Learn me: Anchorage, AK

Hey there GRMer's

I'm off to Anchorage on Sunday for a week for a job interview in my field (decent promotion and more coins but 4300 miles from Atlanta). If all goes well and I like the area and I get the money I need, Mrs. Crankwalk and I are going up there to live I suppose. If the job doesn't work out then we stay in Atlanta and I had a nice week to visit AK.

It's in Anchorage so I'll be staying there most days. Glacier Brehouse is a good place for some grub. Earthquake park looks pretty. Down to Girdwood for 2 days at Alyeska Resort for skiing. Anything else a must do that isn't a fortune?

Thanks!

Everything in Alaska is a fortune. Oh, and it's cold this time of year. And kinda dark.

Dr. Hess wrote: Everything in Alaska is a fortune. Oh, and it's cold this time of year. And kinda dark.

Yep! Knew all that, what about good restaturants and or fun things to do or not do?

Can't help you there. I've been to Kenai and Valdez. I was in Valdez on Dec 26th one year. It got kinda gray for about an hour, that was it. I seem to recall some other threads on Anchorage here on teh board. How's your google-fu? https://www.google.com/search?q=anchorage+site%3Agrassrootsmotorsports.com

Oh, hell no! We've had a cold winter here in Virginia, but it hit 50 today and I rode my bike for the first time in 2 months. And it was sunny!

South-er is better!

Doesn't skierd live in Anchorage?

It would need to be a LOT "more coins" to on me into living up there.

skierd is in Fairbanks

I believe he's in Fairbanks though. Long way from Anchorage. Now if we are talking Fairbanks then I could tell you a couple places. Used to live there and have been back a couple times for work. Anchorage not much help.

Kenny_McCormic wrote: It would need to be a LOT "more coins" to on me into living up there.

Haha really?! That bad? I think it's beautiful and the cold isn't so bad when dressed for it. I could take the 240z ice racing if I lived there. Skiing, snowmobiles with big turbos. It would be different but in a fun totally workable way I think.

It's not just the frozen hellscape aspect, it's that everything is silly expensive up there on top of it.

I lived there from 75-88. Graduated from HS there in 80/81 (Dimond Mears HS) Went to UAA from 82-84 (Seawolf Hockey!!) Went back for my 20 year reunion and WOW, lots had changed. I envy you having the chance to live and work there....I would go back in a minute, however my wife would have none of it............

The weather is quite mild for being so far north....Anchorage is a coastal city.....lots of modern conveniences. Yes it is expensive to live there, but wages should more than offset that..........

TAParker wrote: I lived there from 75-88. Graduated from HS there in 80/81 (Dimond Mears HS) Went to UAA from 82-84 (Seawolf Hockey!!) Went back for my 20 year reunion and WOW, lots had changed. I envy you having the chance to live and work there....I would go back in a minute, however my wife would have none of it............

Yeah actually the wife is tired of Atlanta and I mostly dont care where I live as long as there is beautiful scenery with stuff to do outside. So on the short list of places was Boise, Anchorage, Taos NM, Honolulu. Natural beauty is priority. We are into kayaking, hiking, skiing, etc. so the fact that AK is cold doesn't bother me, I just look at it as chance to do something different.

So TA, where do you recommend scoping out for fun if you were in that area for a week? Thanks!

My brother is stationed there with the USAF. He says it feels a lot like home. (Southwest Michigan, city with a metro area with about 250K residents) Has most of the amenities of a small/medium sized city. The weather isn't too bad. In fact, he's often having better weather than we are on any given day.

Of course, if you are coming from Atlanta, it will probably seem like Antfreakingarctica.

He says you get used to the long nights in the winter and the long days in the summer are a blast. Tons of great places to get out into the woods, but very unforgiving if you are unprepared. So far, its neither his favorite (the U.K.) nor least favorite (Bahrain) duty station.

Got the job! We're driving the Jeep up from Atlanta via the AlCan hwy first week of March. Frozen hellscape? It was one of the most beautiful places I've been. Snowboarding at Alyeska resort in Girdwood was a blast. Just another adventure.

Awesome! Alaska is beautiful!

I have family in Wasilla but I've never been there. I would love to go some time.

The road trip up the Al/Can should be an adventure!

kazoospec wrote: So far, its neither his favorite (the U.K.) nor least favorite (Bahrain) duty station.

I've been to Bahrain. Many times. I understand completely.

cw: Sounds like an adventure. Have phun.