Alaska 101

I head back to WI in 4 days! I am excited to return home for a couple months to see all my friends and family.  I will continue this blog though out the summer since I will be working at a moose calf orphanage.

My Fairbanks trip did not go as planned; some car trouble left me stranded 250 miles north of Willow and 90 miles south of Fairbanks. Hopefully I will be able to get to UAF campus later in the summer.

I just wanted to finish off these 5 months with a little bit of Alaska knowledge.

Top 10 things to expect when you come to Alaska:

10. If you come in winter, it is cold. Plain and simple be ready for and dress appropriate and its not so bad.

9. Everything in Alaska is long distance.  Yes they have sprint racing... but honestly when a state is as big as Alaska why not host all the long distance cold weather events... like ultra running, winter biking, cross country skiing, and of course the Iditarod.  It is easy to get lost on all the trails around here for all sorts of training.
    Here is a link of Deedee's friend, Dave, who ran 85 miles a day: http://www.alaskadispatch.com/article/20140228/eye-popping-iditarod-invitational-record-setter-covered-85-miles-day
Here is a link about the bikes on the Iditarod trail:
 http://www.cbc.ca/player/News/Canada/BC/ID/2446218846/

Just some of the trails around the Willow area..

8. Unless you live in a large town, Anchorage, Wasilla... get use to 4 legged friends.  There are more dogs than people in Willow, Ak :)  Though this also means you better be able to sleep through some howling.

 7. Get ready to move some snow... if you don't like snow stay away from AK in the winter....

 6. Most houses don't have running water to start with so get use to hauling water to cook and clean with...


5. In the winter if you are lucky enough to work outside you will see a sunrise and sunset everyday :)

4. The wildlife here may be able to hurt you, but are amazing, beautiful, and majestic.  Most also taste pretty yummy :)

I have tried: moose, black bear, musk ox, caribou, and cod

3. Grab a book, you'll most likely loose power a few times, plus internet and TV go out a lot as well.

2. You will constantly be stopping to catch you breath because of all the incredible sites you'll see.

1. Last but not least... do not come to Alaska if you are not ready to go to the bathroom outside. :P
     Many house do not have running water/ toilets, you get an outhouse or good old woods... :)