BS: Alaska

Subject: BS: Alaska
From: bet
Date: 17 Jul 04 - 02:53 AM

Hi to all of you.
I've lost touch of what is going on and am sure I missed a lot to good things on the auction during my move. I did arrive in Alaska about 4 weeks ago and yes, I retired from teaching in Colorado though as August gets closer I'm haaving feelings of wanting to do more than substituting. So far things here are great, I heard some great folk music in Pioneer Park the 2nd week end I was here but found out that they are in need of some PR. Someone needs to blow their horn for them.
I'm wondering if any of you know Earl Huges? We did a little gold mining last weekend and he was the conductor and entertainer on the train up to the mine. Wow! He plays and mean fiddle and not to shaby on the 5 string banjo. Didn't get to visit with him but will try to contact him this week. I've not found any group or person to get musicly involved with yet but keep hoping.
So far I'm homeless (..) Seems no one wants a renter with a cat. I have thought about trying to buy but am not sure I can get a loan, my house in Colorado isn't paid for. Did find an apartment where the Air Force families hang out but would like something better, it's pretty rundown but they do take cats for $25 a month. Guess I've lived in my own place to long.
I hope Kat has kept me up todate on the important things going on, it's good to get back to all of you.
bet

Subject: RE: BS: Alaska
From: open mike
Date: 17 Jul 04 - 03:35 AM

where in Alaska are you? perhaps you can connect with mudcats to jam.

Subject: RE: BS: Alaska
From: Ebbie
Date: 17 Jul 04 - 03:56 AM

I believe you are in Fairbanks, bet? Unless your plans morphed?

There are many players in Fbks. See if you can find Will Putman and Trudi Heffernan in the phone book. Trudi plays bass, Will plays guitar and writes and sings great songs. A wonderful man and musician, Buddy (Carl) Hoffman, is about 15 miles out of town but plays in a lot of places around town. There are many more. Good luck. Hope you love it there.

Subject: RE: BS: Alaska
From: Alaska Mike
Date: 17 Jul 04 - 09:22 AM

Hi BET, welcome to "The Great Land". check out this website for lots of information about folk music in Fairbanks and elsewhere in Alaska.

There is a great Bluegrass festival coming up the last weekend of July in Anderson, AK which is only an hour drive south of Fairbanks. Its put on by the Lions club and you will be able to meet lots of the local folkies.

Let me know if you're ever coming down to Anchorage, I'd be pleased to introduce you around to our folkie circle. I hope you enjoy your stay in Alaska, I've found it to be a great place to live.

Camai,
Mike

Subject: RE: BS: Alaska
From: SINSULL
Date: 17 Jul 04 - 10:06 AM

Ketchican - my favorite spot. Maybe I will end up there some day. Who knows?

Lucky you, bet. Enjoy! And don't pass up a chance to meet Mike and Twmmie.

SINS

Subject: RE: BS: Alaska
From: Rapparee
Date: 17 Jul 04 - 03:33 PM

Cool! And that's what it will be in a few months. Cold, even. Get some Sorels and/or Mickey Mouse boots and a GOOD set of cold weather clothes and gloves. Don't skimp on the price, either! If you have a car, get an engine block heater installed. Don't touch metal with a bare hand. It's a dry cold, but it's still awful cold.

These words of advice are from a friend who lived in Fbanks for several years.

Otherwise -- have fun! I enjoyed visiting Fairbanks.

And, well, shucks, I guess next August I'll have to force meself to go to that meeting in Sitka and then continue on to, oh, Anchorage to see Mr. Whitekeys and maybe visit some other places too. Oh, darn. I just don't see how I'll be able to force myself to do these things. Well, some of us must suffer so the rest can play, I suppose. I mean, I just can't hardly stand Alaska, with it's friendly people, breathtaking vistas, wildlife, mountains, enormity, and such. Well, I'll force myself to do it, especially since the costs of the meeting will be covered by work.

Subject: RE: BS: Alaska
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 17 Jul 04 - 03:47 PM

I say I say I say. My wife's off to the far north.

Oh? Whereabouts?

Alaska

Why do you have to ask 'er? Do you not know already...

(I'll get my coat)

DtG

Subject: RE: BS: Alaska
From: Ebbie
Date: 17 Jul 04 - 04:09 PM

Juneau, DtG. You know you do.

Subject: RE: BS: Alaska
From: bet
Date: 17 Jul 04 - 05:10 PM

I guess I did forget to say I was in the Fairbanks area. I do have a block heater on my car and the coat, boot, etc. were great when I was here at Christmas and in March so I'll try them out for a while and see. The lady at the admin. building did say that substitute teachers where expected to do outside duty at 20 below. Boy those Colorado kids have it easy, we didn't send them out if it got below zero.
Thanks for the names and the festival coming up. I'll check both out.
Hey Mike, that's a wonderful sight! Thanks, I hope to meet you soon.
By the way, those who have met me know I really just like to listen and help out in the back room. My playing isn't much for anyone to hear so I keep it to myself. I had to leave my (new) guitar in Colorado as the chevy cavilar didn't have much room for any extras. As a college kid I use to brag that I could move everything in my 52 studebaker. Boy I can't say that now and I'm really missing some things.
Again , thanks to you all. bet

Subject: RE: BS: Alaska
From: katlaughing
Date: 17 Jul 04 - 05:45 PM

I thought it was a 53 like me!**bg**

Subject: RE: BS: Alaska
From: bet
Date: 18 Jul 04 - 02:25 PM

Nope, '52. Faded navy blue, worn out electrical wiring (lights went out regularly at night, thank goodness for spot light). It also had many neat money hiding places. After a pay day I would hide money in it and spent the month or summer hunting for it. Sometimes I even found some I forgot about. The radio worked about like the lights, it would come on when it felt like it. Woke me up 2 or 3 times when I was doing a late night, early morning drive. bet

Subject: RE: BS: Alaska
From: Peter K (Fionn)
Date: 18 Jul 04 - 03:22 PM

That's certainly useful advice from Rapaire - and it's probably only about the thousandth time you've heard it. However if you were wise you will have travelled up a few months ago for the Penny's Spring sale, when even GOOD cold-weather gear is given away for pennies and halfpennies.

Here's one bit of useful advice that no-one will have bothered to mention: if you're going to try cycling up the Dalton to the Yukon, put mirrors on your bike. The wind and tyre noise means you don't always hear the rigs coming up behind, and on some stretches of that road there's no margin of error for you or the rigs.

Subject: RE: BS: Alaska
From: katlaughing
Date: 18 Jul 04 - 03:52 PM

MMmmmm...I remember the courdoroy upholstery and the slightly musty/dusty smell of it...just loverly to a little kid like me, PLUS it had an armrest/jumpseat in the middle of the backseat, right? Loved that car, too.

I can guarandamntee you all that when it comes to cold weather, my sis is no whimp and no stranger to it. She is one of the famous few who decided to walk to Easter Sunday services one year in Gunnison, CO when it was a balmy, sunny 35 or so below. And, she also lived where the wind-chill with blizzards, etc. brought temps down to the 50's and 60's below in WY. I know it's lower/colder and lasts longer up thar, but this is a Can-Do woman who really LIKES cold weather! (I don't know how it is we're related:-) Plus her daughter and son-in-law and grandson No. 1 have weathered it for two years now which just proves they come of good, hardy stock, right? **BG**

luvyabet!

kat

Subject: RE: BS: Alaska
From: Seamus Kennedy
Date: 18 Jul 04 - 04:01 PM

I love Alaska so much, I go up for a three-week tour in January each year.
I get to meet and sing with our very own Alaska Mike, and sit with his Lyric Checker Tawmmie. I run into my pal Hobo Jim every once in a while and a great banjo picker called Ken Terry. I've met 'Catter KT at one of my shows - neat lady! Maybe I'll get to meet BET and Ebbie too.
And I'll be performing in Fairbanks next January as well. Don't have the exact dates just yet.
Cold place, warm people! I love it!

Seamus

Subject: RE: BS: Alaska
From: katlaughing
Date: 18 Jul 04 - 07:12 PM

There ya go, bet. We never made it to Estes Park to see Seamus, so now you'll only have a short drive, in town, to see him. In January??!! Must be a crazy Irishman!!**BG**

luvya!

Subject: RE: BS: Alaska
From: bet
Date: 18 Jul 04 - 07:30 PM

Peter, Great advice. I couldn't believe it when I did see people, at least I think they were people, riding bikes and on the highway up. I'm not sure how far they were going but it looked like they had come a longgggggggggg way. I have my bike here but it has 2 flat fires. I suppose I should get them fixed though I have not intentions of traveling "THE" highway with them.
Seamus, I can't wait for January. If you are here, we will meet. My students in Colorado so much enjoyed your CD. We learned several songs from it.
Aaaaaa yes, little sisters love to ride with big sisters. bet

Subject: RE: BS: Alaska
From: Rapparee
Date: 18 Jul 04 - 08:33 PM

Q: What do they call bicyclists in Alaska?
A: Meals on wheels.

Subject: RE: BS: Alaska
From: bet
Date: 19 Jul 04 - 01:58 AM

Good one Rapaire!!

Subject: RE: BS: Alaska
From: GUEST,KT, (cookieless at the moment)
Date: 19 Jul 04 - 03:51 AM

Hi bet!

You are in for an adventure!! While you're checking out festival sites, mark your calendar now for next April. Alaska Folk Festival Lots of Fairbanks folks make it a part of their yearly spring tradition! Hope you'll love your new home!

Seamus! I was just thinking of you this evening. I'm working on a little recording project which includes Irish Lullabye. Can hardly get through it without "hearing" your rendition. Fudd style, that is!! Cracks me up every time!

Subject: RE: BS: Alaska
From: Seamus Kennedy
Date: 19 Jul 04 - 10:37 AM

Bet, KT. Alasak Mike, Tawmmie, et al: I really look forward to seeing youse guys again in Jan.
Hey Kat, I'm gonna be in Estes Park again Sept 10-12 this year. Ol' Sorcha might even show up again.

Seamus

Subject: RE: BS: Alaska
From: Big Mick
Date: 19 Jul 04 - 10:45 AM

Hey Seamus, I was just in Estes Park a little over a week ago. Spent a week wandering in CO and playing music.

See you in September,

Mick

Subject: RE: BS: Alaska
From: Rapparee
Date: 19 Jul 04 - 10:48 AM

Aw, damn! September 5 I'm leaving Chicago for a cruise of the Great Lakes and the Eire Canal!

Subject: RE: BS: Alaska
From: Peter K (Fionn)
Date: 19 Jul 04 - 10:50 AM

Well do the Hot Springs at least, Bet.

Subject: RE: BS: Alaska
From: Ebbie
Date: 19 Jul 04 - 11:47 AM

According to the Tlingits, what do the bears say when they hear the little warning bells some hikers attach to their clothes? Dinner!

Subject: RE: BS: Alaska
From: Seamus Kennedy
Date: 19 Jul 04 - 01:14 PM

Oh yeah, Peter K. Thanks for reminding me. The Chena Hot springs when it's 40 below is an absolute MUST!
I did it the last 2 times up, and I can't wait to do it again.
Go for it, bet.

Seamus

Subject: RE: BS: Alaska
From: Rapparee
Date: 19 Jul 04 - 03:54 PM

Go down to Anchorage and visit the Fly By Night Club. Let them know that you're from Fairbanks.

Subject: RE: BS: Alaska
From: bet
Date: 19 Jul 04 - 04:36 PM

Chena Hot Springs is great. I've been there a couple of times before I moved up here. Unfortunetly it is not open right now because of the forest fire. At this time I don't know if it suffered any damage but I do know it is closed. In March I visited the ice hotel there, it was COLD. I'm sure the guests enjoyed the hot springs after some time in the ice. They were going to try and keep it open this summer but had some major problems besides the fire and it all melted.Maybe it'll be open in January. bet