Saturday, July 26, 2014

The Cost of Living in Kodiak

According to a recent report from the Alaska Department of Labor and Economic Development, Kodiak remains one of the most expensive cities in the U.S. to live, and one of the most expensive places to live in Alaska.
  • The cost of living in Kodiak is 33 percent above the national average.
  • Kodiak housing rentals are the highest among Alaskan cities and considerably higher than the U.S. average. The average cost for a two-bedroom apartment in Kodiak is $1,461 per month. The U.S. average is $893 per month. 
  • Groceries cost 40 percent more in Kodiak than the national average. 
  • Utilities cost 60 percent more in Kodiak than the national average.
  • Kodiak has the highest gas prices in Alaska ($4.34/gal at the time of the study but this morning, it’s $4.49/gal. The U.S. average is $3.44/gal.)
  • Kodiak has the highest cost of men's haircuts, $26.67. The average U.S. price is $13.95.

Monday, July 21, 2014

Let Me Stop Hyperventilating: 3,000+ Feet Can Be Daunting

I didn't think I was afraid of heights. As a kid, common activities included jumping off barns, climbing up silos, walking on weird rope bridges, climbing precarious trees.

But take me to the top of Pyramid Mountain: now that's a different story.

At that height and the mountain/valley terrain, the wind is always blowing -- hard. You have only a foot or so of earth on either side of you before a sheer cliff that drops down an ungodly amount of unsurvivable feet.

Yeah, sure, the 360-degree view is spectacular but holy cow, let me sit down!