Right, I don't want to make a big business incursion there, just enough that I can combine biz trip with a fish trip 1 or 2 times a year. I have a few guys who I worked with here in WA, that moved that direction who have contacted me to do little work on POW. Plus the other engineer who is fading out and would be willing to hand over some work, and that should be plenty.

I didn't have time UW class this month, but will try to get in on the next one.

Live across the road from the K.R. just upstream from Soldotna. 4 years now. Looking at the Big Island for winters now. Just left the Frozen River Fest. Too bad the river hasn't frozen yet. 1st year witness that. Pretty much deserted here winters.
Spooky quiet.

Live and work in Anchorage but escape as often as possible. I swear my truck knows the road to Soldotna so well I can just fill it with fuel and fall asleep.

I have a fishing buddy that lives a couple miles south of Soldotna. He has three awesome kids, so it's never very quiet. Good place to raise the little ones. Plenty of room to race atv's, shoot guns, go fishing, etc., without even leaving the property.

We've gone to the Big Island for several years and last year we checked out Kauai. If you get tired of $35 dominoes pizza check out Kauai. Beautiful, less crowded and much cheaper. I forget which hotel we stayed at but it was perfect and right on the beach. I think it was $109 a night and a full afternoon, evening and night of drinking and eating didn't cost me more the a $100 bill.....which for me is a cheap day. I stayed with the Longboard Lager and didn't get sidetracked. My wife had an Ahi salad that was Yuge and cost $7.75. I had an amazing French dip sandwich with fries at the hotel out be the pool that was one of the best French dips I've ever had.....$6.50. I really fell in love with that island and could easily do winters there! Whatever you decide just remember that three quarters of the fun is the adventure of finding that perfect winter time retreat.

Good luck!