TDY Gouge - Alaska

Anchorage, Alaska - The summer is sweet. The base is spread out so get a U-drive from AMCC or get a rental. No U-Drives for AMC crews less than 24 hrs on the ground. We got horrible support from the base (since it's PACAF). The aircrew billeting is barely within walking distance of the shoppette. Northstar Inn is a decent hotel. The BX and Commissary is shared with Ft Richardson and sits between the two on the other side of the flight line. While the F-15s are flying, good luck trying to sleep (STAY OFF BASE IF POSSIBLE!). Downtown is pretty cool with plenty of restaurants. Make sure you hit any of the following places: Humpy's (order the Halibut Tacos), Snow Goose (excellent brews and on the water), Moose's Tooth (excellent pizza and beer), Chilkoot Charlie's ($1 beers before 10, no cover before 8), Hot Rod's, and the world famous Alaskan Bush Company (a right of passage for 135 crews). Only way to check email on-base is at Base Ops, off-base try Oscar's cigar bar. See ITT for discounts on fishing and cruises. Hike Flattop Mtn or Eagle River Park. Also, check out Piper's by the airport and watch seaplanes land while you sit on patio sucking down beers. If the weather is nice, drive 2 hours north to Talkeetna and rent a flightseeing tour of Mt. McKinley in a ski plane (cost is around $150, bring advertisement from local magazine 'Coast' and get $10 off). It was one of the most beautiful flights ever (and I've been on a lot) - well worth the money for this once in a lifetime opportunity. If you want to see a real Moose up close and personal, drive 10 minutes to Chugach Park overlooking all of Anchorge and walk on the trails, lots of Moose and an awesome view. The Peanut Farm (sort of katty corner to the Bush Company) is a dumpy sports bar where you can go to watch your favorite team play football while you eat a great breakfast (diner food). Get there before 8:30 am or you'll get a lousy seat. Note: During the summer off-base hotels and rental cars are expensive as well as everything else. ~A fantastic place to stay downtown is the Voyager hotel. It only has 38 rooms, but they are extremely large with kitchenettes. It is also located right downtown, so you are conveniently located to the main avenue of Anchorage and the shops and restaurants. Avoid the Days Inn downtown like the plague. I actually felt as though I was in danger going to and from the place. Honestly, the police and drunks spent more time down in that end of town than I did. If you get some extra time, get a vehicle and drive out to Seward, Alaska. The drive takes about 2 hours through some of the most beautiful scenery you'll ever see. The Portage Glacier is along the way if you have an extra hour to spend on the trip. Once in Seward, rent a space on a tour boat and go out and see the Alaskan nature. The boat trips all include sea lions, seals, otters, birds, mountain goat, Bear Glacier and if you're really lucky you'll see killer whales from 25 feet like we did. Definitely the most awesome picture taking "memory" experience I've had in Alaska! A great place to eat in downtown Anchorage is Sullivan's which is located on the corner next to the big mainstreet mall. The food was a bit pricey, but the bar, service and food are out of this world. I will not make a trip back to Anchorage without stopping here!

~Winter rules apply in Elmendorf! They gave us a UDrive (appreciated, but not requested) and set us loose. The map that they provided was worthless unless you knew what building number was which. I recommend getting a map from the gate guard if you can, apparently they need the terrorists to have more info than us. Be aware, if you show before 6 AM, there is nothing on base and they WILL NOT open the dining hall. The Denny's close to downtown close at 2 AM, so we had to head down Seward Highway about 12 mi to find one. Terrible service (1.5 hrs for Breakfast), but standard Denny's otherwise.

Food/Drink: Sub Zero 907-276-2337, Downtown on F Street (short cab ride out of the Government Hill Gate). Shares a kitchen with Humpy's and serves similar styles of food. They do have a good selection of Belgian Abby beers and it's generally less crowded than Humpys. Humpy's(907) 276-2337, Downtown on 6th Ave. Good selection of brews on tap and good pub food. Pub Quiz on Tuesday nights in the fall/winter. Live, local music the rest of the week. Small dance floor. F Street Station(907) 272-5196, Downtown on F Street. Used to cater to military/civilian pilots but has changed ownership in the past couple of years and now caters to the "meathead" UAA crowd. Good amount of aviation memorabilia on the walls. Food isn't the best. Pioneer Bar(907) 276-7996‎, Downtown on 4th Ave. Average selection of beers but is a hangout of choice for UAA students. Will be shoulder to shoulder packed on weekends regardless of temperature. They have several pool tables and a shuffleboard table. Moose's Tooth (907) 258-2537, Old Seward Highway (about 15-20 minutes from base), serve good homebrews and tasty pizza. Usually packed at all times and sell "growlers" (carry out 1 gallon of beer). Bear's Tooth (907) 276-4200, Spenard (about 15-20 minutes from base), theatre pub owned by same guys as Moose's Tooth. Serve bar food with similar pizza offerings as Moose's Tooth. Also serve burritos. Can get food/beer while watching second run, or independent movies. "First Tap" happens the first Thursday of every month where they unveil a new beer and have a band (occasionally the band is a national act i.e. Cake, Rusted Root but usually a local band) Glacier Brew House (907) 274-2739, Downtown on 5th Ave. Slightly more "upscale" Alaskan restaurant but no dress code. Serves a good selection of Alaska dishes but slightly more pricey than the other places listed. Orso's, next door, owned by same guys with similar food offerings. Platinum Jaxx (907) 278-5299, downtown on 6th Ave, One of Alaska's only "dance clubs" and also the only place with a dress code (don't wear sneakers). If you want to get sweaty with a chica this is your place. They also have NFL Sunday Ticket and it's much less crowded with a decent breakfast menu (better than Kashim Club on base). McGinley's Pub (907) 279-1782, downtown on G Street, standard Irish bar, good selection of beers, usually have a band on the weekends. Couple of pool tables. Food is standard Irish Pub fare but is fairly good. The Peanut Farm (907) 563-3283, Old Seward Highway (20 minute cab ride), Anchorage's largest sports bar. Plenty of TVs and projectors. Food is standard bar food (nothing especially noteworthy) but does have good breakfast. Lucky Wishbone (907) 272-3454, on the way out of downtown on 5th Ave, Great fried chicken, burgers and milk shakes. Sicily's Pizza (907) 333-8000, Delivery Pizza (24 hours), can deliver on base. Good when you're hammered and have the munchies. Things to Do: Summer - Go Fishing Can fish on base (stocked) or downtown for salmon. Ensure you have proper licenses for what you're fishing for or Alaska Fish and Game will throw you in jail. They have plainclothes guys who will walk up and down the banks asking to see licenses and or questions about bag limits. Go Hiking Flattop is in South Anchorage (roughly 3,500 foot summit) with well maintained trails to the top. Roughly a 4.5 mile hike. Tony Knowles Coastal Trail Can rent bikes downtown or just hike the trail. All paved with great views. Winter - Cross country skiing can rent gear at Outdoor Recreation, (907) 552-2023, on base. Many groomed trails in Anchorage. Downhill skiing Alyeska Resort (1 hour from base), (907) 754-1111, can rent gear from Outdoor Recreation or at the slopes. Skiing is pretty good and the season runs from November until late March or April.

Eielson AFB, Alaska - Billeting is across the street from the chow hall - which serves a nice hot breakfast on a cold morning. There is a great exchange and commissary (connected together by a covered, heated walkway) to buy some sundry items, snacks, and a few Alaska items to bring home. The chow hall puts together damn good in-flight meals, but they are slightly slow providing them on short notice, so get your orders in early. For lodging, the Captain Bartlett Inn located in downtown Fairbanks is relatively nice. The rooms are spacious and the whole place has a "log cabin" feel to it. The bar which is attached to it makes for a nice evening of fun after flying. They don't offer any breakfast deals, though, and you are 30 minutes from base (which sucks). Sadly, your best bet at Eielson is to stay on base so you can avoid the drive into base from Fairbanks. The base is situated about 5 minutes from North Pole, Alaska (great place to have your Christmas Cards postmarked from!) and about 20 minutes away from Fairbanks. If you have some cash in your pockets and don't mind spending it all on dinner, get a vehicle from TRANS and eat at Pikes Landing in Fairbanks. They have Alaskan King Crab legs (they're no cheaper there than they are here, unfortunately) and excellent salmon. The entire meal is upscale, but you don't have to dress up. Great food, excellent service and highly recommended! Another "neat" dining experience is the "Alaskan Salmon Bake" at Alaskaland. This dinner is seasonal, so you have to time your trip to get it. It is all outdoors (be sure to bring a jacket if it's cold out) and is great food and atmosphere. The salmon is grilled and marinated so that it ranks as a true "outdoor Alaska" experience. A "Don't Miss" while at Eielson is heading out to the little airstrip in North Pole and getting an ultralight ride. Actually, they are microlights (basically a hanglider attatched to a seat/engine system. For $40.00 you get 1/2 hour of instruction by one of Alaska Sky Systems IPs. Bring a video camera, a set of gloves, and a jacket and you will have the time of your life. Contact them at (907) 488-9100 or goto their website. ~DO NOT get a box lunch at Eielson!!!!

Gold Rush Inn was decent. Billeting offers wireless internet in the lobby's cyber cafe if you are so equipped. If not, there are four computers at your disposal. When getting a vehicle from Trans, tread softly! They have a deal with the local police to report vehicles in unauthorized location and then they tow them. Our crew chiefs had a vehicle towed while trying to pick up their buddies from a local bar. Even the ski resort at Ft Wainwright is off-limits. However, on some days if you show up in uniform you get free lift tickets (you are allowed to change before you ski). Food-wise, be sure to check out the Food Factory in North Pole or Fairbanks. Near the airport is a place called The Pumphouse which has descent food and a great selection of booze. Geraldo's on the main drag has pricey pizza and calzones. ~Be sure to visit the "Silver Gulch" brewery. They have free beer tasting in the summer months and it is well worth the experience. You can find directions somewhere there. We did so you can.

~Do not let them try to put you in the Klonodike Inn. Cigarette and blood stains on the comforter in one room, enough said. If you have time off, and don't mind the drive, Chena Hot Springs is 1+30 away, and is a great place to relax. We had nice rooms, a bar, and the hot springs. It was only for one night, but it was worth it. I think the only way you will get lodging there is if you beg and plead, we were there during the Eskimo Olympics and all rooms in Fairbanks were completely booked.

~Captain Bartlett Hotel was a dump, best bet is to stay on base. ~Stayed at the Westmark Hotel in Fairbanks. Nice rooms and free breakfast every morning. It's a little better than the usual 'continental breakfast', but not an all out hot breakfast. Food in the downstairs hotel/bar is also quite good.

Ladd AAF, Ft. Wainwright, AK - Springhill Suites by Marriott (phone: 907-451-6552) was a nice hotel. The army billeting situation at Fort Wainwright is the nicest I've ever seen on an army post. The rooms are newly constructed and one block away from the PX. Fort Wainwright is about five minutes from Fairbanks as opposed to Eielson's 20 minute drive, but beware there is very limited ground support at Ladd AAF. Springhill Suites was very nice. Large comfortable rooms with a nice bar in the hotel and a decent breakfast in the morning. Con the hotel shuttle driver into taking your group out to Alaskaland as it is a bit of a walk. After the Salmon Bake you can jump on a free shuttle there to get back to the hotel.