No TV and no beer make Homer something something

May 10, 2006 10:59 PM

I'm going to backcountry Alaska to work for 3 months. What should I do in my spare time?

I'll be working (and with people) every morning and evening, but I'll be completely alone (and mostly free) during the day while the guests and guides are out fishing. What should I bring/do to entertain myself?

Bonus points for things that are particularly suited to my backcountry location.

posted by joshuaconner to sports, hobbies, & recreation (26 comments total)

Right now I'm planning on bringing a camera; a journal; some music stuff to practice; and iPod with music, audiobooks, This American Life episodes, etc.; some homebrewing supplies (if my employers will let me!); and lots of books (including my Spanish book to practice with).

Additionally, I enjoy hiking, so I plan to do some of that, but I have to be there every morning and evening to cook, so I can't go too far.

Any ideas for projects or skills that would take an extended period of time to do/develop would be totally awesome!
posted by joshuaconner at 11:04 PM on May 10, 2006

Woodcarving! Takes a lot of patience, but you can get nice results without a lot of prior experience if you take the time.

You'll need a few good chisels, a book or two on the subject and some timber to practice on.
posted by tomble at 11:13 PM on May 10, 2006

There's the obvious- you could go fishing. You can probably also make extra money by doing odd jobs during the day for guests or the guide company.

In addition to your list think about a bug shirt and rubber boots or sandals for hiking in wet areas, a polarising filter for your camera and a book on photography, a naturalists guide to the flora and fauna, yoga mat or other collapsable workout stuff, cards, travel scrabble, backgammon etc.

I wouldn't count on doing a ton of hiking, they may not even let employees hike alone depending on the area or they may want you by a radio during the day.
posted by fshgrl at 11:21 PM on May 10, 2006

Crochet and/or knit! It's a highly relaxing activity, if it does have a bit of a learning curve (not that steep, it's just imprinting the muscle memory so you can keep your hands busy while you listen to music or whatever). And none of this "But I'm a boy!" crap, it'll make you uber hawt with the hipster ladies and it's just a satisfying activity. I learned by crocheting a whole blanket, so by the time I finished my stitches were even and regular, but carting that around might be a leetle burdensome, as might be carrying/finding wool. Hrm, well you'll know your resources best.

Also, do you sketch or draw? This summer could be perfect for honing or beginning those skills. Same with learning bird calls, backcountry weather forecasting and plant identification.
posted by nelleish at 11:30 PM on May 10, 2006

Nintendo DS? Go hiking AND play mario at the same time!
posted by slater at 12:28 AM on May 11, 2006

knit socks. They're portable, don't take much yarn and have about as many stitches in them as a sweater. Also, very impressive, because hey, you're knitting a sock. Odds are you'll wear socks at least in the evenings, so it's also practical. (Not only none of that "but I'm a boy stuff" also no "socks are too hard for a first project stuff" I know people who made argyle socks for their first project, and they're alive to tell the tale.)

If you do take the knitting suggestion seriously, check out www.craftster.org/forum and www.knitty.com for good online knitting conversation and patterns.
posted by bilabial at 3:50 AM on May 11, 2006

Good call on the knitting! Any books (other than the Stitch 'n Bitch series) that you recommend? I'll check out the craftster forum and knitty.com, but I'd like to be able to take something with me.

And just to set the record straight: I had actually started learning to knit about a month ago, though it'd gone off the wayside a bit as I got busy with school. I have a half-finished scarf sitting on my floor right now. I may be a boy, but I love to make shit way more than I care about outdated gender constructions! :)
posted by joshuaconner at 4:04 AM on May 11, 2006

Painting, writing poems, solving puzzles, learning to play the harmonica, advanced bug evasion, masturbation... this is devolving so I'll stop.
posted by Devils Slide at 4:10 AM on May 11, 2006

read ulysses.
posted by milarepa at 5:43 AM on May 11, 2006

I read a lot of books when I worked a summer in Alaska, but I was in a town with a library. They didn't have a lot of selections, but I reread some classics, which was cool. Take along a few of those "I've been meaning to read this but it just keeps staring at me reproachfully on the shelf" books.

I took a harmonica to Alaska, but never ended up learning it.

Oh,and as a side note, if you get a chance while you're in Alaska, do a glacier tour (the kind where you fly up in a helicopter and land on the ice). I'm so glad that I did it; it's now one of my favorite things that I've done.
posted by witchstone at 6:55 AM on May 11, 2006

Maybe spend time with a musher/sled dog trainer and learn how they train dogs for the Iditarod? I searched for "dog training mushing alaska" and came up with a few links. Here's one that looks helpful: Sled Dog Central.

You could read about the Iditarod.
posted by SuperSquirrel at 7:17 AM on May 11, 2006

It sounds like an ideal situation. You are working, in a beautiful place, and you have lots of time to dream and discover what you do when you do nothing. Why not let the time be free and don't try to fill it up with anything immediately? Find out who you are when your interests can evolve organically without any outside pressure.

Check out the slow movement. Its all about appreciating the value of having time to do things in a leisurely contemplative way: http://www.metafilter.com/mefi/49565 has a lot of good links and conversation about it.
posted by zia at 7:30 AM on May 11, 2006

Two useful books on sock knitting are Knitting on the Road and Knitting Vintage Socks, both by Nancy Bush. She is a very clear writer, and her patterns are easy to follow.
posted by bryghtrose at 7:56 AM on May 11, 2006

You could also learn embroidery..for the times when you just get sick of knitting.
posted by thandi at 8:00 AM on May 11, 2006

Knitting books worth taking: Knitting Rules is small and full of tips, tricks, and basic adjustable patterns. It's also chatty and anecdotal, although there is a slight womanly angle to the prose - this may be inevitable in knitting books. Knitting in Plain English is also a good read and reference book.

But your best bet is to poke around the knitty.com archives (which have several projects designed to actually be worn by the modern man, unlike most books which have one frumpy man's sweater-vest pattern), print out some patterns you'd like to make and some of the how-to articles, and make yourself a folder or binder to take with you. If you learn to knit anything other than a scarf, you're going to want to write on the pages (e.g., keeping track of rows for the foot of a sock so that the other sock will match), and it seems like good economy of space to take only patterns that actually interest you. Wendy's generic toe-up sock pattern is the place to start with socks, which as bilabial notes above, are highly portable, very satisfying, and strangely impressive to spectators. Feel free to email if you're looking for more specific project suggestions, as I'm currently kind of obsessed with the knitting.
posted by hsoltz at 8:15 AM on May 11, 2006

Geocaching?
posted by kc0dxh at 8:17 AM on May 11, 2006

Backpacking in the back country? Learn to use and take a large-bore lever action, something like the Marlin .444, in case you meet the friends of this guy



posted by Pressed Rat at 8:22 AM on May 11, 2006

Yeah - After all, look at what he did to that bear!
posted by Orb2069 at 9:07 AM on May 11, 2006 [1 favorite]

A gps unit would be useful. If you bring games, bring good, compact ones.
posted by mecran01 at 10:16 AM on May 11, 2006

What kind of "backcountry" are you talking about? I've lived in Alaska my entire life and know that an Alaskan's view of "backcountry" is much different than someone from outside. Where will you be going? Near the ocean or a river? You could go berry picking, read a ton of books, learn carving, knitting is a good suggestion. I know my family played a lot of cards and read a lot of books while out at hunting camp and on the fishing boat all summer. I guarantee you will not be bored much while there, especially if this is your first time in backcountry Alaska.
posted by rhapsodie at 11:44 AM on May 11, 2006

Learn to meditate. Read some books by Thich Nhat Han.
posted by J-Garr at 12:50 PM on May 11, 2006

What kind of "backcountry" are you talking about?

I'm the caretaker of the outcamp mentioned at the top of the second page of this article [both NYT links, frontpage99/123456 seems to be working]. It's accessible only by float plane, but very close to the river.
posted by joshuaconner at 1:02 PM on May 11, 2006

Outside of Dillingham, then? I've been to Dillingham a few times visiting friends: nice place and friendly people. I'm more familiar with the Kenai Penninsula and the Interior than I am with that area, but I'd love to get to know it better. I am sure you won't have as much downtime as you expect. Try your hand at painting. Do you enjoy fly fishing? Do people dipnet on the Rainbow River? Take a bird/plant/tree book out on day hikes and learn the local wildlife.
posted by rhapsodie at 1:32 PM on May 11, 2006

Knitty has a great article about casting on for toe up socks. I've chosen the figure 8 method and have a sock on the needles now. I will second Knitting Rules! because it is great. The Knitting Answer Book is helpful, because it tackles lots of common problems and has a good index. The Reader's Digest Ultimate Sourcebook of Knitting and Crochet Stitches is awesome. Knitty Pretty is a good book if you're a really really beginning knitter, has a great baby bootie pattern (in case you know someone who is pregnant) and some fun small projects. They are, however, very easy, so the book will not contain challenges for you for the rest of your days. If you have any questions, feel free to email me, renee dot phillips at gmail dot com.

Not much of what you will find is going to be aimed at men, but socks, as well as being portable, don't tend to be very frilly and certainly don't have to be pink, so they can be quite manly.

Bring extra needles, and about ten times as much yarn as you think you might be able to use. The extra needles will be for teaching other people, because they will ask. The extra yarn is because you will probably run out. And if you don't run out, it's light so you won't mind bringing it home.
posted by bilabial at 2:08 PM on May 13, 2006

Awesome! Awesome! You're at BBL! I worked in the neighborhood at Tikchik Narrows Lodge for about three years. I lived at outcamp on the waaaay upper Nushagak. What to bring??

Books. Books. More Books. Big ones. The ones you never thought you would have time to read.

Take a good AM/FM Radio. KDLG is the public radio station and actually has some excellent music programming, er, well the nationally syndicated stuff is good. The local music show is some college kids home for summer and thier CD collection. If you're weathered in for a day or two, it's nice to at least pretend you're interacting with another human. Be sure to snag some extra wire (the lodge's wherehouse is a good place to find this.) and tie into the anteanne of whatever radio you're using for communication.

An I-pod is a life saver if you're camp has a generator for the recharging. If that is the case, bring computer speakers, make the guides happy.

Deck of cards. Maybe a cribbage board. Don't know how to play, plenty of time to learn.

If you don't already, learn to fly-fish. You're in the best place on the planet to do it, and will have guys around who do it for a living, plus there will probably be a rod you can 'borrow' from the lodge for the summer.

DEET. 100%, if you can even find it. As strong as you can. Soak a hat in it. Soak a shirt in it. put it on every day. Don't shower. Whatever you do don't shower until the mosquitoes die down. (which usually happes by July 4th)

And finally, Contraband. I'll say it again CONTRABAND. Whaterver you're vice of choice is. Lots of it. As much as you can carry. And then a little more. Prices for liquor or smokes in Dilly are unbelievable. (think $20 12 packs, $60 cartons). I'm not sure what BBL's policy is on this stuff, but since you'll be at outcamp there will generally be no management types around to catch you.

Awesome.
posted by fantastic at 5:22 PM on May 30, 2006

OK one more thing--

Stay on the good side of the pilots. They are the folks who can bring you things. They are you're best friends.
posted by fantastic at 5:33 PM on May 30, 2006