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paulz
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# Posted: 12 Nov 2021 09:16am
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So here in the lower 48 right now I'm getting about 10-11 hours of usable daylight, partly due to deep tree cover. The rest of the time we're inside the 350sf cabin. The internet helps, do a bit of housework, cabin repair, cooking, watch TV, but after a few days it gets pretty boring. My workshop is 600 ft. away and unheated. I do have a small bench, table and hand tools in the cabin where I can play with small stuff.
Got to thinking about you Alaskan boys with much less daylight times, how do you handle it in a small cabin?
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Aklogcabin
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# Posted: 12 Nov 2021 09:25am
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I don't notice as it doesn't interfere with what I do. I may go cut firewood at 2 am. A good headlamp is nice. But maybe being here 40 years helps.
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Alaskajohn
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# Posted: 12 Nov 2021 09:40am
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Yep, headlamps are the ticket! The darkness doesn’t slow me down one bit.
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BRADISH
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# Posted: 15 Nov 2021 01:26pm
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I find that it affects me most when the season first changes (now-ish). After a month or two of that you get used to it. Go to work in the dark, go home in the dark, it's all the same.
I try to absorb as much as I can in the summer when it's 22hrs of light for us here 
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Homesteadalaska
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# Posted: 15 Nov 2021 07:54pm
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Low sunlight doesn’t bother me—in fact, I find it quite cozy. I actually get more direct sunlight then many of my friends who work their 9 to 5. I get only about 4 hours of direct sunlight (only a couple hours a month from now), where I work outside. My friends in the lower 48 drive to work in the dark, stay inside all day, then drive home at sunset. So, even though I have less daylight, I’m getting more of it. When it’s dark, inside projects, crafts, developing artistic and musical talents, journaling, tool restoration, carving, reading a book, cooking, laundry, etc.
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NorthRick
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# Posted: 17 Nov 2021 05:14pm
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Quoting: paulz Got to thinking about you Alaskan boys with much less daylight times, how do you handle it in a small cabin?
Work and play outside. Headlights, headlamps, and proper clothing.
Last weekend I got started on a seasonal curling sheet on the lake behind our cabin. Will have a tournament Thanksgiving weekend.
Some photos of previous years.
Making a curling sheet
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Curling
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Blacklight curling
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paulz
Member
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# Posted: 7 Dec 2021 09:23am
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Now that looks like fun! Yeah, headlamps.. been wearing one a lot recently. I tried them in the past, can be a little troublesome working on vehicles, plus the cheap ones I started with did't swivel or focus. Got a couple good ones now and find I wear one in the shop instead of turning the overhead lights on everywhere I go.
Only thing still bugging me is having to cycle through on, dim and blinking mode. I guess the blinking mode will come in handy, if I get stuck in a mine.
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Alaskajohn
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# Posted: 7 Dec 2021 10:12am
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Another winter and I still don’t know the exact day the sun disappears behind the southern mountain not to come back up until mid Jan. On Saturday I got sun from 1:38 pm to 1:42 pm. But the clouds have come and will be over us for a few more days. From previous years I know that the sun didn’t hit us on the 8th of Dec. But I still don’t know the exact day it dips below the mountains.
Oh well, maybe next year!
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NorthRick
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# Posted: 7 Dec 2021 02:10pm
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Quoting: paulz Only thing still bugging me is having to cycle through on, dim and blinking mode. I guess the blinking mode will come in handy, if I get stuck in a mine.
That drives me nuts too. I'd like to find one that with one push of the button it comes on at full brightness and with another push, turns off.
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jsahara24
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# Posted: 7 Dec 2021 02:24pm
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I just got a pretty decent one for pretty cheap ~$20, its energizer brand.....First push of the button is 'high', then if you wait about 15 seconds the next push is off.....
now when you initially turn it on you can continue to press the button to get to medium, low and then off....but once its been on for a bit it turns off on the second push....
but wait, there is more...haha....Once you turn it on you can do a long press of the button to get to "turbo" mode....which is really bright and i suspect will only last a short while b4 killing the battery....
and its rechargeable which is nice and it seems to last quite a while on high, it says 40 hours on low but low doesn't give off much light....
I love my headlamps and seem to have developed an issue...haha....so far this is my favorite one for a reasonable price, its a flood pattern so good for working on things but lights things up pretty well....
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NorthRick
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# Posted: 8 Dec 2021 07:29pm - Edited by: NorthRick
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Quoting: jsahara24 I just got a pretty decent one for pretty cheap ~$20, its energizer brand.....First push of the button is 'high', then if you wait about 15 seconds the next push is off.....
That sounds great. Any idea which model you have? I went to the Energizer headlamp web page and there are no less than 15 models listed.
Have you had it a while? I've had numerous headlamps that appeared great at first but stopped working after not too long. Usually right in the middle of something.
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jsahara24
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# Posted: 9 Dec 2021 08:56am
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This is the one I got....It has a 18650 rechargeable battery and it comes with two small lithium batteries that i'm not familar with. I've only had it for about a month but so far it hasn't shown any signs of having the battery die or decrease in light output however its not a long enough time for me to fully recommend it. But so far its been my favorite for working on stuff as it has a nice bright flood pattern.
https://www.amazon.com/Energizer-Headlamp-Resistant-Durable-Rechargeable/dp/B092RJ9TP V
I hear you on the batteries not lasting as long as they age. I got these headlamps as well and I do really like them, they have a spot pattern and are really bright at first...But they don't hold a charge for very long....I'm always in the market for a good headlamp so if you find one you like please post it...
https://www.amazon.com/TINMIU-Rechargeable-Headlamp-Flashlight-Waterproof/dp/B086X3LF 7W/ref=asc_df_B086X3LF7W/?tag=smacab-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=459709326657&hvpos=&hvnet w=g&hvrand=14700212541478309520&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hv locphy=9006922&hvtargid=pla-944345901800&psc=1
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paulz
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# Posted: 13 Sep 2022 10:06am - Edited by: paulz
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My best friend, who helped me frame my cabin, right now is in Alaska, via one of those Love Boat cruise ships, along with his wife. Sending me photos so I'm living the dream vicariously. He's in Juneau, at the cruise ship log jam lol. Yesterday they went on a cart ride pulled by dogs. And crossed this bridge. I know it's touristy stuff but they're having a great time.
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BRADISH
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# Posted: 13 Sep 2022 01:25pm
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I put an idiotic amount of exterior lights on my cabin for this reason. With the power draw of LED lights, its still well within idle speed of my Honda 2200 so its a wash from the generation side.
But I have (2) 70w big floods mounted at the peak of either side of my cabin, and then I have (10) 30w wall packs between each side of my cabin and my generator shed.
But you get used to it. Honestly fall is about the worst time of year, because its usually wet and there is no snow to be reflective. Once their is snow you can often see fine to navigate by moonlight without a flashlight as long as it is only partially cloudy.
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BRADISH
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# Posted: 13 Sep 2022 01:28pm
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For reference we are still getting 13hr 4 min of daylight where I'm at. Here in 3 months that will become a paltry 5hr 45m though!
If you ever need a good reference, check out www.gaisma.com - fantastic informative website for daylight times.
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KinAlberta
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# Posted: 14 Sep 2022 08:15pm
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I live in Alberta and would likely find the loss of hours of summer sunlight in the south rather depressing. I can most use and enjoy the sun during the warm summer months - less so in the cooler months.
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ICC
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# Posted: 14 Sep 2022 09:05pm
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Quoting: KinAlberta I live in Alberta and would likely find the loss of hours of summer sunlight in the south rather depressing. I can most use and enjoy the sun during the warm summer months - less so in the cooler months.
As one who has lived most of his decades of life in NM I can say that the winter I spent living north of 60 the worst in my life. Not because of the cold, we had all the warm gear we needed. But the long dark nights were depressing. I found no comparison to the shorter summer daylight hours that I grew up with in place of the longer daylight hours up north in summer.
It has a lot to do with what the normal you grew up with is. I also find the endless cloudy weather that many parts of the world have depressing compared to the 310 days of unadulterated sunshine here at home. Although I know some parts of the north have beautiful blue skies much of the year, compared to the PNW where I also spent a year that depressed me.
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Aklogcabin
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# Posted: 16 Sep 2022 12:22pm
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How do we handle it. I enjoy the winter time. I spend a lot of time outdoors, putting around. Taking a snogo trip out of the cabin is always great. Even if the snow is deep and the trail clogged with willow n alders that are bent down with heavy snow.
Over the years a few breakdowns accur. Walking out with snow up to your armpits gets a little tiring.
When at the cabin I go out looking for critters, tracks. Firewood cutting under the northern lights sooooo bright that no lights are needed.
Ice fishing. Lots of folks ski. Downhill, cross country, behind a dog. We don't have a dog team but train our Chesapeake Bay Retriever to pull a sled. They love it, kids and the dog. Bonfires. Always snow that needs plowing and trucks to fix.
I can say this. Since I broke my neck and have had to slow down a bit n sit in the lazy boy recently has really cramped my style. I am not a chair guy. I'll have surgery later this fall and hopefully be able to get out more.
With the new house we're building I'll probably be working inside, but I'll be doing something. We're doing everything ourselves so there is plenty to do.
And when we snogo out to the cabin I have 200 TnG pine boards to topcoat twice and install on the ceiling. And get the generator shed straightened up. Turn it into a part time walk in cooler to hang moose n bear in. Folks keep mentioning that there is no handrail on the 2nd floor porch. The woodshed needs a new roof. Gotta build a new 8x12 wheeler shed. Gotta get the 6 wheeler back home to the cabin. It got stranded at the lake we use to get in n out of 2 miles south of the cabin. And now probably have to fix everything that the bears tore up.
Build a chair lift to the upstairs floor. Finish the kitchen cabinets.
Yeah, daylight or none. In Ak you learn to adapt or get cold and stay inside n watch electronics. For me it's kinda way to slow down a bit n relax, chill out.
Winter can become a drag for some. Our family has learned to embrace the weather n get out no matter the time of year.
Me, I look forward to the challenge a bit too
The bush
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Yee hah
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Hanging with grandkids
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Great views, love looking at the mountains
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paulz
Member
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# Posted: 19 Sep 2022 08:44am
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Great attitude Ak! 
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Aklogcabin
Member
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# Posted: 19 Sep 2022 09:10am
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Thanks paulz. I truly love being in this state. It gets cold n dark for a long time. Just staying busy and wishing I could slow myself down a bit.
It's also about my family. I want our kids n grandkids to have all the opportunities that they can get. And the out of doors has lots of options if you are willing to get out.
I've noticed a funny thing. Seems once folks are actually out. They readily admit having fun
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