Road trip!

[bilder]

Well I just got back from a fun filled day of flying. Every few months we have to go out to the bush stations and take an inventory of the spare parts we keep out there. Today was my frist trip to the fun filled island of Adak, Alaska.

Adak was once a bustling Navy base with a few thousand people. It had the honor of boasting the most remote McDonalds in the world among other such titles. Today the island is home to some 85 or so year round residents.

Anyway, it takes awhile to get there from Anchroage and basically it took me over 12 hours to do 45 minutes of work. Here are a couple photos I took along the way....

These potato chips did not like the air pressure difference, the bag was tight as a drum.

Here we see the harbor at Adak. Once home to a number of Navy ships and submarines. Speaking of submarines, I learned from a local that a nearby island has two Japanese sub wrecks washed ashore on the beach. If it were not so remote, I would love to check them out someday and learn more of their history.

Adak, why people still live here I am not sure......

The rust bucket I mean, the trusty 737-200 combi aircraft. Workhorse of the fleet. Also the oldest aircraft in the fleet. Alaska Airlines is the only operator allowed to fly a combi configuration in the USA. Containers of freight and mail go up front and passengers go in the back. You can change the number of containers/seats to suit the needs of a particular flight. These aircraft will be removed from service by May of this year and replaced with fixed position 737-400 combi aircraft. The 400's are more fuel effecient and will be able to carry more cargo and passengers.

Sad part is, I did not have time to smoke a cigar while I was there.

 

[AVB]

I think I landed there once in the 70's for a few hours while they unloaded something from the aircraft. Are you sure about having the most northern MacDonalds since it is the most southern Alaskan community?

 

[tomthirtysix]

Is that Satan on the tail of the plane?

 

[sack]

I heard there's a girl behind every tree there. :whistling:

 

[Apathy78]

Cool pics :thumbs:
Did you pop that bag of chips?

 

[Shooter]

Is that Satan on the tail of the plane?

Its an Eskimo man...

 

[bilder]

I think I landed there once in the 70's for a few hours while they unloaded something from the aircraft. Are you sure about having the most northern MacDonalds since it is the most southern Alaskan community?

It was the most remote McDonalds. 1400 miles from Anchorage, just about half way between Japan and the lower 48.

And no, that is not Satan, Jonny Cash or Charles Manson. It is an Eskimo on the tail of the plane.

 

[NullSmurf]

Been there a time or two myself.

 

[bilder]

I heard there's a girl behind every tree there. :whistling:

I only saw two trees and they were not native to the island.

From what I have read, the trees I saw are a memorial placed there by Marines after WWII. They are on a hill overlooking the runway. Guess there used to be some barracks there back in the day, only the trees are there anymore.

Lots of history on that island, thinking of taking a few days and hiking around this summer.

 

[PetersCreek]

I wish I could get a road trip out of the office...even to Adak.

Of course, no Alaska travel journal entry would be complete without a map: Adak