Homeless people in Alaska? (Anchorage, Ketchikan: fit in, transplants, to rent)

[bajadrmin]

As long as theres Baileys in it it is a good cup... oh lookie here... I have it all right here on my counter... lucky me, Alaska is spolin me........

[alaskangrown]

You know what I love about this place? It's so wretched, dark, cold and hard, that it makes the people here appreciative of the small things. Like a cup of hot coffee, or a good fire going in the stove, or you know, anything that is warm. I do love it here

[arctichomesteader]

Originally Posted by starlite9

As it should be, if it was easy, the place would be covered with wall to wall people doing the same thing. The "simple life" is a lot of hard work, which is overlooked by most that dream of going off into the wilderness somewhere and live of the land.

Most can't grasp the simple task of flipping a light switch and having light. In the "Bush", you have to haul the oil for the lamp, or gas for the generator for miles in some cases by snowmachine or boat.

Anyway, that is a whole different thread....

Yep. The back to the landers (most of whom were hippies) who moved to Vermont in the 60's and 70's had quite a shock. Most gave up, some who were more prepared and with the needed skills did okay. Back then we had even fewer people, less paved roads, services, etc., weather was colder in those years too, and they discovered it takes real skill and work to live self-reliantly. Can't just sit in the cabin watching the happy chickens in the sunny fields and the garden growing tall. Have to get enough food in 3-4 months for the rest of the year, the coyotes and foxes and fishercats go after the livestock, the soil is rocky and weeds grow quicker than anything, a field not worked goes back to forest in under a decade, then there's the bugs, and the maples don't make the syrup for you and the apples need to be cared for and protected or else you get no crop...were they shocked at what people like my family managed to do for 200+ years here...

And Alaska is even tougher for those who are unprepared...I think I made the right decision to just hold off until I'm certain I'm prepared. The land isn't going anywhere and it's dirt cheap to hold onto it with no taxes...I have a pretty reasonable amount of experience and knowledge on what it takes to do what I want to here in VT, and I know AK is a tougher place to do so (slightly shorter growing season, colder at times, even more remote, etc.).

[arctichomesteader]

Originally Posted by starlite9

You forgot the little detail of the six hour drive from Fairbanks to Manley on a dirt road at best, will only cause some of your fillings to bounce out of your mouth and if the potholes don't rip you vechicle up, you are doing well... On the trip in.

Yeah, that road can be an "adventure" all its own. I lucked out and when I looked at my land it wasn't too bad (still, didn't drive too fast, it was an all day thing getting to my land (I never went into the village, had no reason to) and back to Fairbanks...). But I've heard about how bad it often gets...I hate driving, personally, so I'd keep trips on it to a minimum, but it's slightly better than having to fly everything in to a true bush location...

I almost got stuck today on a Vermont dirt road checking fishercat traps...almost, that could have been bad, I had to decide between the deep snow or a bunch of maple trees...luckily the snow wasn't too bad. Stream overflowed and then froze completely and then got covered in snow...fun stuff...

[NomadicBear]

How big is your parcel, arctichomesteader?

[arctichomesteader]

Originally Posted by NomadicBear

How big is your parcel, arctichomesteader?

20 acres. It abuts a state forest too...

[starlite9]

Originally Posted by arctichomesteader

Yeah, that road can be an "adventure" all its own. I lucked out and when I looked at my land it wasn't too bad (still, didn't drive too fast, it was an all day thing getting to my land (I never went into the village, had no reason to) and back to Fairbanks...). But I've heard about how bad it often gets...I hate driving, personally, so I'd keep trips on it to a minimum, but it's slightly better than having to fly everything in to a true bush location...

I almost got stuck today on a Vermont dirt road checking fishercat traps...almost, that could have been bad, I had to decide between the deep snow or a bunch of maple trees...luckily the snow wasn't too bad. Stream overflowed and then froze completely and then got covered in snow...fun stuff...

The bad part if you can drive to it, so can people that don't have much respect for your belongings. If you are gone for any lenght of time, things tend to walk.

When I picked out the property to build a cabin, I did so in an area that has very little traffic to a place farther out.

There are people that have land out on Minto Flats and because it is on the snowmachine beer run trail from Nenana to Mento, things get trashed a lot more often that other places.

Lot more to buying good land, it has to be in a good place too.....

[arctichomesteader]

Originally Posted by starlite9

The bad part if you can drive to it, so can people that don't have much respect for your belongings. If you are gone for any lenght of time, things tend to walk.

When I picked out the property to build a cabin, I did so in an area that has very little traffic to a place farther out.

There are people that have land out on Minto Flats and because it is on the snowmachine beer run trail from Nenana to Mento, things get trashed a lot more often that other places.

Lot more to buying good land, it has to be in a good place too.....

True, but it's a good ways from the road. I haven't found any trash or evidence of it, which is a good sign as generally, anywhere people frequent much, will be covered in trash.

I've heard of real remote bush cabins getting trashed or things stolen so it's kind of a matter of luck wherever you are...

[starlite9]

Originally Posted by arctichomesteader

True, but it's a good ways from the road. I haven't found any trash or evidence of it, which is a good sign as generally, anywhere people frequent much, will be covered in trash.

I've heard of real remote bush cabins getting trashed or things stolen so it's kind of a matter of luck wherever you are...

Yeah, it just is the pits when you put a lot of effort in to a wilderness dream and some A$$ breaks in and either steals or destroys it.

[Grannysroost]

Originally Posted by starlite9

Yeah, it just is the pits when you put a lot of effort in to a wilderness dream and some A$$ breaks in and either steals or destroys it.

My ex-inlaws told me at their northern MN cabin...leave the door unlocked, pack of butts on the table, bottle of booze on the table...nothing will be hurt and that has worked pretty good for us since with a couple of entries...anything of value either in hidden attic or underneath, or in the outhouse...