I wished I lived in Alaska. Tell me, tell me truely what's it like?

Quoted: I wished I lived in Alaska. Tell me, tell me truely what's it like?

You couldnt handle the truth

It makes Texas look like California in comparison.

Quoted: It makes Texas look like California in comparison. hr

..yea, half the sizeLuck has little to do with it since I would say most people here weren't born here, just had the balls to come here.

It's unlike any other state, in a really big way.  You've been to big country?  This is bigger.

And the people here embrace it, or perish.

The bulk of the population is made up from displaced Minnesotans who were looking for a place that had better weather.  

General libertarianish atmosphere, pot is cool, guns are cool.  SUV's and trucks and Subarus must make up 60% of what is on the road.    There is a coffee shop or drive up coffee joint at every intersection in town.  I live in a town of 3000 or so folks and there is 7 espresso joints open in the wintertime here, and twice that in the summer (tourist town).  The fishing will drive you crazy as there is every kind imaginable available, deep sea, river and lake fly fishing, shore, dip netting, etc.  HAlibut and Salmon are the two big sport fisheries, but there are tons of other fish available.  I have been on trips out of Seward where there was literally a ton of fish or more caught for 6 people.  

The winters are rough.  They are the killers.  February and March are when you run out of gas and have to GTFO to get some sunshine.

There is no luck about being up here 'cept for those like me who were born here.  My wife is a transplant, most of my friends are as well.  Some people are drawn here, others tell the same story, "I came here for a vacation, summerjob, visit, and never left".  Some people are born Alaskan, even if they were not born here.

I am generally appalled by the amount of pride that Alaskans have. They have a lot of pride in their state, more so than I have seen in any other state that I have been to.

A great example of this is in the spring/summer. I have never seen a state that when the snow melts everyone gets together and picks up all the trash off the highways. This happens often throughout the entire summer ensuring that they are kept trash free and looking the way they should.

I have been up here for 4 years...and have enjoyed every second...well...almost. Hopefully I can score a job in the Alaska Air Guard and call Alaska MY home.  

Id be full of pride to after dealing with a couple winters up there.  I wanna get stationed there to shoot some big stuff.  Id probably never move out either.

Quoted: I am generally appalled by the amount of pride that Alaskans have. They have a lot of pride in their state, more so than I have seen in any other state that I have been to.

Been to Texas?

In all honesty, I note the pride factor here as well.  But after visiting, living in other states, and experiencing the people and laws there - I think the pride is justified...

Quoted: The bulk of the population is made up from displaced Minnesotans who were looking for a place that had better weather.   General libertarianish atmosphere, pot is cool, guns are cool.  SUV's and trucks and Subarus must make up 60% of what is on the road.    There is a coffee shop or drive up coffee joint at every intersection in town.  I live in a town of 3000 or so folks and there is 7 espresso joints open in the wintertime here, and twice that in the summer (tourist town).  The fishing will drive you crazy as there is every kind imaginable available, deep sea, river and lake fly fishing, shore, dip netting, etc.  HAlibut and Salmon are the two big sport fisheries, but there are tons of other fish available.  I have been on trips out of Seward where there was literally a ton of fish or more caught for 6 people.   The winters are rough.  They are the killers.  February and March are when you run out of gas and have to GTFO to get some sunshine. There is no luck about being up here 'cept for those like me who were born here.  My wife is a transplant, most of my friends are as well.  Some people are drawn here, others tell the same story, "I came here for a vacation, summerjob, visit, and never left".  Some people are born Alaskan, even if they were not born here.

Sounds like you live in Kenai/Slowdotna

Quoted: Sounds like you live in Kenai/Slowdotna

Seward...have property in Kenai, selling it though to buy over here.  

This is the better side of the peninsula .

Quoted: Quoted: I am generally appalled by the amount of pride that Alaskans have. They have a lot of pride in their state, more so than I have seen in any other state that I have been to. Been to Texas? In all honesty, I note the pride factor here as well.  But after visiting, living in other states, and experiencing the people and laws there - I think the pride is justified...

Yes sir. I didn't like it when I was there. It wasn't my "cup of tea". I prefer snow, mountains and trees.

I was lucky enough to have the Air Force send me to Alaska in January 1970 and other then spending the last year in Iraq I have no reason to leave.  For the most part the people is what  makes it 'good' here.  Yes the attitudes have been changing but there is still the pioneer sprit here.  The hunting may not be the greatest in some areas but just being out in the woods is enough most of the time.  I have seen most of the State, flew search and rescue while in the AF and have lived in some remote areas.  For me I have no intent to leave, as no other place has shown me the same style of living that I enjoy here.
Alaska is a GREAT place to live.

One of only two good things to come from my failed marriage .
1. A beautiful daughter .
2. Discovery of paradise .

Quoted: One of only two good things to come from my failed marriage . 1. A beautiful daughter . 2. Discovery of paradise .

Kodiak is one of the few places I think is prettier than Seward.  I like Valdez too.  Ain't been to the southeast yet, but I gots to check it out.

Yekimak, if you like Seward and like Kodiak even more then you would love Juneau and area.  I loved Juneau, if it wasn't for all the hippies and the jacked prices for land etc.  I would still be living there.  I was working 60 hours a week and up to $200 a day in tips but rent was so high at the end of the season we didn't have any saved up!  I think it would be feasable if you had a boat or enough saved to just buy when you got there.

What are the prices like in Seward?

Oh yea, Alaska is the best.  I am 26 and own 2 properties including 10 acres of old growth spruce and am getting ready to buy a 3rd.  Where else could I do that (besides Maine and the midwest, but who wants to live in either of those places ).

I was just about around the world when I was 18 later lived in quite a few places including most of the lower 48 at one time or the other.  Lived and worked in Anchorage, Fairbanks and Jueau and almost moved back down to America because other than the access to the real Alaska didn't consider it much different than the traffic, taxes and brown air I had left down south. It all depends on what you are used to and what you want to accept as a compromise.  Thankfully the real Alaska has so much to offer that a high percentage of Alaskans never experience it and that is what keeps it what it is.

Just wish I can afford a nice plane with a good set of IFR and wing deicing heaters like my 747 400.
Wonder what size the Floats will be?

Quoted: Yekimak, if you like Seward and like Kodiak even more then you would love Juneau and area.  I loved Juneau, if it wasn't for all the hippies and the jacked prices for land etc.  I would still be living there.  I was working 60 hours a week and up to $200 a day in tips but rent was so high at the end of the season we didn't have any saved up!  I think it would be feasable if you had a boat or enough saved to just buy when you got there. What are the prices like in Seward? Oh yea, Alaska is the best.  I am 26 and own 2 properties including 10 acres of old growth spruce and am getting ready to buy a 3rd.  Where else could I do that (besides Maine and the midwest, but who wants to live in either of those places ).

Prices here are higher than elsewhere on the peninsula, due to this being a seasonal tourist town and there being less land available.  But the prices are fairly stagnant, and places are still a better deal than Anchorage.  Standard 4-plexes are in the 250g range, but expenses are higher with everything running on fuel oil.   If I were smarter I would be buying more in Kenai.  I have a 4-plex over there and am selling it because I like Seward better.  Raw land can  be had for 10-60 grand an acre depending on who is selling it and what the view is like and so on.  Rant on an average 2 bedroom apt here is in the 700-800 range, 1200 for an average house.  

Kenai is the next Wasilla as far as booms go, land is cheap, and there is lots of it.  Seward has always been Seward, a slow steady pace of growth with anaapparent lack of interest in expansion.  

Where do you own land at?  I did not own my first chunk till I was 29, it was 4 acres of swamp outside of Seward that I flipped and made 10g's on.  It was all by accident too.  Dad thought I was crazy to bother with realestate, but I got a scanned check from my first deal on the wall to prove him wrong.  I close on my sale this week, I can't wait to scan that check for the old man.