A lot of vitriol for a simple travel piece. I will mention to those naysayers of living outside of the main grid Ruth high fuel costs: 1: good insulation in your house. 2. A good wood stove. (Your  heating Bill will thank you) 3. Energy efficient vehicle. 

And drive time? Literally every other major city in the country laughs at the valley commute. I live in the Seattle area. A ten minute drive on Sunday turns to an hour on Monday. Yes, the drive from Wasilla is long. However, the positive far outweighs the negative. That isn't to say that anchorage is bad living. Just that valley living is plausible and a quiet and beautiful alternative.