Sometimes the grass isn’t always greener….

My wilderness sanctuary for 14 years in Alaska

….a while back my daughter up in Alaska and I were talking and she said to me that metaphorically the grass isn’t necessarily always greener on the other side of the road. Basically she was saying that as much as I think things are better some place other than where I presently am, they really aren’t. This came about when I lamented I should have never left Alaska because of all the insanity of riots and destruction and of course the coronavirus here in Texas and the ‘lower 48’ in general.

She actually turned out to be correct when I took the time to look at the big picture. When I actually took the time to consider more than the self reliant, respectful you do your own thing and as long as it doesn’t encroach on me way of life that most ‘bush’ Alaskans have my actual day to day way of life was much harder to maintain than it is now. It was the little things of hitting my mid 70’s with a body that was not molded from birth to life in the wilderness that had me reaching my tipping point.

It seemed that carrying 20 gallons of water every three weeks to refill my stockpile or hand pumping 55 gallons of fuel oil at -20 or even having to shovel almost ¼ mile of driveway every time I wanted to drive the 130 mile round trip to town on solid ice was quickly becoming a major pain. That’s not even thinking about carrying the generator in and out of the cabin every night to ensure it would start and I would have electricity when my battery bank was drained during those cold Alaskan winters.

So though nearing 100 degrees outside today I sit typing in air conditioned comfort, with electricity on demand and most importantly running water and a flush toilet. Some of the newer followers of my blog have contacted me and requested a look at my old home of almost 20 years so even though I do not like blogs with a lot of photographs I hereby submit my shelter of sanity in the Alaskan wilderness.

Side view of my cabin in the spring

 

The arctic entry way with my two coolers (aka refrigerators)

 

My gourmet kitchen

 

My living room

 

My oil heater

 

Personal fuel deliver

 

Personal water delivery at -28

 

Battery bank for lights, TV, computer and Ham radio

 

My wilderness office