel free to ask and I'll answer to the best of my knowledge. Same goes for Air Force stuff too if you'd like to know.

Photo Credit: allphotographyblog.com via Google

DISCUSSION (33)

Brian Silvestro > Osiris - I can haz Euro spec?
02/21/2014 at 12:26

Are snow tires not good enough to drive the Aveo all year?!

midengineer > Osiris - I can haz Euro spec?
02/21/2014 at 12:29

On average, how many Alaskan malamutes do people own?

hethoughtofcars > Osiris - I can haz Euro spec?
02/21/2014 at 12:31

Do people really get paid to live there?

Osiris - I can haz Euro spec? > Brian Silvestro
02/21/2014 at 12:33

I have 2 year old snow tires (yes...I know) on my Aveo. It works. It's slow and there is some good spinning of the tires here and there but I can get to work. I generally use my Truck more in the winter for everything because...you know...4WD. Mud/Snow tires on the truck too. I've never used studs. Never needed chains.

Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif > Osiris - I can haz Euro spec?
02/21/2014 at 12:33

Alaska State Troopers, good show but I feel the state troopers are probably more dickish in real life. Confirm or deny this?

timateo81 > Osiris - I can haz Euro spec?
02/21/2014 at 12:34

Are there more planes or cars in Alaska?

Are there more planes or bears in Alaska?

Are there more bears or moose in Alaska?

Are there more tourists or residents in Alaska?

Brian Silvestro > Osiris - I can haz Euro spec?
02/21/2014 at 12:34

I'm sure studs/chains are much more common there, which means the roads are probably awful.

Osiris - I can haz Euro spec? > midengineer
02/21/2014 at 12:34

Ha ha I don't know the actual numbers or anything on that but there are a lot of people that have Malamutes and Huskies. Military members get them a lot too. I brought my Boxer/German Sheppard up here with us and we got a Black Lab/Aussie Sheppard while we've been here.

Osiris - I can haz Euro spec? > hethoughtofcars
02/21/2014 at 12:36

They have what's called the PFD or Permanent Fund Dividend. I've never received it but from what I'm aware, it's a percentage of oil sales that go to the people who live here from 1 January through 31 December. I believe it was around $900 per person, per household.

Osiris - I can haz Euro spec? > Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif
02/21/2014 at 12:37

Not sure. Only time I've been pulled over up here is on base by a base cop. He let me off with a warning. I've seen some AST's pull people over for not being able to stop due to ice at a stoplight and sliding right through.

ZHP Sparky, the 5th > Osiris - I can haz Euro spec?
02/21/2014 at 12:37

Where in Alaska are you? I flew to Anchorage a few summers ago and drove down the Kenai peninsula and up to Denali with a friend - best trip of my life, Alaska is easily in my top 5 states. Only problem is that the state is SO HUGE, it's impossible to check out all the awesomeness in a week.

What are your "must see/do" things in Alaska for an outdoorsy minded person (i.e. hiking, camping)? Also since we were there in the summer it was awesome that we'd walk out of a bar at midnight and it'd be bright out! Really had to push ourselves to stop and rest every night though, so easy to keep wanting to drive more and see more things when you have 20+ hours of daylight in a day.

I really REALLY want to see the northern lights - of course didn't work out given that we were there in July and it barely ever got dark. What combination of timing/location/how to get there would you say is the most convenient/probable for getting to see them, given that I probably can't visit for more than a week, will be flying in to a major city from the lower 48, and realistically don't want to have to drive days on end in the middle of winter to get somewhere?

Also really wish I had climbed up some of the trails by the glaciers to get up to an ice field...they look amazing in pictures.

Osiris - I can haz Euro spec? > timateo81
02/21/2014 at 12:39

Planes V Cars - Cars (not by much though)

Planes V Bears - Planes (from what I've seen)

Bears V Moose - Moose (not by much)

Tourists V Residents - Tourists in Summer, Residents in Winter

Osiris - I can haz Euro spec? > Brian Silvestro
02/21/2014 at 12:39

The roads are pretty awful but the only time I've seen chains is on big rigs. The studs do eat up the road though.

For Sweden > Osiris - I can haz Euro spec?
02/21/2014 at 12:40

Lots of White People with Oil. Alaska is just like Norway.

Brian Silvestro > Osiris - I can haz Euro spec?
02/21/2014 at 12:42

That's a bitch. How's the rally community?

thebigbossyboss > Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif
02/21/2014 at 12:42

I love that show.

thebigbossyboss > Osiris - I can haz Euro spec?
02/21/2014 at 12:43

Can/do you drive over to BC? How far be that from Elmendorf? Do people go to and from the Aluetians, or are they a world unto themselves.

Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif > thebigbossyboss
02/21/2014 at 12:45

Would have to go over to the Yukon first.

Osiris - I can haz Euro spec? > ZHP Sparky, the 5th
02/21/2014 at 12:46

1. I'm in Anchorage (technically). I live on the military base in Anchorage that has it's own zip code. And yes, this place is so huge. I've only been able to as far south as Seward and north as Glenallen. I'm going to try and make it to Homer this year but that depends on the wife, 3 year old and infant.

2. Hiking Denali is definitely a must. It's beautiful. But my all time favorite thing to do is to hop in the truck and drive until I find a body of water and then fish it. Just to pick a direction and go. As for the summer, It's absolutely beautiful but the 23 and a half hours of sunlight gets really old really fast.

3. I was able to see the Aurora last winter and it was amazing. I got a nice blue hue across the sky. Best ways to see it, Google Aurora forecast, pick a night, find a nice place that has absolutely no street lights, or any lights really and be patient. It's awesome!

4. I haven't climbed any of the glaciers yet but a co-worker of mine got to hike...wait for it...INSIDE ONE! The pictures he brought back were amazing!

hethoughtofcars > For Sweden
02/21/2014 at 12:46

Is Sweden just "Lots of White People without Oil?"

For Sweden > hethoughtofcars
02/21/2014 at 12:47

Replace "Lots" with "Almost all"

Osiris - I can haz Euro spec? > For Sweden
02/21/2014 at 12:49

Ha ha except the Native Alaskan's really don't like "the white man". It's actually briefed to us when we get here that they have a really bad problem with the native's and alcohol. Each town or city has the right to make it a dry town or not. It's about 50% dry and 50% wet here. But back to the lesson, The native's like to get drunk and then fight (sometimes deadly) with the non-natives. It's even worse for the military people.

Osiris - I can haz Euro spec? > Brian Silvestro
02/21/2014 at 12:50

You would think it would be awesome because of all the trails and snow and whatnot, but so far, I haven't heard of or seen anything. Closest thing to a track here is an outdoor go-kart track. And not even the awesome go-karts. The regulated ones.

Osiris - I can haz Euro spec? > thebigbossyboss
02/21/2014 at 12:51

When I drove up here from Idaho, we took the ferry. Got off the ferry in Haines, AK and drove through the Yukon. Not sure the distance to BC from here but it took 2 days to get from Haines to Anchorage.

Brian Silvestro > Osiris - I can haz Euro spec?
02/21/2014 at 12:51

That brings a tear to my eye, so much adventure! What about the tundras and the mountains and the trails and the snow?!

hethoughtofcars > For Sweden
02/21/2014 at 12:53

My sister and her husband are actually teaching over in Stavanger, Norway for at least the next two years. I know Sweden and Norway are obviously different —lots of white people vs. almost all white people, apparently :) but what's it like? (Besides expensive) Have you been there/live(d) there?

Osiris - I can haz Euro spec? > Brian Silvestro
02/21/2014 at 12:54

Mountains are fun to hike and go 4-wheeling on. Haven't been far enough to get to a tundra. The trails are fantastic. Any direction you want to go, there's probably a trail. If there's not, it's not hard to go through the brush either! And the snow is awesome. It's the ice that forms underneath that sucks.

For Sweden > hethoughtofcars
02/21/2014 at 13:02

Expensive (!), cold but beautiful, pretty nice overall. Bad food.

It's really not that different from anywhere else, but that doesn't contribute to national humor.

hethoughtofcars > For Sweden
02/21/2014 at 13:06

Damn I was hoping for tons of 6'6" women with blonde hair and blue eyes, or at least some trolls.

thebigbossyboss > Osiris - I can haz Euro spec?
02/21/2014 at 13:32

Where did you catch the ferry from? Presumably not Idaho...lol.

From Vancouver to the AK-YK border is 2881 KMs.

GRawesome > Osiris - I can haz Euro spec?
02/21/2014 at 14:53

My brother lives up in AK (Eagle River) too, he loves it there. I think he may have actually done some work on your base actually, he works for GeoTek Alaska - they do the environmental drilling for site cleanup and whatnot.

Enjoy your time up there, it's a beautiful place!

Osiris - I can haz Euro spec? > GRawesome
02/21/2014 at 16:19

Eagle River is pretty nice. I'm not sure about whether or not he's worked on the base I'm at. I'm in a pretty secluded place.

Osiris - I can haz Euro spec? > thebigbossyboss
02/21/2014 at 16:22

We started by driving 636 miles from Mountain Home AFB in Idaho to Bellingham, Washington. Took the ferry from Bellingham, Washington to Haines, Alaska. Then drove the 758 miles from Haines to Anchorage, Alaska.