Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Alaska Summer in Bettles, Airplane Wrenchin'

Just a note to confirm Dennis made it to Bettles ok. He said he'd mail (as in postal service) an SD card from time to time, and when he does I'll post some pics. This remote work scenario is probably old hat to you long-term Alaskans, but interesting to many here maybe.

He's got very limited email and no text capability as of yet. From email:

"I have a 3 room cabin/house. There is a bedroom, a living room, a connected kitchen to the living room and a hall that goes to a small bath and a storage room. My bedroom floor is sloped about 2-3 degrees- welcome to the tundra!
Wright Air flies here every morning and usually every afternoon. Today there were TWO Grand Caravans that dropped off cargo near as I could tell. Yesterday there were only Navajos. Ruby loves it here of course. I have taken a few photos. I will send a card about every 2 weeks I guess. There is a phone here and I can get calls if I'm but the office. I don't know the number off hand but it is on their website. She told me that the FAX number is also a good number to use since they don't have a fax. I will get a calling card and make occasional calls.
So far we only have one operational aircraft- a Cessna 206. I put a new elevator control rod in a Beaver today and it should be ready to fly by Monday. The float planes are still in storage. There are moose and caribou sheds everywhere here.
I had bear jerky for lunch. I haven't seen any critters except hares so far- and a few geese. There are canoes out the ass here, aluminum, composite, plastic- must be 10 of them. He said that he doesn't use them anymore. Only inflatables now. I guess it is too much of a PITA to haul them in planes. You can't get rid of anything so they just stack up! Canoes EVERYWHERE. I need a bike. I am working on that.


He said he overnighted in the Golden North Hotel in Fairbanks and recommended it if one just wants a clean bed and bath and no frills -- definitely not a "lodge" type place. He also said the produce at Fred Meyers in Fbks was awesome, and bitched like the rest of us about the new big game tag prices.

Also, Ruby is his dog.

I'll add new stuff to the thread if I get it.

J

You certainly re-calibrate your standards as far what you consider acceptable accommodations when working in remote Alaska.

Thats assuming some of us have standards... We do of course but they are very low. Especially when it comes to sleeping, no need in fancy if my eyes are closed lol.

I'm sure we'll see some photos of photos of Ted Nugent, at least I guess they're still posted in the lodge. Is he working for Brooks Range Aviation or Wrights or who?

He has a floor and bitches because it has a wee list???

2 to 3 degrees is hardly enough to help ya get going in the morning!

Hope he enjoys his stay.

Hope he has his stuff packed for when he decides to not go back!

Ya can't bitch if your boots aren't frozen to the floor or your hair to the wall.....

It's Dennis. Variance from specification must be opined.

I told him to put a wedge under his head and STFU.

PM sent, Legit.

According to Dennis' last weather post a couple days ago, the ice on the pond where the float planes take off is still thick enough to support his weight. Which means 2/3 of the fleet is pretty useless.

The dog, however, is happy as a pig in s#$T.

Hey, if the dog is happy, what's he got to bitch about?

Now me, I'm down on the Kenai, and it ain't much warmer than Kotzebue, at least in the morning. That's a legit bitch! And it's been windy. and spitting a few drizzles.

I came south for this????

Fortunately, I have a chit-load of in-garage jobs to do.

I spent 5 hours today in the house and garage looking for the car keys.

Still missing....

This civilized life isn't all it's cracked up to be!

But the garage is looking a little bit better! Those bastids are around somewhere- I drove the rig home just yesterday!

Suck it up LAS!
Put on your rain gear and get after those kings......the river is full of em!
Save me a king fillet as we can't have any from the Copper this year.

come on down to TX if its to cold there.... 95 followed by 92 followed today likely by about 88 and 100% humidity... ugh.

You can have the heat and humidity. I just got back from a quick trip to POW and returned with a redneck sunburn. Sunny and 70* is perfect for this PNW boy. It blew a gale the first night then cleared to bluebird skies. It's beautiful here today so hopefully that gale blew winter out and the North Pacific high has set in for the summer.

I don't want it. Havent' been able to deal with it much in years... so 4-6 months out of the year my productivity is slower and I"m flat miserable.

They were in the pantry... I have NO idea!

Received an email from Dennis while away at a BR shooting match this weekend. Said he has been there 2 weeks and it is an interesting place.

Does he like how they call it bettles ..yet the empty town of bettles is down stream and on the other side of the river...lol

I had to 'come to town' today. Going back in the morning. I am working for Brooks Range. Our pond is ready and the first plane goes on it today. Then I have to get the beavers ready.

About my bedroom. There is such a slant on the floor that twice I have got up in the middle of the night- well, there is no night here, but anyway, still half asleep and I have stumbled downhill like a drunk and crashed into my desk! I am learning to wake up more before I stand up! We have a super cub that we get to use after work but it has been to windy lately to have any fun playing. Today was great but I am not there.

I have seen one bull moose so far -bedded on a river bend oblivious to the super cub. According to the USFW guys that are monitoring the tracking collars, the big bears are still up pretty high- 3500' so none down where we are flying yet. Lots of rabbits (hares?) in town. Season should start kicking off next week with some river rafting folks coming. Not sure when I will get to town again and not enough bandwidth on our system to surf- check emails and the weather is about it. If anyone comes through- say howdy.

Dennis

Have a blast!