Caribou Gear Tarp

Finally got my piece of the Alaskan dream!

I just saw on Fox this morning that there is a giant heat dome over Alaska. I think that it may be a tough summer.
I just saw on Fox this morning that there is a giant heat dome over Alaska. I think that it may be a tough summer.

Yes, that area of high pressure isn't going anywhere until a low pressure kicks is up out of the way. As we say in the weather community, big bubble, no trouble. Of course TS are now forecast for next week so expect even more fires.
 
I saw 90 yesterday in the truck. It's just plain miserable and I'm from Illinois! Did take a break and went to Miller's for ice cream last night. Stopped at our friend's place and watched king salmon swimming up to spawn. Trying to wrap things up around here and get ready to head home tomorrow night. More pictures soon.
 
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Propane stove, refrigerator and dry sink. Making it usable!

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Put up a couple shelves, cabin has electric heat set up, and the carpeting really isn't too bad. Blackout curtains are a MUST!

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Built a set of steps from scrap lumber laying around. Cabin is a bit roomier than we thought. It's livable for sure. We have a 200 amp service run to it and now we're waiting for the power company to connect it to the main line. Cleared a lot of weed, brush, saplings and fireweed to open it up a little more. LOTS of big rocks getting moved. Filled up a few holes and low spots. No way to get it done very well without machinery. Getting pretty much worn out now from the heat and 16 hour plus days. May just cut it off this afternoon and run up to the lodge and watch the race.
 
Made it back home. Another new fire broke out as we headed for the airport. This one just a mile away from the last! figure both were 25 miles away. Man, is it hot and dry there! Not what you would expect.

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Outhouse is OPEN FOR, umm, BUSINESS! Our buddy will finish building the door once it cools off and get it hung. This thing sure isn't going to collapse! Built like a brick shi...... Never took a pic after I leveled the dirt and put the wife's paving blocks in front. One is just to the right waiting to install.

The well guy is hooking the well up to be able to get water pumped out into containers just so we can have a source onsite. The power company will be out to "estimate" what they want to charge us to connect us to the grid. Gee, can't wait for THAT bill. :rolleyes:
 
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Found a little better picture of Denali from our place. If anyone would build a house here later they could cut down more of the willows and really open up the view of the range up north. I'm not going to bother doing much more.
 
Congrats on the place! You left just as the fishing is about to heat up.

The skeeters and white socks will love your open air crapper. haha. :D
 
Congrats on the place! You left just as the fishing is about to heat up.

The skeeters and white socks will love your open air crapper. haha. :D

Thanks! Yeah, only had a week off work and we wanted to get as much work done as we could. Would have LIKED to do some fishing but ran out of time. Sure was cool watching the Kings run!

It will only be open air until our buddy gets the door put on. We both were worn out and beat from the heat! Once the roof got done we called it quits.
 
The kid got back today and I got a bit of an update. There are 122 active fires in Alaska, now, and it is at a Level 5-the top level-for disaster. Over one million acres have been burned and there are only crews on the ones that are threatening inhabited areas. Gonna be a long summer and he is going to get all the Alaska time he wants, I think! Not good for Alaska, but it will be good for his wallet!
 
When we left there were two fires burning about 25 miles away from the place. Still waiting on word from the power company about getting hooked up to the grid.
 
Alaska has fires every summer. Plenty this year, for sure. Nature adds more co2 without limitation, than humans governed by laws.
MEA, the power company, is the slowest and most pompous of all the local utilities.
 
MEA, the power company, is the slowest and most pompous of all the local utilities.

Well, surprise! Wife has been dealing with the phone calls up there while I'm at work. MEA got back with her today about getting hooked up. The guy said new customers to Alaska get the first $1000 knocked off of the connection fee! 😲 Kind of a welcome gift I guess. If the fee would be under a grand, which he said ours really should be, hookup will be free! Can't beat that with a stick!
 
Little update on life in Alaska for us. First, MEA, the power company, said no to the free hookup. Our cabin doesn't have a permanent foundation so it doesn't qualify. Oh well, that was only somewhere around $700 so not horrible. BUT, getting them to actually connect us to the grid took a while! That meant waiting to get the well hooked up and running as well as getting insurance. THEN once the power was on we let the agent know and she said with the fires in the area they couldn't write new policies. Ok! Finally got that done. Got up here Friday to visit with a friend who lost his wife recently and help him get ready for winter. Turned the power on, YES, we have water! No more 30 mile round trip to fetch it! Turned on the heater. Zip, zero, nada! Hmm. Somehow the wiring is jazzed up. Spent the night with no heat. Bought a heater for now and it's toasty! A call to the electrician Monday will hopefully get things fixed. Heading back home Tuesday night so it may be tight getting him here. More work today cutting wood and whatever our friend has in mind. Looking at the fire damage was a heart breaker with all of the places that were lost. Rebuilding has already begun, though!

Time for breakfast!
 
Gotta love it! Electrician came up today and straightened things out in about 10 minutes. Seems like the previous occupant had wired it to be run by a generator with a cord running from the cabin so it then fed in through the heater. A different breaker, a couple of wires swapped and we're good to go. The best part was when he said I didn't owe him anything for coming out to fix it! Cool! Never expected that. So now the heat is on and the lights all go to full strength. All is well in Alaska!
 
And, three weeks later all is not well. Maybe in Alaska, but not here. Due to troubles here at home the new digs have been put up for sale. Wife says SELL, try to pay off the current mortgage, and split up. Bummed doesn't even come CLOSE to describing it! Wish I could keep it for a while or for good, but I can't afford to buy her out even by selling our house here in Illinois. Too much of a hassle to try. So, if anyone is interested, it's now listed and available. I won't put up a link for it without the go-ahead from Big Fin but will message it to anyone that asks. So much for the dream...
 
Dave N, sorry to hear about your present situation in life but things can get better with a good plan and a healthy attitude. Hang in there and you will be back in the field hunting and enjoying the better things in life.
 
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