Posted on 08/20/2005 4:25:48 PM PDT by neverdem
YOU have probably already heard about the pile of cash going to Alaska from the federal transportation bill. There's about a quarter of a billion dollars for a bridge to connect the airport on Gravina Island to Ketchikan (population 14,000). The bridge will rival the Golden Gate and Brooklyn Bridges in length and height.
Then there's $230 million or so for "Don Young's Way," a bridge between Anchorage and a swampy, undeveloped port, which is named for the man who got us the money, Alaska's lone congressman.
But it's the $15 million designated for a road between Juneau and Skagway that is dearest to me. Haines, the small town I live in, is close to Skagway - separated from it only by the waters of the upper Lynn Canal, which is not a canal at all, but the longest fjord in North America. The transportation money will go toward the first road ever to be built along the canal. Actually, the project will cost about $300 million to complete, but Gov. Frank Murkowski assures Alaskans that he'll get whatever he needs from the federal government.
The communities directly affected - Haines (population 2,400), Skagway (population 870) and Juneau (population 31,000) - have voiced opposition to the road for a host of good reasons: it is a waste of money; with at least two dozen avalanche chutes, it will be too dangerous to drive in winter, which is most of the year; we already have a fine ferry system that gets us just about everywhere we need to go in all kinds of weather; some places are too nice to be paved over.
Oh, and did I mention that the road won't fulfill its ostensible mission? The whole purpose of the new road was to connect Juneau to the Klondike Highway...
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
I do have long term frostbite damage, my body suffers from prior injuries. Frostbite damages you forever. That what last froze, will freeze again first, next time you are dealing with winter. BTW it hurts like he!!.
But my mind is just fine.
Thanks for caring.
The fact remains that you are not correct about ALASKA or ALASKANS.
It's not your fault that you have no experience or direct knowledge of ALASKA.
See? Right there a person announces to real Alaskans that he/she knows nothing about Alaska.
Same here. I thought awareness of the possibility would keep from getting in situations where parts would freeze and eventually turn black and fall off. I had no idea, even though it was 40 below and the wind was 40 knots and the sun hadn't been seen for two months. I wondered why that Athabascan was looking at my face so close and then he said, 'you better get inside, your face is frozen.' Fortunately it was just a few small patches, so all I have is permanent capillary damage and can't go unprotected at all in 40 below anymore.
You must be Canadian. They have igloos there.
That attitude is what provides permanent damage to newbies on the North Slope.
Looks like bush Alaskans should not be attempting to gain the attention of or entertain Canadian and New England sophisticates, the cultural gulf being so deep and wide.
Just part of the winter deal. It's a hassle but what ya gonna do?
Did you notice that these wannabe Cheechackos seem kinda tense and grumpy?
Suptin bout the water, in the water don't cha know? or suptin like that down yonder I reckon?
Gotta figure these kiddies are the target audience of the new Treadwell movie.
If they ever come up, odds are we'd get some more stories they could make movies of?
Like, "I saw a Moose!"
Or, "I starved to death alone in an empty school bus"?
Maybe "We took a ride in winter and we all froze to death?"
Not to mention the oldie but goldie, "Look at the cute Bear Martha, Martha? Martha? BAD Bear! BAD Bear! No no no leave alone! BAD BEAR! BA.....crunch.....snap.....grrrrr...growll...burp....fart....Jingle...jingle...jingle"
Three years I see as the cutoff. Those who make it past three years in Alaska stop making those silly yellow snow jokes and have already tried their survival techniques and discarded most of them. I think more than half of those who try Alaska don't stay three years. One winter and out is common. Two winters is at least a serious attempt. Three winters is the great divide. Military excluded of course since they don't have that much choice but many come back to stay when they retire. Just my observation from the year I sold hunting/fishing licenses and the applicant had to state his years of residence--very few over three years.
Hi RightWhale, I'd have to say you are right on the money. Ah yes, that cultural gulf is deep and wide, and oh, so dark. LOL
I was going to try and explain some facts to some posters, but decided it wasn't worth my time or effort. You just can't reason with "know-all-ogists".
Nice to "see" you again. :)
Hey, did you read the book that was written about that young man who died in the bus? I read it. Poor kid, just thought he knew everything he needed to know, and his arrogance killed him. Sad story really. He was quite a remarkable young man in some respects, but remarkable isn't protection against real life, wilderness situations.
That sounds about right to me.
It is amazing how so many of them sing the same song, and then lose their grips when they try to deal with "IT".
They learn it's different in reality, than in books, or on the web, etc.
The beat goes on!
The fireweed has been cottoned out here for three weeks.
We're having our "BUILD SOMETHING!, winter is coming soon!" sale, right now.
That was a book? It wasn't that long ago. Rough way to test yourself against nature.
Yes, that's the guy I was talking about.
DEATH by IGNORANCE.
Hard, and sad, but a way ALASKAN reality check.
A few years ago, 10-15 or so, it got down to 30 the day after Labor Day and snowed a pile of heavy wet stuff that took down a lot of trees onto powerlines. It was like the Fourth of July in all directions. A little soon for the trees since they still had their leaves. It didn't warm up above 30 for nine months even once due to a late spring on top of it, and those leaves were still on the trees, still kind of green, and the snow was still the same snow that fell in Sept. Thinking of that since it is late August and we have had a couple days of frost. Winter could be sudden and deep again. Or not. For those in Canada, 30 here is like zero over there.
Yes, a man named, Jon Krakauer, wrote a book about that young man. The book is titled, "Into the Wild" and tells the story of Christopher Johnson McCandless. After they found his body, the Outside magazine asked Mr. Krakauer to write a report about the "puzzling circumstances of the boy's death".
McCandless was from an affluent suburb of Washington, D.C. They learned he had "excelled academically and had been an elite athlete". He graduated with honors in 1990 and then dropped out of sight.
You should be able to find a copy in the library. It's definitely an engrossing read, but such a tragic story.
I've got two down, one to go. At least now my snow blower has more horses than my lawn mower.
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