Alaska! (The Recap)

Welcome to Anchorage. 19 hours and 21 minutes of daylight.

ALASKA! In a word, WOW. Everything was grander and more spectacular than I could have imagined — I had such an amazing time. When I arrived in Anchorage on June 17th, after a long travel day, (with my connecting flight in Chicago delayed and rebooked, my backpack traveling to Denver instead of Anchorage), I was not prepared for the brilliant sunshine at 9 pm. Ah, welcome to the Land of the Midnight Sun!

Single track at Kincaid Park.
I was admittedly afraid of finding a bear on a blind turn

My first three days in Anchorage were terrific. I stayed at an AirBnB for a few days not far from the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail, which was a true gem. My left calf was tight and cranky after my aborted run on Sunday, so I didn't push it too hard and abandoned my hiking plans for a few days to give it some rest. (I was still anticipating a ten mile mountain run on the 29th). Instead, I filled my early days exploring Anchorage by bike and foot, learning more about the history and culture of the state.

I walked an easy three miles into Anchorage on the trail one morning, took a tour of the city, got a coconut-milk ice cream at Wild Scoops, (founded by Sheldon's granddaughter, Elissa!), and picked up an ulu at the Ulu Factory after becoming convinced that I needed one. Lol. Anchorage isn't very big, but it's a neat little city.

The following day, I rode the trail in the opposite direction out to Kincaid Park, (passing through Earthquake Park), for some singletrack exploring. I have to admit I was a little apprehensive about finding a moose or bear on those winding trails. Still, it was a great day.

Thursday morning, backpack ready to go (after making it's way to Anchorage late Tuesday), I picked up a Jeep camper from Alaska Adventure Rentals and hit the road for the Kenai Peninsula.

Yaaayyyy!

I loved the Jeep and the crack in the windshield was badass.
Adventure time!