So we have decided to move to Alaska. As we start to tell those closest to us, working our way further out into our circle of friends and family, we’ve had two basic responses – A mixture of excitement and envy…or complete disbelief that we will go through with it, sometimes coupled with all the reasons why it won’t work or why we will hate it…

…and of course, no surprise here, the most frequent reason for our imminent failure, or at least concern, is some version of, “It is so cold there!”

Several we have spoken to regarding the move either asked us if we were going to visit there in winter before we move permanently, or suggest that we do just that, mostly in order to gauge if the long, cold nights of winter are going to be manageable for us. While we agree, it would probably be a fairly good idea, our well-meaning friends and family seem to be missing a very simple truth.

We KNOW the Alaskan winters can be brutal, particularly when we are used to Florida’s average winter lows of upper 50’s/low 60’s. Hell, here in south Florida, we start to “dress warm” when it get below 70 around here in south Florida. (I have seen frost here only once in 30 years!)

I would like to thank our well-meaning friends and family, but hope that they understand we aren’t moving to Alaska for its fantastic winter weather any more that we live in Florida for its devastating hurricanes that we are threatened with every summer. Just as Floridians board up in preparation for bad weather…apparently so do Alaskans. It is Man Vs. Elements in both locations…just different elements, and different ways of coping.

And consider this: What clothing can you purchase at WalMart/Amazon/eBay that would protect you against the Florida’s worst weather? Right – nothing I am aware of.

But there are plenty of clothing options that allow you to go out in Alaska’s worse weather and, as a minimum, have a fighting chance to survive. In Florida, as Ron White put it, “It’s not *that* the wind blows; it’s *what* the wind blows.” No amount of kevlar will protect you from a tree flying at you at 70+ mph.

Most houses in Florida have hurricane shutters just as most houses in Alaska have heaters. It is just what you do. We have coped with multiple hurricanes of the last two decades, totally MONTHS of power outages, lost wages, etc….and we were PREPARED for hurricanes. Snow is so regular in Alaska that dealing with it is a regular job…and it pays well!

As to how we will cope, my wife, Liz asked our Alaskan friend Momma K about the winters. Remember, Momma K grew up in Florida where we currently live.

Liz:
So how long did it take you to acclimate to Alaska winter? Getting used to the long dark days?

Momma K:
I’d say about 3 winters for the acclimate and as long as you stay on a schedule in the winters the dark days are not so hard. If you don’t you’ll want to nap all the time. Some winters are easier than others I’ve gotten through all these years up here because this is where I want to be. It’s all a mind set. If this is truly where you want to be then I think you will find a way to adjust. It’s not always fun here. Sometimes it flat out sucks and you feel like winter is never going to end!!!Then it slowly becomes amazing!! Summer is part of what truly gets us through the winter. You play and soak up outside as much as possible and then you hibernate in the winter. 

In typical, “Best Friend For Life” fashion, Momma K went on to add:

Momma K:
I’m definitely not trying to change your mind. I just wanna always be straight with you. I will never sugar coat things for my benefit.

And with that, you may start to understand the type of person my wife’s life-long friend is, and how that bond would have at least a little bit of sway in considering if we would want to move to Alaska. In itself, not enough to be the sole reason…but it sure did help in making out choice.

I have to apologize to both Alaska and Florida. Alaska’s sub zero winters with frost underground that literally NEVER thaws, and Florida’s hurricanes spinning death and destruction across hundreds of miles and adversely affecting literally millions of people with each major storm…these things aren’t poison as the title implies. These are just two simple facts about two very different places on the same wonderful, amazing joyously, insanely overwhelming, fantastic planet we live on.

Bear with me now as I ramble towards an obscure goal in my narrative.

22 years ago, my wife and I sat down with Pastor Dale, who that was going to perform our wedding, to allow him to get to know us a little better before the wedding, and offer some of what he considered to be “good” advice.

He spoke in a non-denominational way about the significance of marriage and such, pretty standard fare, I’m sure. He went on to talk about living our lives as one, and being strong for the other when they were weak, and to learn to lean on your spouse when you needed support, as they are one half of your new whole being. (Wait for it, I’m almost there!) He closed with, in living your lives together, it becomes an adventure, and the more you learn to lean on each other, as well as learning to lean when you need it, each of life’s adventures become better than the last. You grow as a couple, and become better suited to bigger challenges. Together.

Lix and I agree, Pastor Dale undersold it as “good” advice….for that little golden blurb has followed us for every day together, and we are now strong enough for bigger, better, and yes we believe, colder adventures.

Together, my wife and I have spent over 90 years visiting and living in Florida and learning just some of its amazing features. Now, we are going to get to live in and learn some of the wonders that are Alaska.

We are so excited to be starting on our next adventure!

Peace,
db