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Thread: Alaska 2018

  1. #1
    Alaska, The Madness! 1stimestar's Avatar
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    Default Alaska 2018

    Okie dokie buddies, here is our 2017 Alaska thread. As you know, anyone certainly is allowed to post here. We have a few members in Alaska but none of them seem quite as chatty as I am...

    Pretty cool to have this ongoing thing for it's 5th year. Hope your year is full of fun and adventure!

    Alaska 2013
    Alaska 2014
    Alaska 2015
    Alaska 2016


    The Yukon Quest has started. It started in Whitehorse, Yukon Territories this year. I don't go up to the checkpoint until later this week as it will take the mushers that long to reach this end of the trail. I'm a bit nervous leaving the kids with the full house as we keep having troubles with the kitchen sink drain freezing up. I think it is because after living in a dry cabin for so long, conserving water is very much a way of life. Well, a tiny little shot of water here and there freezes up more readily then a whole lot of water at once. We are going to actually have to learn to use water more. But instead of calling the thawing truck to steam it open, at a cost of a minimum $170, my boyfriend and I came up with our own solution. It only took 3 trips to Home Depot for the right tubing that would fit over the pressure cooker steam release valve, yet retain enough strength when hot, and still go around the bends. It took 6 hours because we didn't have the pressure that the steam trucks do, but we got her open! I was so tickled.

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    Why do I live in Alaska? Because I can.

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  2. #2
    Super Moderator crashdive123's Avatar
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    Nice thinking on the home steamer.
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    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    That's pretty slick.....Great idea.....
    ALL plumbing projects are AT LEAST 3 TRIPS......So, you are good.

    Our kitchen has an overhang...and I found out that I shouldn't insulate in the empty spaces on the header joist in the basement.
    After a coupe of freeze ups.....took it out and leave sink cupboard doors open when it real cold.
    Last edited by hunter63; 02-05-2017 at 09:59 PM.
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  4. #4
    Senior Member alaskabushman's Avatar
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    Our shower drain trap kept freezing up. I got tired of crawling under the house with a torch for thaw duty. I picked up a 3' piece if heat tape and an extension cord. Now when it gets cold I just plug in the cord and in 20 minutes I have a ice free drain.
    There ain't too many problems you can't fix with $500 or a 30-06.

    Him-"Whats the best knife for survival?"
    Me-"the one that's in your pocket."
    Him-"I don't have one in my pocket."
    Me-"Exactly."

  5. #5
    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by alaskabushman View Post
    Our shower drain trap kept freezing up. I got tired of crawling under the house with a torch for thaw duty. I picked up a 3' piece if heat tape and an extension cord. Now when it gets cold I just plug in the cord and in 20 minutes I have a ice free drain.
    Wonderful things, those heat tapes.....LOL

    The shower drain at "The Place" hangs under the floor in an unconditioned space....
    Heat tape gets plugged in all the time till I drain down to shut down for the winter......then every thing get antifreeze, heavy dose in traps
    Geezer Squad....Charter Member #1
    Evoking the 50 year old rule...
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  6. #6
    Alaska, The Madness! 1stimestar's Avatar
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    I'm leaving for the checkpoint. This year we are not able to use the buildings due to a BLM snafu, but was able to get a permit to use the property. So we are going to be in atco trailers. Should be "interesting". We'll manage...somehow. If you are on FB you can join the page as we post a lot of photos there.
    https://www.facebook.com/groups/mile101/

    If you want to follow the live tracker or learn more about the race, you can right here: http://yukonquest.com/

    My favorite is Matt Hall, son of my friends I go visit every year in Eagle. He is doing really well.

    We should have internet soon but setting up a whole new camp wont leave me much time for posting. I'll be there for a week. See you up there.
    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

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  7. #7
    Super Moderator crashdive123's Avatar
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    Looking forward to following the progress this year.
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  8. #8
    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    Thanks for the heads up.....Have a good time.
    Geezer Squad....Charter Member #1
    Evoking the 50 year old rule...
    First 50 years...worried about the small stuff...second 50 years....Not so much
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  9. #9
    Senior Member alaskabushman's Avatar
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    Had a beautiful day yesterday so I decided to cut up a yellow cedar log I fell a few months back. Crisp and clear at 12 degrees.
    You can see a bit of ice forming on the bay, it's kept the mail plane from coming in a lot this winter.

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    My 5-year old asked if she could help me split wood. Who am I to decline free child labor?

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    She really is a big help and I'm super proud of her. She's quite an Alaskan, pink gloves and all.
    There ain't too many problems you can't fix with $500 or a 30-06.

    Him-"Whats the best knife for survival?"
    Me-"the one that's in your pocket."
    Him-"I don't have one in my pocket."
    Me-"Exactly."

  10. #10
    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    Ain't she cuuuute.....Way to go dad.
    Geezer Squad....Charter Member #1
    Evoking the 50 year old rule...
    First 50 years...worried about the small stuff...second 50 years....Not so much
    Member Wahoo Killer knives club....#27

  11. #11
    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    12 degree weather?! She's tougher than me!

  12. #12
    Senior Member DSJohnson's Avatar
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    Good for you. I hope you and she get to spend many, many hours together as she grows up. Treasure those moments. That window goes by in a hurry.

  13. #13
    Alaska, The Madness! 1stimestar's Avatar
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    What a gorgeous view!
    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!

  14. #14
    Alaska, The Madness! 1stimestar's Avatar
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    I'm back and fairly recovered. I'm not much of a girlie girl but having running water and a bathtub in my new house sure is a nice luxury. Bubble baths are a thing for a reason.

    First there was the packing. Setting up a "town" for several hundred people for a week, takes a lot of stuff. Mine wasn't the only vehicle packed to the rim.

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    Then there was the setting up the satellite, in a snow storm.

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    Taking a warm up break. Temps were about -39 for set up.

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    This year we were not allowed to use the cabins. A bit of politics and blm, gold mining operations, and someone retiring...

    So we had two atco trailers delivered. Logistics always brings us two sani cans though I always request three. They were dropped off and they tried to level them. But in the storm we were having, I can't tell you the slight feeling of terror as they wiggled and wobbled in the wind. My assistant checkpoint manager shimmed them up for a more steady ride. These are the kind of details people don't think about until they are sitting there hoping the dang thing doesn't blow over!

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    Since we were going to be there for Valentine's Day, some of the girls got crafty and made some signs to put out on the trail. Mile 101 Checkpoint is famous for feeding every one bacon. We go through 60 lbs in a week. So many of the signs are bacon inspired.

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    Part two, coming up.
    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!

  15. #15
    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    That does look like fun......good to see you back.
    Geezer Squad....Charter Member #1
    Evoking the 50 year old rule...
    First 50 years...worried about the small stuff...second 50 years....Not so much
    Member Wahoo Killer knives club....#27

  16. #16
    Alaska, The Madness! 1stimestar's Avatar
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    One team parked and resting, one team blowing through.

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    Kind of funny story. There was a very famous musher in the checkpoint and some tourist, Facebook friends of mine made the three hour drive out to the checkpoint to meet me. I was inside sitting next to famous musher when someone stuck their head in the door asking if I was in there, there were people looking to meet me in person. Lol I felt pretty famous myself when they don't ask to meet the musher but me, especially if you knew of this mushers famous ego!

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    Since we couldn't use the cabins, we had two atco trailers. One was the cook shack and one was communications and crew sleeping. We had to sleep in shifts a bit. The trail crew, snow machiners who are stationed at the checkpoint in case of emergency, set up their own arctic oven tents. We had a small one for the checkers and a very large one for the mushers to sleep in. That one blew down the first day and ripped in the wind. We had a second one delivered though. I didn't get a picture of those it seems but here are the ones belonging to the trail crew, heated with little wood stoves.

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    The start video.
    https://youtu.be/Q9W90I_OaWI

    Matt Hall being checked into Mile 101. This is the son of the bush friends I go visit every year. I knew he would win soon but wow, what a race he ran.
    https://youtu.be/PsfelVMK638

    Matt being interviewed.
    https://youtu.be/KY_8GmeLUYk

    The finish video.
    https://youtu.be/ig0FfnzoCys

    My dog seems to be having some problems so I'll go ahead and get this posted and finish up later.
    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. #17
    Senior Member hunter63's Avatar
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    Soooo.....do the port-a-potty's freeze up?.....
    In to a "Poopsicle?"......
    Geezer Squad....Charter Member #1
    Evoking the 50 year old rule...
    First 50 years...worried about the small stuff...second 50 years....Not so much
    Member Wahoo Killer knives club....#27

  18. #18
    Super Moderator crashdive123's Avatar
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    Awesome. Thanks for taking us along.
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  19. #19
    Alaska, The Madness! 1stimestar's Avatar
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    Looks like I can only post one video per post so I fix the above issue here.


    The Start video.

    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!

  20. #20
    Alaska, The Madness! 1stimestar's Avatar
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    Matt being checked in.

    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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