Well, we got our new licenses, registration, title and plates yesterday and it was totally amazing. In and out of DMV in under an hour, with everything in hand when we left! People were grumbling about how busy and slow it was... and I'm thinking that they have no clue what busy and slow really is (try WA, VA or CA if you want truly excessive time-suck at the DMV). It was completely refreshing to go in, do your thing, and get your stuff... no real wait times, no temporary crap that you have to wait for the real thing to come in the mail (hopefully before your temp expires!). And we got it all done for less that it used to cost Gungnir to just renew his annual tabs/registration... ah, bliss!
We also stopped by Alaska Dept of Fish & Game to find out about hunting, trapping & fishing licenses and regulations. They were really helpful and tried to have us only get the licenses and stuff we'd really need for this year (as a "non-resident" things are much more expensive) and give us tips on who to contact for other stuff so we didn't need a license (i.e. who always has extra fish or game in our area that we can barter for so we don't need to get the license or tag, etc). They may even be willing to bend the rules ever so slightly and overlook the exact date we moved to the state so that we can qualify for resident/subsistence licenses 9instead of "sport") next year even though the season starts a little earlier than our move-in date... they just care that we are really planning to stay, which we are, so it's all cool. But having someone who works in a government agency actually try to be helpful and save us money is a totally new experience ROFL!!
We sketched out our tent platform and cache/temporary cabin and formulated a materials list for lumber & such. Then went to the local lumber yard, and the two home-improvement labyrinths to start price research. Lumber actually seems to be the only thing cheap these days (cheaper up here than in Seattle for sure)! I'll have to tally everything up, but I don't think it'll be all that expensive to get our first winter's "cabin-ette" framed up... especially since it's going to be a shed/shop at some point and doesn't have to be too perfect or super-insulated, just keep us from freezing this winter so we can build the real cabin in the spring. Nothing special, just a stick-framed box (shudder) but it's only an out building, I'll have more opportunity to be cool and nifty on the main cabin.
One thing that constantly amazes me (although I should know better by now) is how disorganized the home-improvement stores are for certain things. For instance, we couldn't find concrete pavers (to use as foundation pads) anywhere near the lumber. There was tar paper, and concrete & sand bags, and even some cinder blocks... but no "pads". Go figure. Maybe they're hiding in lawn & garden?! But seriously, you'd think they'd put everything required of a single task (especially construction) all in the same place ya know?! Really... what can you do with a cinder block in the "construction center" without the pad to put it on?! If there isn't enough room in that aisle for something useful & related , at least put up a sign telling people where to find something obviously related. Jeez!!
Another pet peeve... put friggin' pricing signs on things. I hate finding the perfect thing (in this case a window), and not having any price information posted on or near it. I realize that prices can change due to options or sizes, etc... but seriously, if you mark the price label with "as shown" or "price may vary" then you clear yourself of legal obligation to give them a $219 4x6 window for the $99 price posted for a 2x2. I know that they want you to talk to a sales person or a "contractors consultant" but you can never find one when you need one and they get really grumpy with you when you tell them that you're just looking and doing price research. Either have really good customer service that is actually helpful, or post a friggin' price list with all the nifty disclaimers already. Makes me want to pull out my hair LOL! Maybe I'm just a little too counter-dependent, but I truly loathe talking to sales people when I don't absolutely have to... I'm the same way with mail & internet ordering, I'll go somewhere else if you make me have to call for pricing, etc. (I think the Aspergers might have something to do with not wanting to talk to people to get things done).
It's also been pretty hot up here. Sure, go to Alaska it's so cold up there... not this summer. Yesterday it was kissing 90, but I'm glad we got out of Seattle because it's over 100 down there right now. ICK!!! Also, there's a forest fire south of Fairbanks and it gets smokey when the wind shifts and we get rained on by ash. Same problem in Manley down near our property, worse actually since the fire is closer (across the big river, think we're safe). Oh well, as long as we can keep breathing it's good to keep the mosquitos away.
But the heat is definitely sapping my already tenuous strength and making it even more difficult to sleep. Really can't wait until I'm over my "moving lag" and my body clock isn't all jacked up anymore. Of course, it doesn't help that the city decided to re-gravel the perfectly good road in front of Kari's house... those weenies start with the big trucks around 7am, so I'm only getting about 4 hours of sleep. Joy! Much as I love Kari and appreciate her letting us stay with them, I'll be pretty happy to switch to our temporary base of operations in Manley on Saturday, if for no other reason than to get some quiet (the noise and commotion is really starting to tweak out my AS and I don't want to have to take my anxiety meds).
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Monday, July 27, 2009
Getting things sorted out...
So after being in the largest state in the union for the past few days we're beginning to get things sorted out. While we haven't broken a new trail into our property we have been buzzing around getting other things sorted out.
Saturday was unpack day, as PC mentioned and we got some new bumps and bruises, and I got some muscle strain in my groin for a couple of days (phew not a hernia...).
Yesterday we went into Fairbanks to pick up our guns from the FFL transferee, and we got them all but my EBR (there's a surprise) but apparently that should have been delivered today, so we should be able to pick it up while doing tomorrow's chores.
Today we scooted down to Manley on the Elliot Highway (laughingly known as a highway) the truck was awesome and we bombed down there in about 2.5 to 3 hours while Plickety and I had a good chance to have a talk for the first time in a few days. While we've been on the road it's all been about the logistics, since we arrived here it's all been discussions about our plans, and we've had a few frictions building up, so it was good to talk and clear the air. Had a little lunch at the Roadhouse, and got a mailbox sorted out. Then bumped into Butch (one of the local characters) and chatted with him for an hour or so, times weird here, you need to slow down a lot I've noticed (no bad thing for Mr. Roadrunner here), even the Checkout at the local Wally World seems to take 3-4 times longer than down in the lower 48. Then we spent some time talking to Gladys, one of the town older timers owner of the Hot Springs Bath-House and school patron, who has a cabin for rent, chatted with her for about another hour, then we headed back to Fairbanks. We're renting a cabin in Manley for a month from Aug 1st so we're much closer to our place and we'll be breaking trail then.
Tomorrow's another full day, getting the truck re-registered, getting an AK drivers license, registering to vote and all that good stuff, that helps to establish our residency here, the sooner that we do that, the sooner we get the benefits of being resident.
Now, since we're this far north I thought I'd let you know about the light, it's light, nearly all of the time, I haven't yet seen it be dark although I do know we have at least about an hour or so right now of dark, but it hasn't been at midnight, or even 12:30am, and it's fully light before 6am. I know that probably sounds weird, since we're in Alaska, but knowing it and experiencing it are entirely different concepts. So I suspect that as the world turns November December and January is going to be almost exclusively dark that'll be interesting.
Anyway on that note I'll leave off for today.
Saturday was unpack day, as PC mentioned and we got some new bumps and bruises, and I got some muscle strain in my groin for a couple of days (phew not a hernia...).
Yesterday we went into Fairbanks to pick up our guns from the FFL transferee, and we got them all but my EBR (there's a surprise) but apparently that should have been delivered today, so we should be able to pick it up while doing tomorrow's chores.
Today we scooted down to Manley on the Elliot Highway (laughingly known as a highway) the truck was awesome and we bombed down there in about 2.5 to 3 hours while Plickety and I had a good chance to have a talk for the first time in a few days. While we've been on the road it's all been about the logistics, since we arrived here it's all been discussions about our plans, and we've had a few frictions building up, so it was good to talk and clear the air. Had a little lunch at the Roadhouse, and got a mailbox sorted out. Then bumped into Butch (one of the local characters) and chatted with him for an hour or so, times weird here, you need to slow down a lot I've noticed (no bad thing for Mr. Roadrunner here), even the Checkout at the local Wally World seems to take 3-4 times longer than down in the lower 48. Then we spent some time talking to Gladys, one of the town older timers owner of the Hot Springs Bath-House and school patron, who has a cabin for rent, chatted with her for about another hour, then we headed back to Fairbanks. We're renting a cabin in Manley for a month from Aug 1st so we're much closer to our place and we'll be breaking trail then.
Tomorrow's another full day, getting the truck re-registered, getting an AK drivers license, registering to vote and all that good stuff, that helps to establish our residency here, the sooner that we do that, the sooner we get the benefits of being resident.
Now, since we're this far north I thought I'd let you know about the light, it's light, nearly all of the time, I haven't yet seen it be dark although I do know we have at least about an hour or so right now of dark, but it hasn't been at midnight, or even 12:30am, and it's fully light before 6am. I know that probably sounds weird, since we're in Alaska, but knowing it and experiencing it are entirely different concepts. So I suspect that as the world turns November December and January is going to be almost exclusively dark that'll be interesting.
Anyway on that note I'll leave off for today.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
All unloaded
Well yesterday was extremely fun. Rented our storage room (for a year, got a discount) and unloaded both trucks. Packing storage rooms is almost as much fun as packing the U-Haul, but with slightly different objectives. You want to U-Haul weight-distributed and packed tight so nothing shifts, but you want the storage room packed so that the stuff you'll need sooner/more frequently is at the front (and it's a good idea to at least be able to get to some of the stuff in the back without unloading the whole room!).
We managed to complete the task with many less bumps, bruises and lacerations than moving out of the house... guess we remembered which boxes and pieces of furniture bite LOL! I did nearly break my neck doing my monkey thing to get light stuff up and to the back... stood on a box that shifted while the suitcase I was kneeling on with the other leg started to slide, had to jettison the whole attempt and jump down 5 feet because I couldn't find the step stool. Yeah, that could have been a very nasty outcome!
But it's great to be all sorted out and not driving that brick anymore. Even the Dodge is much more spritely without several flat-packed bookcases, the bed, etc loading her down. You know when the suspension bounces up on a jacked-up off-road pickup you had her loaded almost to capacity ;) I love those IKEA bookshelves, but man are they heavy!
U-Haul reimburse us for the tire we replaced in Dawson without any issues. They also gave us some extra free miles on the trip because we were over by 27 (probably from being lost trying to find Jim & Kathleen's LOL). I don't know who sets those long-distance mileages, but even if we'd stayed on the straight and narrow we would only have come in by the skin of your teeth. I guess they don't want you to ever get loast, have to take a detour, or just take a scenic loop! A well, at least it's done and over with now :)
We'll go pick up the firearms from FFL dealership today. Hopefully that won't be an issue at all... pretty much everyone has guns up here (and needs them!) so no one gets all freaky with the transactions like they can in the Lower 48 (and Canada - OMG!!). We really can't go down to our property without at least the shotguns, and it'll be a load off our minds to have all our weapons back under our control again. I'm sure we'll have to do a little show and tell with Kari and the girls when we bring them home... really, almost everyone is into guns! I think that Mark and Eric (Kari's DH) will probably end up going hunting once he comes back from Iraq. Supposedly, we're in a really great hunting district, so that's a bonus for our friends ROFL! (Plus, there are certain things we can't hunt without a guide or a previously licensed hunter until we've been here longer).
If everything goes well, we'll have a PO Box and a temporary place to stay (while we break trail on our property) down in the village on Monday and can get all the legal/financial crap that needs an address all sorted out quickly. Luckily, no one even bats an eye in AK when you say you don't have a street address or a phone... it's refreshing! Once all that nonsense is taken care of and we're all legal and loaded, we can start the real work :D
We managed to complete the task with many less bumps, bruises and lacerations than moving out of the house... guess we remembered which boxes and pieces of furniture bite LOL! I did nearly break my neck doing my monkey thing to get light stuff up and to the back... stood on a box that shifted while the suitcase I was kneeling on with the other leg started to slide, had to jettison the whole attempt and jump down 5 feet because I couldn't find the step stool. Yeah, that could have been a very nasty outcome!
But it's great to be all sorted out and not driving that brick anymore. Even the Dodge is much more spritely without several flat-packed bookcases, the bed, etc loading her down. You know when the suspension bounces up on a jacked-up off-road pickup you had her loaded almost to capacity ;) I love those IKEA bookshelves, but man are they heavy!
U-Haul reimburse us for the tire we replaced in Dawson without any issues. They also gave us some extra free miles on the trip because we were over by 27 (probably from being lost trying to find Jim & Kathleen's LOL). I don't know who sets those long-distance mileages, but even if we'd stayed on the straight and narrow we would only have come in by the skin of your teeth. I guess they don't want you to ever get loast, have to take a detour, or just take a scenic loop! A well, at least it's done and over with now :)
We'll go pick up the firearms from FFL dealership today. Hopefully that won't be an issue at all... pretty much everyone has guns up here (and needs them!) so no one gets all freaky with the transactions like they can in the Lower 48 (and Canada - OMG!!). We really can't go down to our property without at least the shotguns, and it'll be a load off our minds to have all our weapons back under our control again. I'm sure we'll have to do a little show and tell with Kari and the girls when we bring them home... really, almost everyone is into guns! I think that Mark and Eric (Kari's DH) will probably end up going hunting once he comes back from Iraq. Supposedly, we're in a really great hunting district, so that's a bonus for our friends ROFL! (Plus, there are certain things we can't hunt without a guide or a previously licensed hunter until we've been here longer).
If everything goes well, we'll have a PO Box and a temporary place to stay (while we break trail on our property) down in the village on Monday and can get all the legal/financial crap that needs an address all sorted out quickly. Luckily, no one even bats an eye in AK when you say you don't have a street address or a phone... it's refreshing! Once all that nonsense is taken care of and we're all legal and loaded, we can start the real work :D
Saturday, July 25, 2009
We have arrived
Well, at least we made it to Fairbanks where we'll be hanging out for the weekend. Today was a busy day even though the driving was easy. We stopped in Tok to look at some properties for a friend, Darrel, in Louisiana. The stopped in Delta Junction to have dinner with another friend, Nick. Then getting here to Fairbanks and getting settled in with a nother friend, Kari, who'd putting us up for a few days until we get all the "transfer" stuff sorted.
Whew! We're exhausted... tomorrow will be the first day we can actually sleep in without worrying about anything. What a great birthday present for me :D
Whew! We're exhausted... tomorrow will be the first day we can actually sleep in without worrying about anything. What a great birthday present for me :D
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Destruction Bay we have arrived, and it's not even Midnight yet
So we've got to Destruction Bay, on a remarkably smooth drive today Plickety had a bit of a ear problem and a slight fever with the Wind, but other than that it was fine, so it was a cool day for me since I haven't had a good chance to actually really unwind from the flurries of activities from me retiring on the 26th June all through to now. I know that probably sounds crazy, since you're all thinking what the hell have you been doing for the past 3-4 weeks but unwinding. Well life's not so simple.
Firstly there was the literal shock of leaving Microsoft, yes it was voluntary, but is that really relevant? I mean Divorce, and Moving are two of the most stressful events that can occur and they're voluntary (well at least to an extent, definitely on one side of the divorce, and moving is most frequently voluntary).
Then there was being home, while we were packing it up, and having the place completely in semi-organization for a period of time. Then there was time rushing forwards up to the move that we're currently in, where the days were full of things to do and no time to stop and unwind, even sleeping was to a degree filled with stress.
Yesterday as I was playing Steppenwolf's "Magic Carpet Ride" with Tarp metaphorically responding in kind, I was really getting freaked out, we'd had a delay with the key's gotten started late, getting tired, and this was the last thing that we needed. Anyway after we got it all sorted out, and were moving again, there was a dawning realization, this IS NOT A VACATION, this is the rest of my life, we might take a little more time here and there, but we'll get there.
So todays drive being uneventful gave me the opportunity to reacquaint myself with relaxation, and while I have a few aches and pains from the mostly fixed position that you take while driving, I've not been suffering from some of the consistent aches and pains I've had for a little while, that have been driving me a little bug-nuts, you know the deal, something hurts a bit, you think about it, maybe WebMD it get concerned (because an anxiety related intercostal spasm isn't half as frightening as some other stuff), go talk to the doc they say it's nothing (and rationally I know it can't be anything given my degree of pre-move checkups), but it hangs around like a burned fish smell, you spin on it, maybe the Doctor's wrong, maybe you should go back and get checked again, etc. etc. etc. Then move about 2 tons plus of stuff in less than 12 hours where I'm pretty sure if I had anything approaching terminal (and lets face it that's what all these niggly problems that don't seem to want to go away, or are diagnosed as stress, psychologically circle) then I'd have probably crashed out after about an hour.
Anyway to the drive, we left Watson lake and drove here, couple of stops on the way, shot straight through Whitehorse (it didn't interest me and Plickety's been there before), but then we hit Lake Kluane wow talk about eye-popping, blue water, I think its got something to do with Glacial run off or something. Surrounded by mountains, it's one of those places that you look at and you get a skip in your heart, and at the same time you realize that this place has been since way before you set foot on the earth and no matter what we do to mess ourselves up it will be here millenia after we're gone, very humbling yet energizing place. Much like where we're moving to.
So with that here are some pics that don't do it justice, since it's cloudy, but that water is "optic Carribean blue" (From Plickety, I'm more of a "if it doesn't come in a box of 50 Crayola crayon's it's not a color type guy").
Firstly there was the literal shock of leaving Microsoft, yes it was voluntary, but is that really relevant? I mean Divorce, and Moving are two of the most stressful events that can occur and they're voluntary (well at least to an extent, definitely on one side of the divorce, and moving is most frequently voluntary).
Then there was being home, while we were packing it up, and having the place completely in semi-organization for a period of time. Then there was time rushing forwards up to the move that we're currently in, where the days were full of things to do and no time to stop and unwind, even sleeping was to a degree filled with stress.
Yesterday as I was playing Steppenwolf's "Magic Carpet Ride" with Tarp metaphorically responding in kind, I was really getting freaked out, we'd had a delay with the key's gotten started late, getting tired, and this was the last thing that we needed. Anyway after we got it all sorted out, and were moving again, there was a dawning realization, this IS NOT A VACATION, this is the rest of my life, we might take a little more time here and there, but we'll get there.
So todays drive being uneventful gave me the opportunity to reacquaint myself with relaxation, and while I have a few aches and pains from the mostly fixed position that you take while driving, I've not been suffering from some of the consistent aches and pains I've had for a little while, that have been driving me a little bug-nuts, you know the deal, something hurts a bit, you think about it, maybe WebMD it get concerned (because an anxiety related intercostal spasm isn't half as frightening as some other stuff), go talk to the doc they say it's nothing (and rationally I know it can't be anything given my degree of pre-move checkups), but it hangs around like a burned fish smell, you spin on it, maybe the Doctor's wrong, maybe you should go back and get checked again, etc. etc. etc. Then move about 2 tons plus of stuff in less than 12 hours where I'm pretty sure if I had anything approaching terminal (and lets face it that's what all these niggly problems that don't seem to want to go away, or are diagnosed as stress, psychologically circle) then I'd have probably crashed out after about an hour.
Anyway to the drive, we left Watson lake and drove here, couple of stops on the way, shot straight through Whitehorse (it didn't interest me and Plickety's been there before), but then we hit Lake Kluane wow talk about eye-popping, blue water, I think its got something to do with Glacial run off or something. Surrounded by mountains, it's one of those places that you look at and you get a skip in your heart, and at the same time you realize that this place has been since way before you set foot on the earth and no matter what we do to mess ourselves up it will be here millenia after we're gone, very humbling yet energizing place. Much like where we're moving to.
So with that here are some pics that don't do it justice, since it's cloudy, but that water is "optic Carribean blue" (From Plickety, I'm more of a "if it doesn't come in a box of 50 Crayola crayon's it's not a color type guy").
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
OMG - the day from Hell
We finally made it to Watson Lake at 12:30 am. They're doing major roadworks between Tetsa & Toad rivers... just happens to be a steep steep steep mountain pass that goes on about 150 km. Yeah, it's all gravel and you can't see crap because of the dust being kicked up by the semi's. Weeeee nothing like flying down an 8% grade totally blind. So, yeah, that delayed us a few hours.
Then, my stupid-ass locks the keys in the U-Haul (why the hell they only gave me one is a mystery), and we had to pry the door apart enough to stick a coat hanger in from the top and pop the lock (sounds simple, but took almost an hour).
Then, G-man's tarp decided to fly out like Superman's Cape and the mattress damn near sent him on a mgic carpet ride off into Muncho Lake. Basically had to take all the ratchet straps off, re-fiddle the tarp and re-ratchet everything back down.
And the cat shenanigans continue. Charlie is being super-needy and insisting on spending the entire drive crammed in a tiny ball in my crotch... where she growls and hisses at me anytime I have to move my leg to brake or accelerate. Of course, she wakes up every now and then and paces the cab of the truck; doing major feats of acrobatics like it's Cirque de Soleil! And one fo them tried to use the litter box while the truck was moving, failed miserably, so there was pee all down the center console. Joy!!
Ahhhhh... but all-in-all we're having a good time and the trip is more than half over. Looking forward to sleeping in a little tomorrow and doing some laundry before we head out to Destruction Bay (Lake Kluane is sooooooo kewl!).
Signing off for the night to get some ZZZZZZs. Gungnir will likely post something in the morning since he passed out immediately upon getting the room (I swear, the boy has no stamina!).
Then, my stupid-ass locks the keys in the U-Haul (why the hell they only gave me one is a mystery), and we had to pry the door apart enough to stick a coat hanger in from the top and pop the lock (sounds simple, but took almost an hour).
Then, G-man's tarp decided to fly out like Superman's Cape and the mattress damn near sent him on a mgic carpet ride off into Muncho Lake. Basically had to take all the ratchet straps off, re-fiddle the tarp and re-ratchet everything back down.
And the cat shenanigans continue. Charlie is being super-needy and insisting on spending the entire drive crammed in a tiny ball in my crotch... where she growls and hisses at me anytime I have to move my leg to brake or accelerate. Of course, she wakes up every now and then and paces the cab of the truck; doing major feats of acrobatics like it's Cirque de Soleil! And one fo them tried to use the litter box while the truck was moving, failed miserably, so there was pee all down the center console. Joy!!
Ahhhhh... but all-in-all we're having a good time and the trip is more than half over. Looking forward to sleeping in a little tomorrow and doing some laundry before we head out to Destruction Bay (Lake Kluane is sooooooo kewl!).
Signing off for the night to get some ZZZZZZs. Gungnir will likely post something in the morning since he passed out immediately upon getting the room (I swear, the boy has no stamina!).
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