The day has finally arrived! After months and of preparation and anticipation we are finally here in Alaska ready to start our 6-day trek through the Kenai Peninsula - otherwise known as “Alaska’s Playground” (Cal, one of our Back Roads guides, told us that and said he would explain it later in his TED talk).

The morning started out at 7:00 am with a quick breakfast in Anchorage’s Captain Cook Hotel restaurant (the Eggs Benedict with fresh Alaskan salmon were yummy). The team then gathered in the lobby to meet our Back Roads guides with a few of us also meeting for the first time “ in person.”

Some last-minute details were reviewed, which of course included going over Covid guidelines, and it was off to Homer for the first leg of a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. I am astounded at the beauty of our 49th state and cannot believe it took me this long to get here! A check off of my bucket list for sure. But, what I’m even more excited about than hiking this majestic terrain and all that it has to offer, is doing it alongside such a wonderfully passionate and dedicated group of people.

And…Cal’s TED talk.