Alaska Trivia (Kenai, Homer: home, schools, law)

[rotorhead]

All purpose term for plastic tarp/sheet. Used in every imaginable way in lieu of actual roofing materials, window glass, house siding, car windows, you name it. Some folks actually use the word to mean the omnipresent blue tarps that cover boats, snowmachines, woodpiles, home additions, etc.

[BudinAk]

Something that most of us don't want to see, or even think about. In late fall, one morning you wake up and look out your window and see.........
FRESH SNOW!.......way up high on the mountain tops! (like above 3000 feet) It is mother nature's stern warning to get yourself ready, because SOON winter will arrive where you are at...

Bud

[rotorhead]

Heres one it took me a while to figure out when we first moved up there....breakup. Its the generic term used to describe the season when all that snow turns into all that mud. The term actually refers to the ice breaking up on a frozen river (bad news if you're snowmachining on it at the time), but depending on where you live it also includes the following phenomena:

The unwelcome reappearance of a stunning amount of half-frozen, slushy dog crap in your back yard. Now you know exactly how much your dog/s ate during the winter. Get the Xtra Tuffs and a shovel, its gonna take a while.

All cars are exactly the same color for the duration, with no clue as to what they looked like leaving the factory. You will go through windshield wiper fluid like it was free beer at a frat party. When you finally DO get around to washing your car, you will need a shovel to clean the driveway afterwards.

All the truely experienced Alaskans are out of town on vacation during this season. Its too slushy to snowmachine, but theres still too much ice on the river for your boat. The fishing is pretty much lousy unless you are among the handful that actually likes picking bones out of pike. Time to go to Hawaii and convert your "Alaska tan" into an all-over sunburn... with brown arms.

[Alaskagrl]

Down South is terminology used by Alaskans to describe any travel out of Alaska. Synonymous with "Lower 48" but a relatively stupid expression; contrary to popular Alaskan belief, we do not live at the top of the world! (Especially in SE!)

[Alaskan454]

Outside....?

[Alaskagrl]

Yep...outside works too!

Geoducks, pronounced "gooey ducks" are huge, soft-bodied clams (correct me if I'm wrong on category here) that have a thick, slimy skin. Once correctly peeled, they yield a large amount of meat, which you can cut into strips, bread, and fry like clam strips. But you'd never know this thing was edible from the initial look-see. It looks, well, sort of like a big oosik!
There was a show on Discovery about this recently... "Dirty Jobs"...

[Rance]

Steamers! Tiny little morsles of meat neatly wrapped in a clam shell. Superb when steamed in beer over a camp fire, and dipped in garlic butter.

[Alaskagrl]

MMMMM Steamers....Best camping trip ever last summer included these...for the first time.

[Rance]

First time? I drive to Homer and dig them 5 or 6 times a summer. Spring is the best time. They are so good. I cannot wait.

[JavaPhil]

They don't call it Clam Gulch fer nuthin'!