13 replies to this topic

[captainkettel]

Brian is absolutely correct, Alaska is truly the Last Frontier! I've been going to Alaska for close to 20 years. I first drove up in 1995. My little 1979 4X4 Subaru wagon made that trip. It has changed some, but for the true wilderness experience it can't be beat. You can be fishing on a river and look up and see a bear fishing with you or watch a huge bald eagle soar out of the clear blue sky and snag a fish. The mountains are everywhere. Yet downtown Anchorage is just like any big city with it's traffic and people. When I go to Alaska I have to just slow down and take it all in. I've been all over the south central part of the state. From Homer to Fox and beyond. It still amazes me. The one thing I see used most for vehicle repair in the entire state is "Duck Tape"! True Alaskans could build a cabin with that stuff! So when you go be sure and bring some along...

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[Brian]

Nice photos Cap'n.....wow, that calcium chloride residue on your subaru gives me the creeps....car cancer in the making! I hate that stuff.

Craig....CDF was never like that was it....from what I have heard, they have been pretty regulated from Day One. That is CA though, lots of regulations...Alaska and northern Canada is just the opposite...very few regs and rules. I don't know how many old vans have been stuffed in holes in the ground for septic tanks! The downside of that is that it seems to bring out the worst in folks, even the government...they are still finding dumps of toxic waste from the military ( there are several places they will not send firefighters, one is the nerve gas and nuclear waste site at Gerstle River and another is out on the Alaska Peninsula and that one is still a secret as to why they won't)....Having worked in the public lands business in Alaska for many years I observed that the people who treated "Alaska, the land", with respect, were the visitors, esp. from the lower 48. Alaskans were always the worst in regards to trashing a place, and breaking the rules....hard to figure since they live in such a beautiful place. It made me take a look at my old anarchist views....in order for anarchy to be anything but chaos and a degeneration to the lowest common denominator, it takes a huge amount of personal responsibility...now some of my old friends call me Newt Gingrich:mad: ...since I favor more regs and more enforcement before there is nothing left. There is good reason that AK is the last frontier....not enough humans to screw it up yet. I better not continue this rant in a forum like this....maybe the "lounge" is a better place for that.
Brian

[captainkettel]

Just a quick note. The calcium build up is just the clear coat peeling off the paint! I didn't drive much in the winter in AK so the only real rust is an inherent problem with vintage Subaru's under the front fender mounting plate. They hold moisture and rust out. Hence my repair work with the "Duck Tape".

[Brian]

Oh good deal....I am glad to know that you have avoided the dread calcium chloride....although when they wet the northern gravel roads down for grading, the C.C. gets all over your rig....even in the summer. I have done some riding on the haul road in the summer...only as far north as the Arctic Circle and the bike was covered with it. Yuck...
Brian