Arctic Man

[Willowbilly3]

God I miss Alaska. Last time I was at Arctic Man was about 1999. Last sled I had was a new 2000 Polaris 600. I could get 118 out of it but my friend raced it at Whitehorse and was radaring 122. We took 3rd in open class and won $10,000 Canadian.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaUJL8uCR0U

 

[bob w]

I've seen some of it on the Alaska State Trooper shows. Looks like a terrific time. Appears that adult beverages are consumed.

 

[Willowbilly3]

The beer tents are a mad house at night, you can't even get in the door and you saw the size of the one they were putting up. We just got in the door and saw 50 people in line just to buy another beer and ecided we'd go back to the notorhome and drink our own. We had a mini party with a bonfire and maybe 20-30 good friends. Our camp was about a mile and a half from the beer tents and vendor area. They kill 2-3 people every year. The year I was there some drunk was racing up and down the road on his sled and went under a trailer. And the other guy was high marking and got in an avalanche.

 

[Dr Crankenstein]

We took 3rd in open class and won $10,000 Canadian.

I'll bet you'd like to exchange that 10K today. What did you get in '99? Maybe $6500 US?

What"s going on here, WB? Some kind of slingshot maneuver?

 

[maverickmk]

118 miles an hour or kilometers? Either way, that's really fast for a snow machine.

 

[Willowbilly3]

MPH.
Dr.Crank, it is either the hand off or the end where the sled moves over and the skier goes down the next slope.
Yeah, it was about $6500 American. That little 600 Polaris was awesome. It was the first year they used power valves and it was about 117 hp. We were running against the big 800s and they could pull us in the straights but the 600 was so much better on fuel that we did fewer pit stops. The first stop my guy came in with half a tank, had he stayed out we would have had second for sure and been real close to first.
We ran it bone stock, pipe and all. Just some super tuning on the clutches and lowered with a special racing track.

 

[21willys]

I would love to make the trip up and check it out. I've always wanted take a trip up there.

 

[bob w]

I have a fascination with Alaska. Like the frontier aspect of it.

Missed a golden opportunity. Could have worked for my uncle in Valdez summers during high school and college.

 

[sgtpontiac]

Been on a couple of cruise to Alaska...super trips...

I have a fascination with Alaska. Like the frontier aspect of it.

Missed a golden opportunity. Could have worked for my uncle in Valdez summers during high school and college.

Turned down a job doing heavy repairs during the building of the pipeline.....great money but away from home for 6 months home a month and back for another 6....oh well...I don't like the cold anyway..lol

 

[maverickmk]

That's some man's country in Alaska. Beautiful, but rugged.

 

[Willowbilly3]

Turned down a job doing heavy repairs during the building of the pipeline.....great money but away from home for 6 months home a month and back for another 6....oh well...I don't like the cold anyway..lol

I was a heavy equipment mechanic/welder on the pipeline. All the hitches were 9 weeks on and 2 weeks off but you didn't have to go at 9. I always worked 12-13 weeks, 7 days a week and 12 hours a day except sometimes we worked 14-15 hours a day. I was working in Livengood camp when 2500 people were living there. Atigun Pass on top of the Brooks Range was my favorite, about 180 people.

 

[sgtpontiac]

they wanted a year long committment....

I was a heavy equipment mechanic/welder on the pipeline. All the hitches were 9 weeks on and 2 weeks off but you didn't have to go at 9. I always worked 12-13 weeks, 7 days a week and 12 hours a day except sometimes we worked 14-15 hours a day. I was working in Livengood camp when 2500 people were living there. Atigun Pass on top of the Brooks Range was my favorite, about 180 people.

I was thinking about going into business for myself at the time and the first wife was not happy about my leaving for any length of time....so didn't even entertain the offer...looking back..should have done it...maybe the first wife would have left me sooner....LOL...