We are moving to Anchorage next summer

[amylc]

My husband is Air Force and we just got an assignment to Alaska. We are pretty excited. I have been looking at houses.....just to see and the scenery looks just beautiful! We are in Florida....very flat....so I guess my legs will have some adjusting to do.

Anyone live around Elmendorf Air Force Base?

[RoadRaven]

Wanted to go to Anchorage since the 80s... thanks to Michelle Shocked's song....


Hey Chel you know it's kinda funny
Texas always seems so big
But you know you're in the largest state in the Union
When you're anchored down in Anchorage


I can't offer any insights into where your moving, but I really hope they have good internet connections so you can stay in touch with TE... and what kind of bike will best for Anchorage?

[emily_in_nc]

Wow -- what a change from Florida to Alaska? Do you like cold weather???!

Emily

[Grog]

Wanted to go to Anchorage since the 80s... thanks to Michelle Shocked's song....


Hey Chel you know it's kinda funny
Texas always seems so big
But you know you're in the largest state in the Union
When you're anchored down in Anchorage

Such a sweet song!

[Sheesh]

I grew up on Ft. Richardson, which is near Elmendorf. But, it was so long ago, that I'm afraid I don't have many memories. I went to college in Fairbanks, but that is quite different from Anchorage.

Alaskan summers are BEAUTIFUL! Winters in Fairbanks were a bear, but I think they're much more bearable in Anchorage.

Good luck with your move!

[ktw]

There is a nice, flat, paved bike trail along the Glenn Highway which is very close to Elmendorf and Fort Richardson. You can ride it almost all the way to Eagle River. You can also ride the other direction towards Anchorage and access the Russian Jack trail system. Once there you can ride along Chester Creek to the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail all the way to Kincaid Park. In fact, using the various paved trails, you can ride approximately 30 miles in a loop around Anchorage, with very little time on roads. There is probably a map showing the paved bike trails. Check at the bicycle shops when you get here. You might want to join the Arctic Bicycle Club. They have both a road bike and a mountain bike division. That would be a good way to discover where to ride and to meet fellow bike riders. I hope you enjoy Anchorage. It's a great place to live.

[amylc]

Thanks so much for the info. We can hardly wait. We moved to Florida from England but I don't think that was as much of a temperature change as it will be for Alaska. Everyone we talk to says if you like the outdoors, it is a great place to be. We are thrilled!!!!

That is very exciting to know about the paved bike trails. Here, I have to brave the crazy roads to get anywhere! My girls are 4 and 6 and love to ride their bikes on the base trails here so they will be happy to know our family bike rides can continue.

[MM_QFC!]

I haven't lived in Alaska, but I've been to Anchorage for work several times and also biked from Fairbanks to Anchorage (Alaska AIDS Vaccine Ride, 2000, only had to turn once as we took the Richardson Hwy to the Glenn and on the outskirts of Anchorage we enjoyed the bike trail (lots of chipseal and worse on those roads out in the boonies!).
I live in the Seattle area, so I'm used to longer days in the summer, but in Anchorage you'll get 19-20+ hours of daylight in the summer! Then you pay for it with very short days in the winter, so you may want to consider morning kindergarten in the winter, if that's an option, so that your kiddo can have a bit o' daylight after school for playing...I've been up there in December and remember it getting dark by mid-afternoonish...
That being said, I moved to the Northwest ("rainy Seattle" and all that) from Puerto Rico, after enjoying living there, the beautiful weather, playing tennis, etc for 3 years and it didn't take me long at all to love it here more than anyplace else I've lived. I wish the same for you and your family.
Best wishes in your move and new life...enjoy!

[Bad JuJu]

Woo-hoo! Alaska is gorgeous! Be prepared to keep pointing and saying to your DH, "Look at that!" "Look at that!" "Hey, look at that!" Just incredible.

I live in Florida and visit my twin brother's family in Juneau about once a year. Juneau's kind of rainy, like Seattle, but when the weather's good it's wonderful. Both my DB and I love both Florida AND Alaska--something about enjoying the extremes--though Juneau doesn't have the extremes of temperature that some other parts of Alaska have. Yes, your cycling legs will have some adjusting to do--it's much hillier than flat ol' Florida--but the scenic vistas should make it worth your while.

The great thing about going there with the USAF is that if you don't like it, no problem--in a couple of years, you'll be moving again. DH and I were in the navy and knew plenty of folks who got orders to Alaska. Many of them liked it so much they stayed and retired there! Have fun!

[surgtech1956]

Good luck on the move. Alaska sounds beautiful. Just think besides biking, you will be able to snowshoe, cross country ski, enjoy those winter activities.

[chickwhorips]

My husband is Air Force and we just got an assignment to Alaska. We are pretty excited. I have been looking at houses.....just to see and the scenery looks just beautiful! We are in Florida....very flat....so I guess my legs will have some adjusting to do.

Anyone live around Elmendorf Air Force Base?

It's almost next summer... have you moved yet?

[lex_achter]

OMG, you will love it. The scenery is great and there is never a dull moment. I just recently got back from being up there for about 2 months, and it was pretty much amazing.

The whole city and the surrounding areas are connected by trails, and well kept trails. You could very well commute to and from work via trails. The kincaid/chalett trail (i think that's the name) goes all the way into downtown and was my favorite trail to ride on. It has a lot of interesting turns and sits right along the coast.

The base is pretty amazing as well. You have access to just about any equipment that you may need at really cheap rental prices. They have classes and outings set up. That is actually where I got kayaking classes for $20, which gave me the permission to rent kayaks and related equipment. It is all set up very nicely and is wicked convenient.

It will be an amazing adventure, no doubt.

[Zen]

I grew up on Ft. Richardson

I lived on Ft. Rich for grades 2, 3, and 4. When I joined I asked to be stationed there (no dice).

[Raindrop]

I grew up in Alaska. Lived in Denali Park (McKinley back then) when I was little because my dad was in the Park Service and then moved to Anchorage while in Jr. High and spent all my formative (high school, college...first marriage) there until my company transferred me. I still have family up there.

As was mentioned before, there are extensive bike trails all around Anchorage. I used to ride along Cambell Creek and since it bordered a greenbelt, several times I had to cut my ride short because there'd be moose on the trail....and you don't mess with moose, especially the cows!!