Alaskans - FFCars.com : Factory Five Racing Discussion Forum

fatherson · 06-22-2012, 02:53 AM

I need your help. My wife and I have decided to take an adventure and move to Alaska. I have been offered 2 jobs by one company, one in Fairbanks and one in Anchorage. We can't decide which city would be better for for us. Can any of you that live in these cities give me some Pros and cons to help me decide?

Bob Cowan · 06-22-2012, 03:09 AM

I have never lived there, and I only visited once. But I got two very differant and distinct impressions from each city.

Fairbanks felt very much like a small town. But more than just a small town feel, but a very different town. It was almost like a foreign town where they spoke English and used US money. There was a definite "We're not in Kansas anymore" feeling to the place. I really liked it there. It had a sense of adventure.

Anchorage felt like most medium sized US cities I visited. Modern, familiar, comfortable. Things felt like I expected them to feel. It felt like home.

CobraFan460 · 06-22-2012, 09:25 AM

One thing to consider is how much cold you can tolerate during the winter. I was raised near Anchorage (left the state in 1987) and back then, Anchorage could hit 30 below zero (not pleasant) while Fairbanks would routinely hit 50 below zero (miserable). My parents still live in Anchorage and tell me the temps are no longer as severe as when I grew up there (global warming appears to be a fact). They say Anchorage very rarely hits double digits below zero anymore and seems nicer than some of the northern cities in the lower 48 during the winter. I'm not sure how cold it gets in Fairbanks during the winter now but it will certainly still be colder than Anchorage due to not being tempered by an ocean.

Also, I know there are coupes and roadsters in Anchorage, Eagle River and the valley but I've yet to hear of an owner from Fairbanks (not to say there aren't any). If you wish to join others for cruises, that may also play into your decision on which city to pick.

Good luck on your new adventure!

AC Bill · 06-22-2012, 02:31 PM

If you like salt chuck fishing, Anchorage would be better..
Smoked salmon.mmm!

BeaverSnake · 06-22-2012, 05:43 PM

Fatherson, the good news is we have a great group of replicas up here. The not so good news is, we only get to drive maybe 4 months out of the year. The ones that frequent the forum are all based in the Anchorage area, although there are rumors of cars up north...
The advice given in this thread is spot on. Fairbanks is very much a small town. The cost of living is a little more than Anchorage and very outdoors-oriented. The climate is more extreme than Anchorage; colder in the winter and hotter in the summer. The winter darkness is much more pronounced.
Anchorage on the other hand, has more restaurants, shopping, and general things to do. It has generally milder weather. Although we broke a record for snowfall this year, 134 inches!
We have a social group on this forum (Last Frontier F5) and spot check that more than the main forum. Why don't you post there and see if we can answer some specifics. I also offer my phone number if you want to PM me and we could chat.

RobbieD · 06-28-2012, 01:21 AM

I've lived in both for extended periods. I like both for very different reasons.

Fairbanks is where I grew up. It is a small town that has that feel to it. It's a lot more frontier like than Anchorage. If you drive 5 mins out of town, you're in the middle of nowhere, and you can get into trouble really fast. The summers are really nice, but short and intense. People are almost manic to get all the summer they can in the time they have. It's crazy but fun. It has the biggest temp swings on the planet. -70 to nearly 100. Winter lasts from mid sept to late may....

Anchorage is a mid sized city. With all that goes with that. A bit more crime, but a lot more going on. It's also more temperate. Fishing and hunting galore, and lots of festivals and the like. It has a lot of the feel of Seattle but with an edge.

I loved FBX, but love it here too...

akdreamer23 · 06-28-2012, 02:33 AM

Just chiming in to say, "The best move I ever made was back to Alaska."

The Last Frontier group is pretty tightly knit and welcoming.

Venom_Injected · 06-28-2012, 03:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CobraFan460

(global warming appears to be a fact)

Not to go political but....

It was colder on average in the winter months in 2008 then it was in 1987...

Again.... engineer by day so I got on actual statistics and not 'feelings'....

(also... the 'high temperature' was actually always warmer from 1980-1988 then it has been in the 2000's)[all years]

EDIT: The lowest recorded temperature was -39°F in 1975 (confirms global warming....I guess)

See NOAA, Weather.com, weather warehouse etc for all of this statistical actual data vs. global warming must be true because al gore said so....

Conversation on... just wanted to prevent someone else from wasting braincells....

RobbieD · 06-29-2012, 02:48 AM

Dan: thanks for that plug!

Sent from my Autoguide iPad app

fatherson · 07-09-2012, 11:22 PM

It looks like we're going to Fairbanks around the end of next month assuming everything goes well. Trying to find a trailer big enough for all our stuff is becoming a struggle. The longest u haul has is 16ft. I'm thinking we may need closer to 20ft. We are very excited and nervous trying to close up all the loose end and get our house rented here in Ohio.

RobbieD · 07-09-2012, 11:26 PM

Cool! No we'll have a good reason for a drive up!!

fatherson · 07-09-2012, 11:50 PM

I guess I should have said this earlier, but I won't be brining a factory five with me as i am the son. Maybe someday I'll build my own.

TimC · 07-09-2012, 11:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fatherson

It looks like we're going to Fairbanks around the end of next month assuming everything goes well. Trying to find a trailer big enough for all our stuff is becoming a struggle. The longest u haul has is 16ft. I'm thinking we may need closer to 20ft. We are very excited and nervous trying to close up all the loose end and get our house rented here in Ohio.

Do you have a truck big enough to pull something like that? There's a thread on the garage journal where the guy bought a truck and trailer and moved his own stuff. Afterwards he sold the truck and still has a large enclosed (semi sized) trailer and is money ahead vs what it was going to cost to have it moved. If I can find the thread I'll post a link. A good used truck may bring better money in Alaska so maybe that could be an option.