For me, Alaska has always been more of an idea than a physical place. Growing up with a fascination of the arctic, explorers and wild places Alaska symbolized real wilderness and adventure. I spent much of my youth Dreaming and reading about this last great frontier. So it was no great surprise to anyone that in May of 1993, five days after graduating from college, I moved into a small trailer on the Kenai River.

My job: to patrol the 2.2 million acres Kenai National Wildlife Refuge - an area three times as big as Rhode Island.

Since then, I have gone on to fulfill many personal and professional goals. For several years, I spent summers working as a white water canoe guide in western Colorado and winters as a dog musher in northern Minnesota. My desire to share wilderness with others led me to a career in environmental education as well, but the allure of the north was way too strong.

My time on the Kenai occupies only a small fraction of my life. Yet, being chased by moose, howling at wolves and finding my way through seemingly uncharted wilderness have left a lasting impression. I consider my experiences with the land, wildlife and people of the Kenai as one of the most defining moments of my life. This is where the salmon are running. Here is where to find moose. My knowledge of Alaska and wilderness has been a lifetime in the making.

It was a great honor this past week to be participate in the National Geographic's Alaska Wilderness Adventure. I am looking forward to the next week of exploring more of wild spaces.

In an unrelated note...

ED-VENTURES: Travel and Learn with Riveredge Nature Center in 2007 Travel across Kenya (with my parents Andy and Judy Larsen) from November 24 to December 3, 2007

Imagine wakening to the sounds of a trumpeting elephant and feeling the roar of a lion coursing through your body... forget to breathe while watching a leopard stalking prey. You don't have to imagine when you're on safari - and now cost doesn't have to stand in your way! Spend three days roaming the rolling hills of the Maasai Mara in search of wildebeest, zebra, impala, ostrich, elephant and rhino. Explore the flamingo-lined shores of Lake Nakuru and the harsh terrain of the Samburu Reserve. Each evening, share the day's events while relaxing in luxurious camps underneath the starlit skies of Africa. An optional extension is available to Tsavo West and Amboseli National Parks.

View and print the complete Kenya trip itinerary and trip details. Families are welcome.