North to Alaska

ALASKA! We finally made the trip to the Last Frontier, the 49th State, and the largest state in the union. My husband’s brother Bruce, lives there with his wife Melissa, and 2 children. We’ve wanted to go for years so with the kids getting older and a little more travel tolerable, it was time to go visit their cousins and experience something new. So, mid- August, we took the plunge and ventured to the Kenai Peninsula and Kasilof Alaska, approximately 3 hours south of Anchorage.

Beyond its expanse and overwhelming beauty, Alaska is steeped in environmental awareness and preserve. Within the cascading mountains, the aqua blue trout-filled rivers, unending evergreens, and sparkling glacial inlets there is a code of conservation that is innate to every Alaskan and the great outdoors is virtually everyone’s playground. This time of year, the temperatures hover in the 60’s, so we were able to wear shorts on sunnier days. We did a lot of site seeing. Once outside Anchorage, we visited Girdwood, Homer Spit, Talkeetna, Whittier, Cooper landing and Kenai. We even went on a day trip fishing in Resurrection Bay out of Seward and we each caught a silver salmon! Though we did have some beautiful clear days, Unfortunately, a lot of rainy weather limited any real higher elevation trail hiking.

One of the things that impressed me most is how my sister-in-law, Mellissa, has adapted to this territory which has been historically dominated by men. The great gold rush attracted thousands of prospectors. Generations of trappers, fishermen, adventurers and homesteaders migrated to Alaska in search of fortune and solitude. During the early days, hardy women like Klondike Kate, and native Inuit’s maintained the homesteads. Maybe the male survivalist mentality has since then evened out a bit as more women venture to the Yukon.

Melissa is a native New Yorker with a Julliard School percussion degree and a few graduate degrees in Education. She accompanied Bruce, a Springfield High school graduate, in his quest to compete in the Iditarod.  Both Bruce and Melissa are extremely active individuals: runners, hikers and love the outdoors. But what is second nature to them seemed almost outlandish to us.

It takes a tough demeanor to endure the brutally cold winters, but Melissa is no sissy. Their first home was a small shed-like dwelling with an outhouse to boot. They have since added, remodeled and cozied up a 3 bedroom addition. On top of her full-time job working for the Kenai Penninsula School District (She was an elementary school principal for 6 years) they have 2 young children.  Yet, when asked to filet 100 lbs of salmon that they caught, she puts on her Carhartts on leg at time. Handling their 37 dogs (racing Iditarod dogs), is normal. She even told a story about having to run to a nearby airfield to pick up three beaver carcasses being dropped off by bush plane. This seemed downright extreme not to mention hilarious.

Our 10 day Northern Exposure was a wonderful experience and our minimal acclimation to the environment was nothing compared to the previous city slickers in-laws who have taken to the Alaskan way of life. The physical requirements, if you choose to live there, are not for those with a delicate disposition: A little rugged; must like extreme cold; and go with the flow that moose and bear are your neighbors.  Many fur hats off to you Melissa, and Bruce. Wished you lived closer, but now understand how much you can love such a beautiful landscape.