Life in Alaska

[AKwelder]

Headed north for a new project today

 

Leaves are changing, 

 

one of our guys went off the road, I would guess he is now an ex employee 

more fall colors

 

found one of a Troy’s milk crates about 50 miles North of the arctic circle

 

And it is snowing north of Atigun pass

 

more to comeover the next next few days, I get to drive the entire length of the line in the next 60 days. 

[AKwelder]

Woke up yesterday morning on the north side of the brooks range.  19* outside.  We got out on the line for work, sun came up and started burning the snow off

 

Traveled north

 

 

 

 

[TomH]

Great pics as usual AK!    19* huh? Given the stinking hot 90+ degree weather we have had in these parts I think I might come for a visit!  But only a visit the thought of snow by Labor day kinda scares me.....

[poor farmer/logger]

Hope you keep the snow there for a coupleof months yet lol.  Heard the experts reporting the other day. Onensaid we slate in for a cold snowy winter the other said nope el Nino is brewing again so warm and low snow lol. Guess they got their bases covered one of them will be right. 

Cooling off here too now. No frost yet but it's not far away. Been down to as low as 36 a couple of nights already. Few hollows probably got frost but nothing at the house yet. 

[AKwelder]

2 hours ago, TomH said:

Great pics as usual AK!    19* huh? Given the stinking hot 90+ degree weather we have had in these parts I think I might come for a visit!  But only a visit the thought of snow by Labor day kinda scares me.....

Snow is better than mosquitoes, trust me, that along makes it ok

[AKwelder]

1 hour ago, poor farmer/logger said:

Hope you keep the snow there for a coupleof months yet lol.  Heard the experts reporting the other day. Onensaid we slate in for a cold snowy winter the other said nope el Nino is brewing again so warm and low snow lol. Guess they got their bases covered one of them will be right. 

Cooling off here too now. No frost yet but it's not far away. Been down to as low as 36 a couple of nights already. Few hollows probably got frost but nothing at the house yet. 

Yeah. They have given us the same spread, anywhere from horrible to wonderful.  The truth is it’s not that far off cycle for fall but we had a very late spring so it seems bad

[AKwelder]

Looking out the window during the morning safety meeting, I don’t think they have moved in two or three years, there is another row of them over by the airport

 

traveling the pipeline

Later it was snowing pretty hard.  That is milepost 2 of 800 miles across Alaska in the next two months.  

[new guy]

800 miles? A good trucker would do that in a day...well without elec logs...

By the way i had a mosquito this year. Killed it. First one in maybe 5 years. Must of blew in from somewhere else. Hate the things!!

[new guy]

57 minutes ago, Art From DeLeon said:

Which end did they start numbering the mileage from?

The beginning.

[AKwelder]

They started numbering from the supply in the north, south to the terminal in Valdez.

 

there is a book, “800 miles to Valdez” that is suppose to be the definitive work on getting the pipe line built

[AKwelder]

Running across the field we had to take a detour, they were moving a crane

 

kind of crazy to watch, rig is fully dressed and ready to go.  The ramps for loading are on the truck behind it.  

[mader656]

Dot never heard of her...

No bridges or wires huh?

 

[AKwelder]

18 minutes ago, mader656 said:

Dot never heard of her...

No bridges or wires huh?

 

Oil field, since it’s a heavy industrial area they made the roads for this type of thing.  All the power stops at the road, goes under, and back up.  The bridges are wide and heavy and have removable railings to make it easier.  The grade and size of the road match the load.  In the winter when it’s frozen they drive entire drill rigs to new sites.

 

and the state doesn’t care, just as long as they don’t hear about it I guess 

[mader656]

27 minutes ago, AKwelder said:

Oil field, since it’s a heavy industrial area they made the roads for this type of thing.  All the power stops at the road, goes under, and back up.  The bridges are wide and heavy and have removable railings to make it easier.  The grade and size of the road match the load.  In the winter when it’s frozen they drive entire drill rigs to new sites.

 

and the state doesn’t care, just as long as they don’t hear about it I guess 

I figured

[AKwelder]

I should add, if you go south 1/2 mile onto the haul road your back in the land of DOT and it all applies.  They are even patrolling it

[mader656]

How far will they move a crane like that?

[AKwelder]

3 minutes ago, mader656 said:

How far will they move a crane like that?

All the way across the field. And in the winter that could be 50 miles, maybe more

[AKwelder]

8 hours ago, Art From DeLeon said:

I would not be surprised to find out that the roads around Prudhoe Bay were built, and maintained,  by the oil companies themselves.

 

It was all built by the oil companies, but over time they turned it over to the state and borough (our counties). They kept ownership of the dalton into the 80’s

 

[AKwelder]

Still in Deadhorse 

white stuff starting again

 

One of the process plants burning off some gas,  when ever the incoming flows get upset they can burn gas to eliminate a build up of pressure.  It is not very common

that’s was probably enough gas to heat every home in my town this winter

[AKwelder]

Ran south a bit today,  a herd of Musk Ox,  pretty impressive for an animal that was hunted out here at one time

 

Two shots in the foot hills 

 

 

The mountains coming up on the horizon 

 

1200 miles on the truck this week, we need a grader up here,  front end is taking a beating.  

[New Englander]

Wow! The snow pics kinda scared me but you're way up north. I'll be in Anchorage next week and I checked - temps still 50s and 60s. Best part of the ANC changes for me is the best calamari I've ever had at the Glacier Bay brew pub. Must be huge squid as it's all big pieces of mantle, no tentacles.

[AKwelder]

Made it to the mountains, really was raining the other day

 

ice cut

 

 

and it cleared off

 

finishing up phase one, should be headed home for a couple days soon

 

[AKwelder]

Drove home yesterday, nice road for it actually 

 

Getting started, truckers this side of the pass

 

Wierd clouds over the pass

Hunter landing 

 

Dietrich river valley

[Delta Dirt]

Welder---

In looking at the roads-------they mostly appear to be dirt.

Do they have some gravel spread on top------seems like they are always slick/smooth and I never see dust??

Fill us in on road composition (other than paved).

Sure enjoy your pictures------providing us with our remote tour of Alaska.

 

DD

[AKwelder]

51 minutes ago, Delta Dirt said:

Welder---

In looking at the roads-------they mostly appear to be dirt.

Do they have some gravel spread on top------seems like they are always slick/smooth and I never see dust??

Fill us in on road composition (other than paved).

Sure enjoy your pictures------providing us with our remote tour of Alaska.

 

DD

They build roads with gravel, then cap with a layer of fines that usually are crushed.  To keep the dust down they then spread calcium chloride witch holds the water and compact it.  It makes a hard surface when dry, when it’s wet it’s slim with salt, just peachy stuff to deal with