Ken's Blog

Sobering thoughts. Never mind the bears, watch out for the moose. The former may leave you for dead, whereas the latter will make sure first. By trampling. And they’re not the only things that can be fatal in Alaska. Wear the wrong sort of clothing – cotton for example – and you can easily succumb to hypothermia. The Arctic Circle lies just a matter of four hundred or so miles to the north of Anchorage.

I’d been met at the airport by host and fellow cyclist Linda. Five am. Driving across town, we’d discussed a few of the challenges ahead, the dangers one might face. This was not, she explained, the place for romantic notions. I’d nodded in agreement. Adding that hopefully I at least knew what I didn’t know. Keen to draw on her experiences, her knowledge drawn from over a quarter of a century living in Alaska.

She’d dropped me off at her house before heading off to work. I’d meant to go to bed, I really had, but my body clock was askew and I found myself inexplicably wide awake. Besides, there were maps on the kitchen table for me to peruse. Far from unsettling me, I’d found the conversation in the car inspiring. There was much to do, and I wanted to get started. I’d sleep later when I actually felt tired.