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I’ve got a gut level feeling that Palin is going to be an exotic novelty for most of Europe. Alaskans are a culture of their own. Even driving on their highways you see that they live with the granite edge of reality. It’s almost like they are a distilled American, still having what we saw in our grandparents or great grand parents that had survived by subsistence hunting. Friendly, non-frivolous, and hard. Most of us could not mentally hack their winters for one, and outside of N. Skandinavia and remote Canada, they are unique. Thank you for speaking so eloquently of Alaskans, I pray many people search out and read up on our states colorful history, many do not know Alaska was occupied by Japanese troops in WW2, or that stretched out would reach across the US, or the other unique things we live with up here like the very long summer days, the annual combat fishing events in search of kings, or to the things we take for granted that stupefies a newcomer. Just a week or so ago I was teaching a newly hired recently from Texas driver of my company at a jobsite delivering concrete, he never saw a heated floor before. And I guess many freepers don't either, before concrete is poured there is a grid of rows and rows of special plastic tubic that we pump heated water through, its a very efficient way to heat our homes. And of course our homes are heavier built, most of course prefer log cabins, but all use lots of insulation, the walls of my house are over 10 inches thick with multiple layers of fiberglass and styrofoam. Our animal life is abundant, even in downtown Anchorage there is bear and moose. Flip side of course is winter, depending on north or south its long and can be brutal, we have to go to extremes just to cope with it, a second set of special soft studded tires, synthetic fluid replacement, engine and battery heaters and naturally 4wd. I could go on and on but not now.

I did the KOA version of Alaska last summer. Rented an RV in Anchorage and drove North to Denali, then south to Seward and Homer. Best a family guy can do without an airplane.

Now own a 170, and looking forward to cruising up there in 2010.

Dude, she shoots, she hunts, she fishes, she knows a PA-18 from a PA-22/20. What a Freakin’ Woman! I'm looking forward to calling her my President, and am stoked that my 3 year old will come of age with women like her mother, and Sarah Pail as role models.

Sara Barracuda/Old Wrinkly Guy ‘08

Yah, they are getting a donation from me.

Eye,

Wasilla? Heck, that is practically downtown Anchorage! :-)

I’ve lived in Valdez the past 18 years. Metlakatla three before that, and Fairbanks for six years in the 70’s while working on the North Slope and other points north.

Alaska is quite different depending on whether you are in the southeast, on the mainland road system near the coast, on the road system in the interior, or out in the rural villages.

More important than the cold for a lot of people is the difference in light from the lower 48, especially in the winter. People with SAD have a hard time. Here in Valdez we get about 350 to 400 inches of snow a year. Doesn’t really go away until May or so.

Another difference that is very noticeable is the lack of people outside of Anchorage. We were down in Kentucky last summer looking at retirement spots and we said no way. Too many darn people. Even Anchorage isn’t that bad, with only 280,000 or so in the metropolitan area. And that is it. Get outside Anchorage and the population density drops _way_ off.

Not as isolated as it used to be. We have cable tv, dsl internet, cellphones (except for lots of dead zones), etc.

Hopefully people will get educated about Alaska and Alaskans now that one of us has hit the big time. Should be interesting.