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Thread: Alaska 2014!

  1. #41
    Alaska, The Madness! 1stimestar's Avatar
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    No, already checked. It's an old address.
    Why do I live in Alaska? Because I can.

    Alaska, the Madness! Bloggity Stories of the North Country

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  2. #42
    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    You should be able to call the car company and find out how to retrieve the key codes. I seem to remember that was a Ford(?) so call Ford's customer service line. They should be able to help you. Good luck.
    Tracks Across the High Plains...Death on the Bombay Line...A Touch of Death and Mayhem...Dead Rock...The Griswald Mine Boys...All On Amazon Books.

  3. #43
    Alaska, The Madness! 1stimestar's Avatar
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    Well it's getting close to the start of the Yukon Quest which starts next Sat. Feb. 1. http://yukonquest.com/ This year we will have the smallest starting line up ever with only 18 mushers beginning the 1000 mile race. Years ago the purse was up to $140,000 and now is only $119,000 divided up between the top 15 finishers. So this year, basically, all those who finish the race will be in the money. Traditionally a third do not finish. The vet checks were done this weekend as well as the food drops (all the mushers drop bags were sent to each of the checkpoints). My checkpoint, Mile 101 was plowed out and the satellite dishes for the internet were installed. I normally go up Sat. morning but my "co-assistant manager lol" was going to try and drive up Friday night so I might go up then as well. It's better to go up Friday because normally we have a kind of crew party before the race. The mushers will start pulling in around 4 am Sunday. But before they get there, we will have race judges, vets, and handlers coming in. Once everyone starts showing up, it'll be a straight 36 hours of work. So we want to have our partying done on Friday night in order to get some sleep on Sat.
    Why do I live in Alaska? Because I can.

    Alaska, the Madness! Bloggity Stories of the North Country

    "Building Codes, Alaskans don't need no stinking Building Codes." Sourdough

    Yes, I have wifi in my outhouse!

  4. #44
    Alaska, The Madness! 1stimestar's Avatar
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    Don't remember if I posted about this but finally got it written up and thought I would share it here since there are only two pictures. As someone who moved many, many times growing up and then continued that pattern all my adult life until I got here, this is momentous to me. I've never lived anywhere this long, by far, and have no itchy feet to leave, ever. Maybe I finally grew up. Maybe it's wanting to give my children the stability that I never had. Maybe it is just that Alaska got in my blood as it's been known to do.


    Alaska, The Madness
    Bloggity Stories of the North Country
    JANUARY 26, 2014
    10 Years in Alaska

    On Christmas Eve 2003, I arrived here with my then 2 year old daughter and my 5 year old son. I had the help of my parents and one of my aunts was our landing spot upon arrival. I was in a rear wheel drive Cutlass Supreme. It’s large trunk and all floor boards were filled with my most precious worldly possessions and the minimum requirements of setting up a bare house hold. The drive was days and days of slippery, sliding, white knuckle driving. But I knew the moment I crossed the state line that I had found my home. I took this picture right near the border. It is the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. "At 13.2 million acres which is bigger than the country of Switzerland, Wrangell-St. Elias stretches from one of the tallest peaks in North America, Mount St. Elias (18,008) to the ocean."

    I have hung this photo in every place I have lived in for the last 10 years. It will always remind me of the first time I FELT Alaska. It was powerful. I stopped in the middle of the road to take this picture. There were no cars coming, no rush, no kids fussing in the back seat. It filled me with both peace and longing.

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    This was also taken on our way up, Haines Junction I believe. I loved the look of the sky; mysterious, mystical, meaningful. It was just the barest of hints of the mystery and magic yet to come. The magic of the promise that IS Alaska.

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    People tell me I am so lucky to live in Alaska. I say to them that luck has very little to do with it. Priorities, a tight budget, and working my *** off has got me here to where I want to be. Of course, a little luck, or as I call it, My Alaska Karma, has helped here and there.
    Last edited by 1stimestar; 01-28-2014 at 04:31 AM.
    Why do I live in Alaska? Because I can.

    Alaska, the Madness! Bloggity Stories of the North Country

    "Building Codes, Alaskans don't need no stinking Building Codes." Sourdough

    Yes, I have wifi in my outhouse!

  5. #45
    Senior Member randyt's Avatar
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    beautiful pictures!!
    so the definition of a criminal is someone who breaks the law and you want me to believe that somehow more laws make less criminals?

  6. #46
    Super Moderator crashdive123's Avatar
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    Awesome views with a lot of meaning.
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  7. #47
    Alaska, The Madness! 1stimestar's Avatar
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    Here's the update of the avalanche. The water is moving, slowly. That's a good thing as if it all went at once it would take the road with it.

    http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2014...aska-town?lite
    Why do I live in Alaska? Because I can.

    Alaska, the Madness! Bloggity Stories of the North Country

    "Building Codes, Alaskans don't need no stinking Building Codes." Sourdough

    Yes, I have wifi in my outhouse!

  8. #48
    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 1stimestar View Post
    Don't remember if I posted about this but finally got it written up and thought I would share it here since there are only two pictures. As someone who moved many, many times growing up and then continued that pattern all my adult life until I got here, this is momentous to me. I've never lived anywhere this long, by far, and have no itchy feet to leave, ever. Maybe I finally grew up. Maybe it's wanting to give my children the stability that I never had. Maybe it is just that Alaska got in my blood as it's been known to do.


    Alaska, The Madness
    Bloggity Stories of the North Country
    JANUARY 26, 2014
    10 Years in Alaska

    On Christmas Eve 2003, I arrived here with my then 2 year old daughter and my 5 year old son. I had the help of my parents and one of my aunts was our landing spot upon arrival. I was in a rear wheel drive Cutlass Supreme. It’s large trunk and all floor boards were filled with my most precious worldly possessions and the minimum requirements of setting up a bare house hold. The drive was days and days of slippery, sliding, white knuckle driving. But I knew the moment I crossed the state line that I had found my home. I took this picture right near the border. It is the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. "At 13.2 million acres which is bigger than the country of Switzerland, Wrangell-St. Elias stretches from one of the tallest peaks in North America, Mount St. Elias (18,008) to the ocean."

    I have hung this photo in every place I have lived in for the last 10 years. It will always remind me of the first time I FELT Alaska. It was powerful. I stopped in the middle of the road to take this picture. There were no cars coming, no rush, no kids fussing in the back seat. It filled me with both peace and longing.

    Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.

    This was also taken on our way up, Haines Junction I believe. I loved the look of the sky; mysterious, mystical, meaningful. It was just the barest of hints of the mystery and magic yet to come. The magic of the promise that IS Alaska.

    Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.

    People tell me I am so lucky to live in Alaska. I say to them that luck has very little to do with it. Priorities, a tight budget, and working my *** off has got me here to where I want to be. Of course, a little luck, or as I call it, My Alaska Karma, has helped here and there.
    Fantastic Pic'.......... Thanks
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  9. #49
    Alaska, The Madness! 1stimestar's Avatar
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    Here is a good video of the avalanche and the lake formed by the river.

    Why do I live in Alaska? Because I can.

    Alaska, the Madness! Bloggity Stories of the North Country

    "Building Codes, Alaskans don't need no stinking Building Codes." Sourdough

    Yes, I have wifi in my outhouse!

  10. #50
    Super Moderator crashdive123's Avatar
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    Cool vid. I'll bet that pile of snow takes a wee bit to melt off this spring.
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  11. #51
    Alaska, The Madness! 1stimestar's Avatar
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    Yea they are going to get in there with bulldozers and such but are waiting for the water to go down some so it doesn't wash them away when they get close to breaking through. I don't really understand that clearly as there is a small creek's worth of water coming from underneath and one drain pipe emptying the "lake" that was formed. But meanwhile, there is still a full river feeding the lake from the other side. How will those two smallish drainages not only keep up but get ahead? I guess that's why they are dropping explosives from helicopters today.
    Why do I live in Alaska? Because I can.

    Alaska, the Madness! Bloggity Stories of the North Country

    "Building Codes, Alaskans don't need no stinking Building Codes." Sourdough

    Yes, I have wifi in my outhouse!

  12. #52
    Alaska, The Madness! 1stimestar's Avatar
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    WOOT WOOT! I leave tomorrow for the checkpoint. Yes a day early so we can get a little crew party in AND get some sleep before the 36 hours straight of mushers, handlers, trail breakers, media, vets, judges, and friends come traipsing through. The most fun I have ever had working my hiney off. Here's a post from my checkpoint manager.

    We have estimated, considered, debated, argued and planned. Yet we know from experience, that you can throw any plan made in advance of the race could easily be thrown out the window 18 hours after the the dogs start to devour the trail... as they love to do.
    Friday evening the remote Checkpoint 'Mile 101' will go into 'full race mode'.
    Three trail breakers will arrive. Kerry Barnes, our Mile 101 trail manager, will hopefully be able to check conditions Friday afternoon on Eagle summit before dark.
    Mike Reitz, the alaskan YQ trail coordinator and another experienced trail breaker will arrive after dark to backtrack Saturday to Rosebud summit towards Two Rivers. They will try to eliminate any possible problems concerning trail markings.
    The '101 com shack' will open up Friday night with never seen before two (!) phone lines and faster than ever remote internet thanks to state of the art modems from Hughes Net (!!!) while the crew will lay out the designated dog lot area, install lighting, split wood for the stoves, start up generators, lay cables, place straw bales, sort the food drop bags, and.... well, you get the drift.
    Georgeanne and Kelly will take over the cook shack again .... and feed the mushers. In theory, the cook shack is only available to mushers, officials and selected media in that order, but... it has become a great meeting place everybody visits.
    With over 14 years of Mile 101 experience between the two ladies and thanks to the support of Ivory Jack's Bar and Restaurant in Fairbanks they have fed many handlers, mushers, media people and visitors. - However, Georgeanne and Kelly are also in charge of kicking people out of the only publicly accessible cabin at Mile 101. This includes media, handlers, visitors ... and checkpoint crew... including the checkpoint manager.
    So, ... if you get kicked out of the cook shack, don't go looking for a higher force to get you back in there. There is none, and to make this absolutely clear: No, this is not a joke.
    ------------
    The first communication from the location at Mile 101 should start on January 31st around 7 pm AKST.
    If you have any real questions, we'll try to answer online. Please remember, that this is not an official YQ site !!!
    We'll keep you posted !
    http://yukonquest.com/

    The main event is the 1000 mile race but there is also our Yukon Quest 300 which starts a few hours after the main race so those 300 mushers will also be coming through my checkpoint.

    I'll be able to check in while there, yay.
    Why do I live in Alaska? Because I can.

    Alaska, the Madness! Bloggity Stories of the North Country

    "Building Codes, Alaskans don't need no stinking Building Codes." Sourdough

    Yes, I have wifi in my outhouse!

  13. #53

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    So you're a bouncer, too? Outstanding!
    Good luck.
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  14. #54
    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    Have fun and stay safe!
    Tracks Across the High Plains...Death on the Bombay Line...A Touch of Death and Mayhem...Dead Rock...The Griswald Mine Boys...All On Amazon Books.

  15. #55
    Super Moderator crashdive123's Avatar
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    Looking forward to following the race again.
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  16. #56
    Alaska, The Madness! 1stimestar's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by pete lynch View Post
    So you're a bouncer, too? Outstanding!
    Good luck.
    Lol heck yea. It gets pretty crowded in there and some people feel a bit entitled to just camp out in there. We have to have room for the mushers! I also like to have room for the mushers' handlers while they are in there but media gets feeling pretty ballsy and spreads out all over. It's just a small little shack. We are the most primitive checkpoint so we are dealing with hauling and heating water, propane burners, wood stove, generators, etc.

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    Why do I live in Alaska? Because I can.

    Alaska, the Madness! Bloggity Stories of the North Country

    "Building Codes, Alaskans don't need no stinking Building Codes." Sourdough

    Yes, I have wifi in my outhouse!

  17. #57
    Alaska, The Madness! 1stimestar's Avatar
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    Oh someone put up an excellent web cam of the start line. Watch the start at 11:00 am AKST.

    http://fairbanksalaska.com/secondave/
    Why do I live in Alaska? Because I can.

    Alaska, the Madness! Bloggity Stories of the North Country

    "Building Codes, Alaskans don't need no stinking Building Codes." Sourdough

    Yes, I have wifi in my outhouse!

  18. #58
    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    You guys must not have paid the sun bill. It's like 11:00 a.m. and still dark. Brrrrrrrrrrrrrr.
    Tracks Across the High Plains...Death on the Bombay Line...A Touch of Death and Mayhem...Dead Rock...The Griswald Mine Boys...All On Amazon Books.

  19. #59
    Super Moderator crashdive123's Avatar
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    Wouldn't it better if there was snow in the streets?
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  20. #60
    Alaska, The Madness! 1stimestar's Avatar
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    They normally have the start on the river but it was melting due to our crazy warm January, and too dangerous to have that many people on the river. So they trucked in snow for the street. I'm back by the way.
    Why do I live in Alaska? Because I can.

    Alaska, the Madness! Bloggity Stories of the North Country

    "Building Codes, Alaskans don't need no stinking Building Codes." Sourdough

    Yes, I have wifi in my outhouse!

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