Another Texan

[dcbrewmeister]

I grew up in Maine, but have been in TX for over 17 years now. I am not planning on building a TD but am either going to build a cabover or small trailer. I have been looking at and considering 1 of the Glenn L plans and will decide closer to the fall. Not interested in starting just yet because it is still too hot in San Antonio.

Why? I am moving to Alaska spring of 2010 and will be living in what I build for a time and then will use it after that for camping. I was in King Salmon for a season and want to move to AK perm.

The choice between trailer or cabover comes from the truck have. Chevy full size 1/2T, but it only has a V-6. I have towed heavy trailers with it and it does fine. It is a very strange equipt truck. V-6, 5 spd, tow package, trans cooler, HD radiator, power steering cooler(?, finned) 34 gal fuel tank, and the only option inside was A/C. no power windows or door locks.

The choice of a trailer also comes from bringing a 4 wheeler with me... 1 way or the other, I'll have to have a trailer. A trailer will also give me a little bigger living area.

The forum is a great source for what works and what doesn't, thanks.

[starleen2]

Welcome aboad, I hope you find the site useful. Another Texan added to the list

[DBizer]

Welcome to the forum, We're from just up the road, in New Braunfels. Lots of great techniques and Ideas on here that can be adapted to many different types of builds. Keep us posted as to what you decide to create. Holler if you need any help with local material sources.

Have fun,
David

[Miriam C.]

to the playground DC. Tiny travel trailer is good to watch too. Just dig out the camera and have at it. Sounds like you might need something a bit bigger and really insulated. What part of Alaska are you moving to?

[dcbrewmeister]

Thanks for the welcomes.

Miriam - I'm going to look for something a bit bigger, but not too big. I don't want too push my truck too much getting up there. I'm going to start out in the Juneau area and go from there. Alaska has such a diverse terrain all over, I'm going to spend some time in a couple areas to see what I like. Juneau is like a rain forest, Anchorage is surrounded by mountains and further north becomes more tundra.

King Salmon was neat, but you can only get to it by plane or boat/barge, so transport cost would be prohibitive to get any rig there ~$2500. I was there at the same time as a construction company came in to do a project at the airport and we had a 45' flatbed with cabin "kits" shipped in for the lodge on the barge, so it's not rumor, it's "been there, done that" type deal.

Anchorage's cost of living is not that much higher than it is around here, but King Salmon was un-believable ~$8 for a gallon of milk $6 for a box of cereal, oranges where $2.99 lb~. Because everything comes in on a plane. 50cents per pound shipping cost - BEFORE gas hit $3.00 a gallon down here, gas was $4.75 a gallon there... I can't even imagine it now.