OT: Alaska - the last frontier - a legit question: OT

RRP

I realize Discovery stretches situations a lot to make the show seem interesting and realistic, but I do have a legit question about Alaskan residents. If the summer for growing, hunting, fishing, building and working outofdoors before Winter sets in is only 4 months long, what the hell do they do the other 8 months? Cabin fever must drive residents nuts! 

Photo Egg

Alaska has some great beers...

Sea2Ski

Trapping and hunting, and lots of snow sports if away from the coast.  Snowmobile is as common as a car here. Friend of mine moved there 2 years ago, and loves it.  Misses the  convenience we have to get supplies, but he says all is good, just need to plan more...
No idea about those who do not like the outdoors.  Maybe they move south? 

He also said once down below -15F, it does not make that much of a difference, only if visibility is low - that means the wind is blowing too.

JustineCaseyFeldown

Sex?

travisstrick

I lived in Fairbanks for 4 years. The "getting stuff done" season is a lot longer than 4 months. 

The cold begins to become relative. I once shot a round of skeet at 52 below zero. 

Botch

JustineCaseyFeldown said:

Sex?

Last I'd read, the male/female ratio in Alaska was 6:1.  
 
I had a job offer from Baudette, MN with about the same M/F ratio, I passed although it was a beautiful area.  I lived in Grand Forks ND for 3 years during my last Active Duty assignment, long-assed, cold winters but I managed to get outside year-round; @Sea2Ski 's friend is right, once you get to -10/-15 below zero, it doesn't really matter (although at -25 below, you need both hands/arms to shift a transmission until it warms up).  

Carolina Q

Ever heard of D i c k Proenneke?  He lived there - alone - for about 35 years as I recall. 

http://cineview.me/msh.php?url=2ed9dd9c57c07

Besides, Peoria ain't much warmer! 

The Cen-Tex Smoker

New homesteader asks the established guy: What the hell do you do all winter?

Old guy said: I can't wait for Winter! There's gonna be one hell of a party at my house!

New Guy: That sounds awesome!

Old Guy: Just warning you, but there's gonna be a lot of drinkin' and probably some of my home grown weed too

New Guy: Hell Yes! Sounds fun!

Old Guy: There's gonna be a lot of sex too

New Guy: Wow- this sounds great!

Old Guy: and after all the drinking, smoking, and sex there's probably gonna be some fightin'

New Guy: Man you throw one hell of a party! Who's all gonna be there?

Old Guy: Just you and me

DoubleEgger

Here you go Ron. 

https://www.adn.com/uncategorized/article/myth-busting-5-alaska-winter-misconceptions/2011/11/17/

northGAcock

JustineCaseyFeldown said:

Sex?

That former gov wasn't too hard on the eyes.

JustineCaseyFeldown

northGAcock said:

JustineCaseyFeldown said:

Sex?

That former gov wasn't too hard on the eyes.

But dumb as a frigging stump. Looks only last so long. 

RRP

JustineCaseyFeldown said:

northGAcock said:

JustineCaseyFeldown said:

Sex?

That former gov wasn't too hard on the eyes.

But dumb as a frigging stump. Looks only last so long. 

I had a colleague in business who was smart and hard working. His goal in life which he did achieve was to be admitted as a partner in Price Waterhouse & Co. Along the way he decided he deserved a trophy wife. While she remained faithful to him she was dumb as a box of rocks! He told me years later "youth and beauty fade, but stupid is forever"!

HofstraJet

travisstrick said:

I lived in Fairbanks for 4 years. The "getting stuff done" season is a lot longer than 4 months. 

The cold begins to become relative. I once shot a round of skeet at 52 below zero. 

Ain't that the truth! Here in South Florida, once it drops below 70, they are wearing jackets and turtlenecks. Below 60, gloves and hats and shivering when they walk outside. Simply unreal.

I haven't worn long sleeves other than with a suit since I moved here 19 years ago.

Eggcelsior

HofstraJet said:

travisstrick said:

I lived in Fairbanks for 4 years. The "getting stuff done" season is a lot longer than 4 months. 

The cold begins to become relative. I once shot a round of skeet at 52 below zero. 

Ain't that the truth! Here in South Florida, once it drops below 70, they are wearing jackets and turtlenecks. Below 60, gloves and hats and shivering when they walk outside. Simply unreal.

I haven't worn long sleeves other than with a suit since I moved here 19 years ago.

Funniest thing I've seen recently was when I was in Asheville/Boone back in October. Almost everyone was in parkas, hats, and gloves. My wife and I were in t-shirts. It was 68. Interesting how that stuff works based on where you live and when you experience cold.

The Cen-Tex Smoker

The ladies like to breakout the UGGS here in the ATX when it gets below 70. UGGS and shorts are hot. 

The Cen-Tex Smoker

northGAcock said:

JustineCaseyFeldown said:

Sex?

That former gov wasn't too hard on the eyes.

But very hard on the ears. 

Eggcelsior

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

northGAcock said:

JustineCaseyFeldown said:

Sex?

That former gov wasn't too hard on the eyes.

But very hard on the ears. 

Doncha know?(smacks gum)

Focker

Carolina Q said:

Ever heard of D i c k Proenneke?  He lived there - alone - for about 35 years as I recall. 

http://cineview.me/msh.php?url=2ed9dd9c57c07

Besides, Peoria ain't much warmer! 

I just watched Alone in the Wilderness last week, enjoyed every minute of it.  D i c k is an Iowa bada$$, who built a small fortress in Alaska.  

DoubleEgger

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

UGGS and shorts are hot. 

smokeybreeze

Years ago Fairbanks could see a nearly 160*F difference in temperatures in a single year. With global warming they aren't getting as cold as they used to when I lived there.




Fred Meyer, the "Super Target" of the north had duplex outlets in their parking lot in fron of every parking stall, so you could plug your car in (engine block heater, battery blanket, oil pan heater, ...) when you shopped.



And best of all...When I worked at the UAF campus, as the temperatures warmed up from the January/February deep-freeze (2-3 weeks when the high was ~-40 and we spent 8+ weeks with the high less than 0*F) and the temps got above freezing, the students would start wearing shorts and T-shirts like this. After all, +35*F and sunny is darn right warm comparatively speaking:



When I was a kid I bought the book by Richard Proenneke (RIP), "One Man's Wilderness" and that inspired me to spend a decade and a half adventuring/working/living in Alaska.

Focker

smokeybreeze said:

Years ago Fairbanks could see a nearly 160*F difference in temperatures in a single year. With global warming they aren't getting as cold as they used to when I lived there.




Fred Meyer, the "Super Target" of the north had duplex outlets in their parking lot in fron of every parking stall, so you could plug your car in (engine block heater, battery blanket, oil pan heater, ...) when you shopped.



And best of all...When I worked at the UAF campus, as the temperatures warmed up from the January/February deep-freeze (2-3 weeks when the high was ~-40 and we spent 8+ weeks with the high less than 0*F) and the temps got above freezing, the students would start wearing shorts and T-shirts like this. After all, +35*F and sunny is darn right warm comparatively speaking:



When I was a kid I bought the book by Richard Proenneke (RIP), "One Man's Wilderness" and that inspired me to spend a decade and a half adventuring/working/living in Alaska.

This is so awesome smokey, great post.

I could see myself on a type of "mission" sabbatical trip up there after my crib is payed off when I'm 50, and my boy is off doing his thang.