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Old 10-11-2015, 06:26 PM
 
5 posts, read 8,203 times
Reputation: 12

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Hello!
I will be moving to the Fairbanks/Ft. Wainwright area early November. I have a few questions that I'm hoping will better prepare me for the transition! Thank you very much in advance, and please feel free to add personal opinions on the topics.

What is the daylight/night ratio like this time of year? (Please excuse my ignorance, lol...)

What is a recommended winter tire for a 4x4 pickup? I am an experienced snow/ice driver(grew up driving in the Oregon cascades) I am currently running BFG all terrains, but would like to expand my options.

A trustworthy auto repair shop to winterize my truck? I've read great things about "Gabe's"?

Are there any decent nursing programs in the area? (For the soon-to-be wife)

I will leave it at that for now. Any and all information is highly appreciated! Thank you so much

Cody
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Old 10-11-2015, 11:54 PM
 
Location: Interior Alaska
2,383 posts, read 3,104,090 times
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We have 10:16 hours of daylight and we're losing 8 minutes each day as of 11 October 2015.

Below is a link to a current discussion we're having in the Anchorage forum on winter tires.

//www.city-data.com/forum/ancho...son-tires.html

My first winter here I ran BF Goodrich All Terrain TA/KO's on my Tacoma and had no issues but I have been driving in the snow and ice since I was about 12 and am a cautious, defensive driver. I now run Blizzaks on my Silverado and was debating whether or not I would invest in them again until a week or so ago when I drove my cousin's wife's pickup on the ice. She was still running BF Goodrich All Terrain TA/KO's and I can now better see the difference.

If you grew up driving in the Cascades I wouldn't expect you to have too much trouble. Just understand that the snow up here is usually very dry and light, and the colder it gets (below about -15*F), the better the road conditions and your grip gets. The warmer it is, the worse the roads are... and it seems like people get Spring Fever when it's warm too. That is also a factor. People act (and drive) crazy when it gets over -15*F in the winter.

Getting your rig winterized can be really simple or it can tricky depending on the year and model. A gal I work with transferred here from one of our Washington sites recently and took her vehicle to a reputable shop in town. When she went to pick it up she was informed that everything had gone "great" except they couldn't install the block heater. All experienced readers are now thinking the same thing: "There is NOTHING "great" about that!" She had to then take it to the dealership and in the end she ended up paying twice for the labor, which was a metric crap-ton. So be careful and above all make sure they can install the correct block heater. That is the most important one, and you don't want to have to pay twice. (As a side note, I was pretty ticked and went in and ripped the service manager for not calling to advise her when they discovered they could not perform the work they quoted her.)

The others will chime-in regarding the nursing program at UAF... they're all dialed-in on that stuff.
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Old 10-12-2015, 08:23 AM
 
Location: Rincon, Puerto Rico
39 posts, read 42,275 times
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are you being stationed at Ft Wainwright?
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Old 10-12-2015, 10:26 AM
 
5 posts, read 8,203 times
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Thank you!! I think I will end up sticking with the BFGs then. Ill try to make time today, and call around to a few shops in the area and get some prices, and assurances, that they can do the service, lol!
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Old 10-12-2015, 10:27 AM
 
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Rinconcoqui,
Yes, I am! Couldn't be more excited.
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Old 10-12-2015, 11:18 AM
 
Location: Rincon, Puerto Rico
39 posts, read 42,275 times
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I was there TDY from Japan and loved it in the 90s...thinking about moving up there from Puerto Rico because the government here is taxing the hell out of us. I spent 23 years in the Army...THANK YOU for your service. You will have a blast stationed there especially if you love the outdoors
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Old 10-12-2015, 11:37 AM
 
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Thank you for your service as well! I got lucky to have such an awesome first assignment. I grew up in a hunting and fishing environment where all we ever dreamed of was to make it up to Alaska someday. Well, dream come true!
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Old 10-12-2015, 01:19 PM
 
Location: Rincon, Puerto Rico
39 posts, read 42,275 times
Reputation: 51
It is a great assignment and maybe Alaska will be gaining a permanent resident out of you after your tour of duty there! I'm envious...LOL! Best of Luck to you and make the most of your enlistment!
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Old 10-15-2015, 12:14 PM
 
Location: Interior Alaska
2,383 posts, read 3,104,090 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PV2Wallace_97 View Post
Thank you!! I think I will end up sticking with the BFGs then. Ill try to make time today, and call around to a few shops in the area and get some prices, and assurances, that they can do the service, lol!
Just remember that when it's warm the roads are super, super slick. Drive like a granny until you get used to the conditions and you should be fine

Can I ask what year and model your truck is? It doesn't seem like it's as much of an issue with older rigs, but don't bet the farm on that. If your pickup is lifted you will have to get mudflaps... see below.

http://www.motrucking.org/wp-content...s-March-14.pdf

I go to American Tire & Auto (the one on South Cushman) and guy named Randy works on my truck. He is older than the hills and a few times I asked him to do work and/or maintenance on my old Tacoma and he called to tell me I didn't need it. I am the kind of person that does maintenance early and often, but I appreciate him not wanting to take my money. It is hard for women to find mechanics like that. But I am pissed because that's where I sent the new girl from work and she said they didn't call to tell her they couldn't put the block heater in. When I went in and talked to the service manager about it they said they'd called her, so... who knows. Maybe when they called the new girl she didn't understand what they were telling her.
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Old 10-20-2015, 07:38 PM
 
5 posts, read 8,203 times
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Riceme,
Its a 1990 Chevy Silverado. It is lifted, so it's looking like some new mudlaps! Lol. Thanks for the info!
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