Buying land in Alaska (Metlakatla: living in, vehicles, friendly)

[Sandybcn]

I am aware of it...

[Parnassia]

Originally Posted by Sandybcn

I'm originally from Ireland but live in Spain at the moment..
Forgot to mention in last post..
By the way.. How willing to help are people there.. I mean would they give you a hand if needed,help is non existant where I am now, and people are not friendly at all contrary to what you might expect in this country.

IME, many people in bush areas are certainly willing to help someone in trouble, but if they decide you have no business doing what you're doing or that you have become a liability to everyone else they may stop. You can use up good will. By repeatedly helping you they can put themselves at risk too (in terms of logistics, $, supplies, not just physically). In some ways the best assistance they can give is NOT to keep bailing you out...and convince you to go back to civilization where you probably belong. Everyone will be better off.

[Northrick]

Originally Posted by Sandybcn

By the way.. How willing to help are people there.. I mean would they give you a hand if needed,help is non existant where I am now, and people are not friendly at all contrary to what you might expect in this country.

To add to what Parnassia said, you reap what you sow. Be friendly and help others where you are able and I think you will find that you will receive the same treatment. Get to know your neighbors before you find yourself in trouble.

I'm building a new cabin at our remote property. It's not far off the road, only a couple of miles, but the trail in the summer can be really muddy at times. This is a weekend cabin and, as I have a full time job in Anchorage, time at the cabin is precious. One weekend I was staining timbers and realized I did not have enough stain to finish. It takes several days for the stain to dry and I wanted them all stained that weekend so they'd be ready to install the following weekend.

I figured if I hauled butt to the parking lot and raced back to Talkeetna, I could buy more stain and be back to the cabin in several hours. About a mile from the parking lot I ran into one of my cabin neighbors stucker than stuck in the mud with no nearby trees to winch himself out with. You just don't pass someone by in a situation like that no matter how much of a hurry you are in. An hour later we had his ATV and trailer unstuck and we were both covered in mud. It set me back a bit on my project but I know if I'm the one in a jam, I'll get some help.

[Metlakatla]

OP, maybe try living in a dry cabin in Fairbanks for the winter before making a commitment to buying land and living on it.

[Sandybcn]

The fact that you take the time to write long posts already means there's good people in Alaska.

[Sandybcn]

Of course.. I'd come to see what it's like first.. No obligation to stay if I feel it's not for me. I feel that if you wait for people to do things for you or with you you may never get to do them.

[Sandybcn]

I have been in the situation where my car wouldn't start and asking someone to help me and he said.. I need to have lunch first.. If you are still here when I come back..
This is the catalan pyrenees for you.. Nice people

[riceme]

Originally Posted by Sandybcn

Thanks for advice. Really appreciated.
What do you exactly mean by this.. Are you thinking about weather, loneliness (would not be my problem),...
It is hard to live alone here. It is not easy. It is really hard to figure out HOW to live alone here.

I like being alone, so that is not an issue for me. This right here is about as much socializing as I can tolerate on a regular basis.

I meant that it's hard to learn what you need and what you need to do to get by, and that the learning curve is unforgiving. It's hard work; it is simply not easy.

I agree with both Parnassia and Northrick - folks are exceedingly helpful to a certain point. One gal in the area I live in used to ask for someone to come pull her out of her driveway and/or plow for her as a favor and not a paid job every single time it snowed. Mind you, that's a lot. At first, people (including myself) went out of their way to help her. Then it became apparent that she had no interest in helping herself, even after we tried to help her help herself (traction sand, shovels, and instruction were all given to her in addition to all of our time and labor) so that stopped very abruptly. On the same morning at about 6:00 that I drove right by her and declined to pull her out again, I chose to be late for work so I could pull a different neighbor out of the ditch, a guy that had also helped her out a bunch of times.

Met's suggestion is a good one. Come live in a dry cabin in Fairbanks for a winter and you'll find out very quickly whether or not this is your home. *A dry cabin is a small cabin, usually less than 400-ft^2 (~37m^2), that has no running water and usually comes with its own outhouse, but which also could be shared among neighbors, and people generally pay US$5 to shower at laundromats in town for each four or five minute shower (want to wash AND shave your legs? $10, please!). In my experience, the cabins usually have no closets or storage space outside of very limited kitchen cabinetry. Since there is no running water, you must haul your own, usually by way of five gallon totes or "cubies". Because most folks have two arms and are bipedal, it is easier to carry two totes than it is one. Five gallons of water weighs ~42 pounds or ~19kg, so that is 84lbs or 38kg. Do a little home-study and calculate how much water you use at home now and you may have an eye-opening moment.

This is one very small example among many illustrating that it is simply not "easy" here. Hauling water is hard work and not for the faint of heart. Just had shoulder surgery and need to haul water? The universe is laughing at you, because not only can you now not shovel your own steps, so you can only haul one cubie at a time AND you will slip and bust your ass on your snowy, icy, uneven steps. There are hundreds or more examples of this sort of thing. Far too many to enumerate.

Argh! You're near the Basque Country! Want to come live in my cabin next winter while I go live in yours? Lol

[Sandybcn]

Lol.. I'm not near the Basque Country.
I'm near a country called Andorra, I'm sure you've never heard of it. Near France. I was brought up in a house without running water, and without any kind of heating.. I have been on my own since I was 15.
Why I am attracted to Alaska, no idea. Well, I love nature, animals, cold weather.. Let me guess, you are laughing when I say cold weather.. Come to Alaska and you'll know what cold weather means..

[riceme]

Originally Posted by Sandybcn

Lol.. I'm not near the Basque Country.
I'm near a country called Andorra, I'm sure you've never heard of it. Near France. I was brought up in a house without running water, and without any kind of heating.. I have been on my own since I was 15.
Why I am attracted to Alaska, no idea. Well, I love nature, animals, cold weather.. Let me guess, you are laughing when I say cold weather.. Come to Alaska and you'll know what cold weather means..

Look at a map. I live in Alaska. To me, yes, you most certainly do live near the Basque country.

You're "sure I've never heard of it"? Lady, you don't know me from Adam.