North to Alaska 2024

[SnoopLoggyDog]

Are HAM radios or other bands pretty popular up there?

Yes. I'm a Tech and can hear the repeater out of Soldotna. I mostly monitor because the talknets are older folks talking about what they had for supper, or their latest doctor visit. I call it the "mashed potato net".

I designed the 12 volt electrical system on my Renergy Solar to be able to easily hook up a base station.

 

[SnoopLoggyDog]

Last morning on the island. Going to leave at noon and head back to town.

 

[ditcherman]

Yes. I'm a Tech and can hear the repeater out of Soldotna. I mostly monitor because the talknets are older folks talking about what they had for supper, or their latest doctor visit. I call it the "mashed potato net".

I designed the 12 volt electrical system on my Renergy Solar to be able to easily hook up a base station.

Haha, so no different than a net in the lower 48?

 

[SnoopLoggyDog]

Made it to my BIL & SIL's house in Sterling, AK. They have a little guest cabin that I will stay in tonight.


Here is the boat that we crossed in. It has a Honda 135 hp motor.


Last view of the cabin with everything buttoned down. In a few weeks, we have family coming to stay in it. Yes, I have my own cold war era JATO bottle.

 

[SnoopLoggyDog]

Here are some other cabins on the island.

This one is owned by the friend with whom I came up the ALCAN last week.




The flooring in this one came out of an old dance hall in Fairbanks.


This is one of the first log cabins built on the island in the 70's. I stayed in the red roofed guest cottage (right) in 2017 while I was framing my cabin.


This one looks good from the shore but has foundation and electrical issues.


This one is at the bottom of the hill near mine.

It has sat unmaintained for over twenty years. Someone still pays the property tax, so it just sits, wasting away.

 

[BigRed]

Do any folks stay year round?

 

[SnoopLoggyDog]

Do any folks stay year round?

One guy used to. He hit 65 and decided that Florida was a lot easier to handle in the winter.

In the 70's, there was a couple that lived out there year round. She wrote two books about it. I've talked to a few people who knew them.

Winds of Skilak – Frontier Home: Living Off The Grid

Posts about Winds of Skilak written by bonnieroseward

bonnieroseward.wordpress.com

 

[SnoopLoggyDog]

Just flew in a Cessna 208 from Kenai to Anchorage. Only took 30 minutes. That would be a four hour trip by car.

While we were boarding, there was a C-17 in the pattern flying transitions, (a Touch & Go that comes come close, but does not touch the runway).

This classic, along with a C-46 were sitting on the ramp.

Earlier today, I went to this wonderful store in Soldotna.

Didn't buy anything, but was nice to see everything that they carry.

So now I'm sitting in the Anchorage airport eating a $20 salad. It's 7:30pm and I cannot check my bags until 01:30am. My flight departs at 05:30am. I've slept in this airport many times over the years.

I'm scheduled to arrive in Seattle at 10am local. I plan on taking a taxi to the Seattle Museum of Flight and touring it. Later on, I will grab some dinner and then head back to the airport for my 9pm flight to Indy. If everything goes well, I will arrive dog tired at 5am on Thursday morning.

Ok, so you are probably wondering, what the h*ll is wrong with you? Why did you book this insane schedule? The answer is I am an Alaska Airlines milage member. This trip home used only airline miles. And I get to visit a cool museum.

 

[SnoopLoggyDog]

Mountains near Anchorage at midnight. The Alaska Airlines check-in area is super busy right now. During tourist season, (locals call it terrorist season) this airport is busy 24/7.

 

[Cavman]

P

View attachment 355710
Just flew in a Cessna 208 from Kenai to Anchorage. Only took 30 minutes. That would be a four hour trip by car.
View attachment 355711
While we were boarding, there was a C-17 in the pattern flying transitions, (a Touch & Go that comes come close, but does not touch the runway).
View attachment 355712
This classic, along with a C-46 were sitting on the ramp.

Earlier today, I went to this wonderful store in Soldotna.
View attachment 355713
Didn't buy anything, but was nice to see everything that they carry.

So now I'm sitting in the Anchorage airport eating a $20 salad. It's 7:30pm and I cannot check my bags until 01:30am. My flight departs at 05:30am. I've slept in this airport many times over the years.

I'm scheduled to arrive in Seattle at 10am local. I plan on taking a taxi to the Seattle Museum of Flight and touring it. Later on, I will grab some dinner and then head back to the airport for my 9pm flight to Indy. If everything goes well, I will arrive dog tired at 5am on Thursday morning.

Ok, so you are probably wondering, what the h*ll is wrong with you? Why did you book this insane schedule? The answer is I am an Alaska Airlines milage member. This trip home used only airline miles. And I get to visit a cool museum.

Does this airport still have a huge taxidermed polar bear there? Closest I ever got was a layover from Korea there. Had a reindeer sausage dog. It was absolutely stunning flying in ans seeing it from above

 

[SnoopLoggyDog]

P

Does this airport still have a huge taxidermed polar bear there? Closest I ever got was a layover from Korea there. Had a reindeer sausage dog. It was absolutely stunning flying in ans seeing it from above

Yep. They have still both polar and grizzly bears in large plexiglass cases. First time I saw them was in 1980 during a fuel stop on the way to Okinawa.

They also have a Turbo-Beaver in the main concourse.


At 2am, both Starbucks and McDonalds are open in the main terminal. Only three more hours until my flight leaves. Sunrise will happen at 4:42am. I have a window seat and hope to get some good views.

 

[Cavman]

Yep. They have still both polar and grizzly bears in large plexiglass cases. First time I saw them was in 1980 during a fuel stop on the way to Okinawa.

They also have a Turbo-Beaver in the main concourse.
View attachment 355729

At 2am, both Starbucks and McDonalds are open in the main terminal. Only three more hours until my flight leaves. Sunrise will happen at 4:42am. I have a window seat and hope to get some good views.

Thanks for all the post and safe flight back

 

[SnoopLoggyDog]

I got very little sleep on the flight down from Anchorage due to screaming kids behind my seat. Decided to check out the USO in the Seattle airport and this place is awesome. Free food, place to chill in a recliner and awesome volunteers. They also have a bunk room and free shower.
Took a three hour nap and feel great. Some of the flooring in here is teak recovered from the Battleship U.S.S. Colorado (BB 45). In contrast to the rest of the airport, the USO has a very industrial feel to it. I feel right at home because it reminds me of a hangar or barracks dayroom.

Decided to skip the Museum of Flight. It was $26 entrance fee and a trip across town either by public transit or expensive taxi.

 

[SnoopLoggyDog]

Arrived in Indy at 5am. This years adventure is over. It is nice to be be home. Already thinking about Steel Challenge this Saturday at Warsaw Rifle & Pistol club.

I'm already planning next years trip up the ALCAN in May 2025. That one will be from Indiana to Alaska and back. Probably be 8-10 weeks long. I will start a seperate thread discussing the prep for that trip. Cheers...

 

[gassprint1]

View attachment 355879
Arrived in Indy at 5am.

I'm already planning next years trip up the ALCAN in May 2025. That one will be from Indiana to Alaska and back. Probably be 8-10 weeks long. I will start a seperate thread discussing the prep for that trip. Cheers...

Welcome back to civilization..
Driving alone or with family on next years trip?

 

[SnoopLoggyDog]

Welcome back to civilization..
Driving alone or with family on next years trip?

Drive up with my wife's brother. Then my wife, daughter and his wife would fly up to Alaska.

After some time up there, he and his wife, along with my wife would fly home. Then my daughter and I would make the drive back down the ALCAN.

 

[bgcatty]

Gotta admit I love this thread! The narrative is excellent and the pictures fantastic!
Did I mention I’m jealous?

 

[TheGrumpyGuy]

Gotta admit I love this thread! The narrative is excellent and the pictures fantastic!
Did I mention I’m jealous?

^^^^ THIS ^^^^

 

[gassprint1]

Drive up with my wife's brother. Then my wife, daughter and his wife would fly up to Alaska.

After some time up there, he and his wife, along with my wife would fly home. Then my daughter and I would make the drive back down the ALCAN.

Better take a porta potty with you. Daughter will be needing it ever hour or so. My best time driving from here in knox to largo Florida was 16 to 16.5 hours. Took gf and her daughter one year and seemed like i stopped at every possible place with bathroom. Took me 21 hours that trip...i was beat and i always drove straight thru by myself.

 

[SnoopLoggyDog]

Better take a porta potty with you. Daughter will be needing it ever hour or so. My best time driving from here in knox to largo Florida was 16 to 16.5 hours. Took gf and her daughter one year and seemed like i stopped at every possible place with bathroom. Took me 21 hours that trip...i was beat and i always drove straight thru by myself.

I will take one of these along. Both my daughters have been to Alaska many times and are great travelers. She is also close to 30 and is very low drama/low maintenance.

My wife and older daughter are flying up to Alaska in August for two weeks. My wife's sister is so excited. The three of them are going to run around everywhere from Homer to Anchorage, Alaska. My SIL lives in Sterling, which is in the middle of the penninsula.