An Alaskan Adventure

[flyguytki]

A little background, I am an active Duty UH-60 Blackhawk pilot and got my orders to Fairbanks AK a few weeks ago. I sent my wife up there on Wednesday and today our offer was accepted on the perfect house for us. Best part is I get a 23X27 2 car garage. Not the biggest but it will fit both vehicles when it drops below -40. We don't get the keys for another month and half the wheels are already turning on what I am going to do with it.

This time around I would like to make it a working garage but tasteful at the same time. I am thinking a bunch of cabinets, some paint and maybe an epoxy floor.

A major requirement was my truck had to fit, clears the roof by 2 inches.

 

[country boy]

From the pic the shop looks a lot bigger than the house lol

 

[flyguytki]

House is 1700 sq ft with a basement. Doesn't look like it but its got plenty of space.

 

[TurnipTruck]

Welcome to Alaska.

 

[RbrtAWhyt]

I was at Wainright from 91-93. Bought my first Harley up there. Good times...

 

[PugetDude]

Congrats on the house and garage!

 

[MacTexas]

I've always wondered how you shovel snow off a gravel driveway?

 

[Fueler]

Easy. Set the shoes on the snow blower a bit high. The rest will disappear on it's own....eventually.

 

[Richard Cranium]

congrats on the new home and shop, hope you enjoy it....

 

[slik560]

Thanks for serving our nation in such a distinguished manner.....and congrats on the new abode as well.

 

[flyguytki]

Well a Little update is in order I guess. We have made it to Alaska, what a drive. Ended up being 5400 miles and took us right at 80 hours to go from lower Alabama to Fairbanks.

After a few minor projects inside the house I started working on the garage, Its HUGE in comparison to a standard 2 car garage. When we first arrived i thought there would be an issue getting the truck in the garage but it squeezes in with a few inches above so I should be ok. Our house hold goods should hit the Port in Anchorage today which means I do not have any of my tools which has mad things a bit of a challenge. In the meantime I decided I wanted to paint the garage, I have always loved a combination of Royal blue black and silver, Painted the airplane I built these, they were the wedding colors and my truck is this combination. The paint was easy with a wagner paint gun now im just waiting on my 3'' strip to arrive to split the 2 colors.

Next in store for the garage will be a good size bench in the far right corner under the window followed by a Miter saw table along the back wall. Lots to come but I love the house and the projects it brings.

 

[APEowner]

From the pic the shop looks a lot bigger than the house lol

Garages should be bigger than houses. Cars are bigger than people.

 

[Thumper68]

Garages should be bigger than houses. Cars are bigger than people.

This.. read my tag line.

Congrats on the new home and garage, those colors should look good.

Thanks for your service.

 

[T_R]

I've always wondered how you shovel snow off a gravel driveway?

Drive on the snow the first few storms to pack the snow down. Then the plow will just slide over packed snow the rest of the winter. You drive on packed snow until spring. You never want to clear it all the way down to bare gravel or you will push all the gravel off your driveway into your yard and find piles of gravel in the spring. Alaska isn't much different from Maine so this should all apply up there too.

 

[flyguytki]

From the pic the shop looks a lot bigger than the house lol

Close! The Garage is right around 650 sqft and each floor of the house is close to 850 sqft each.

 

[flyguytki]

UPDATE!

We moved in about a month ago, I had high hopes for the garage, It looks great dont get me wrong, I am just not as happy as I had hoped with it. I am still in the process of getting rid of stuff I dont need to reduce the number of black boxes, hopefully one of these days there wont be any. I still need to finish painting the cabinets and the tool box frame, and then I need to make room for an ATV or 2. Its only the beginning of October but we are already below freezing with a good bit of snow.

All my worries about the truck not fitting were not needed. Both Cars fit just fine and I even have about an inch of clearance with the roof on the truck!

 

[LXCam]

Very cool bud, you got all over that in short order and it looks great!. And BTW, what's all that white stuff on the ground??.

 

[akdiesel]

flyguytki

Welcome to Alaska and to GJ. Nice transformation to your new to you garage. I talked with a coworker that lives in Fairbanks and he told me you got a record snow fall this year already.
I am wanting snow this year. Not sure how you feel about the cold but there are lots to do and see with the clean fresh air in the winter time. Just don't breath to deep or you will freeze your nostril hairs.

 

[1/2 Cup]

Looking fantastic, well done.

 

[sean Buick 76]

Sorry I am late to the party but WELCOME! Nice little setup you have there and thanks for your service!

 

[bczygan]

Last time I saw a Blackhawk was during the Indy 500.

I was taking off from Westfield on 18 in a trike, and starting to turn to the left at pattern altitude, when I noticed one heading right toward me, diagonally across the field at the same altitude.

Yikes!

I made it a quick right hand turn...

 

[flyguytki]

flyguytki

Welcome to Alaska and to GJ. Nice transformation to your new to you garage. I talked with a coworker that lives in Fairbanks and he told me you got a record snow fall this year already.
I am wanting snow this year. Not sure how you feel about the cold but there are lots to do and see with the clean fresh air in the winter time. Just don't breath to deep or you will freeze your nostril hairs.

I believe it was september 24th when we got 9 inches, the most snowfall in the month of september in 26 years. 6 days later on the 30th of September we got 14 inches, so much for records. We are loving it, this place is amazing and has so much to do. Best part is I start flying again next week, I'm ready to see what this state really looks like from the best perspective you can get.