6/28/09: The last frontier…

Looking out the airplane window I could see huge, snow-capped mountains shooting out of the water, islands with glaciers that looked like big white pillows that crumbled as they came down to touch the water. Miles and miles of endless beauty, in an area I have never been to before. I have never been this close to the North Pole. My mind fills with amazing adventures that could be had on the land down below; I have the strong desire to climb to the top of that peak, and that peak, and that peak, and…

I get my luggage, and come outside just in time to meet up with Erma. I am renting a room from Erma for the 6 weeks I am up here and she was incredibly gracious and offered to pick me up at the airport, give me the guided tour of Eagle River including a drive by of the clinic that I will be working at, and then sing by “Wally World.” Yes, in case anyone wanted to know, all the big box stores have started to infiltrate Alaska already. Wal-Mart is less than a mile from the house and I suspect I will be giving “Wally World” a lot more money than I ever hoped.

From a very early age Jack London provided me with numerous visions and stories about the last great wild area of the United States. The long flight, years of anticipation, and build up of the great wild of Alaska I almost believe I am in a different country (but all the familiar store names remind me I am still in America).

Eagle River is nestled right up in the mountains, with many “fingers” of mountain chains coming right down to town. It is clear the glaciers just recently finished their work of reshaping the mountains and disappeared into the ocean once again. The Knik arm of the Gompertz Channel forms the western boundary of Eagle River, and provides access to the ocean and the lucrative business of fishing. …And all of this is my playground to explore for the next 6 weeks!!!