Alaska

Alaska is the largest state of the United States, and is about two times larger than Texas, the second largest state. Alaska became the 49th state in 1959. It was bought from Russia in 1867 at the insistence of Secretary of State William Seward. The purchase was ridiculed and Alaska was called "Seward's Folly." Today we know better.

Alaska is famous for its vast wilderness. While in the state you will find that adventure is usually only a few steps away. You'll find beautiful forests, towering mountains, picturesque waterfalls, and plentiful wildlife all around you. You won't believe the stuff us locals take for granted. On a typical drive between Anchorage and Soldotna you might see ten or more moose along the side of the road.

Anchorage

Anchorage is the largest city in the state. Nestled at the head of Cook Inlet, this city of a quarter million grew from a tent city during the gold rush. You may notice as you drive through town that the roads seem to go in funny directions. When the city was first started, most of the major roads you see today were just trails. It was much later that the city planners decided to make the roads go the way you'd normally expect, so many of the roads around town still follow the old trails. This makes it easy to get lost, but if the mountains are on your left and the water is on your right, you're heading south, towards the Kenai Peninsula.

Those of you flying to the Kenai Peninsula will go straight south to the Kenai airport. If it's clear you'll enjoy a beautiful view. Look for the oil platforms to your right in the inlet. Most Alaskans earn at least part of their livelihoods thanks to the oil industry.

Those of you driving have a more roundabout trip, but you're certain to enjoy the scenery. Watch for sheep on Turnagain Arm and moose for the rest of the trip. The Seward Highway will take you to Seward (no kidding!) unless you take the cutoff to Soldotna and points south.

There has been a lot of road construction lately, so you might plan on a few delays along the way if you are driving down. While the delays might be a bit frustrating, I guarantee there'll be some scenery for you to enjoy while you wait.

This summer the road will be closed from midnight to six a.m. Monday through Friday. Summer in Alaska is the time to fish for some, but it is also the only time for road construction all year.

Soldotna

The Kenai River flows through this small, bustling town. Only a few thousand people make their homes here year round, but during the summer you can expect a lot more than just locals in town. The Kenai River is the home of the famous Kenai King Salmon. The world record King Salmon was caught in the river a few years back, and no doubt this year some will be caught which will rival it.

Wildlife

Moose

The wildlife in Alaska comes in all shapes and sizes. On the Kenai Peninsula you are likely to see moose, the largest member of the deer family. The word 'moose' works for both plural and singular, so no matter how many of them there are, you'll be right! Beware: moose do cross the road from time to time, and many moose and humans die each year as a result. Also, folks have been trampled to death when they've come between a moose and her calves.

Sheep

You may see some sheep along Turnagain Arm on your drive south from Anchorage. They should be hard to miss- everyone will be stopped on the side of the road looking at them. Watch out for pedestrians. Some folks seem to forget the rules of safety their mommas surely taught them in their rush to view Alaska's wildlife. If you do stop to view wildlife, please make sure your vehicle is all the way off the road.

Bears

Although you are unlikely to see any bears on the Kenai Peninsula unless you go looking for them, you should be aware of the dangers just in case. As you've no doubt heard, bears do attack people from time to time, and these encounters often prove deadly for one or both of the parties. Taking a few simple precautions may make the difference:

Do NOT leave food or garbage out
Tie your food in a tree away from camp
Make lots of noise while in the woods (bells, tin cans, etc. work well)
Don't go alone (this is a good general rule for life, incidentally)
Carry some form of protection (a gun or some pepper spray)
If you see a bear, keep your distance and slowly move away
Bring a cell phone, CB, etc. (this is a good general rule in Alaska)

Eagles

You'll find Bald Eagles in most places on the Kenai. On the drive down from Anchorage, look for them in Cooper Landing. You'll also see a lot of them around Ninilchik, Deep Creek, and Homer. Towards the end of the salmon season you will find eagles wherever the spawning salmon are.

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