Kenai NWR

It's official.  Sunday November 27th, 6 am, I leave for Kenai, Alaska.

A solid 5 months in Southern Alaska where I will be assisting a PhD with his research in Kenai National Wildlife Refuge.  I'll be living in Soldotna, Alaska.  A population shy of 5,000 individuals.  Weather is more mild than the central region, but that means more snow, also.  I grew up in Fairbanks (central Alaska), so I'm excited to be living some place new.  :)

Most of my work will be done on the NWR, which looks like it has a surplus of hiking trails as well as cross country trails.  I'll also get to do some work in wilderness areas.  Lots of snowmobiling, lots of moose track following, and without a doubt, lots of adventuring!

I'm excited to be near towns rich with culture and history.  As a kid, we used to camp on the Kenai Peninsula, visiting towns and wandering local museums.  It will be weird to be there in winter, since there won't be the tourism, but then again, that might be a nice thing.  Who likes tourists anyway?

As hard as it will be to be so far from family, I hope I get the opportunity to stay in Alaska for the summer, also.  For all the research going on there, past present and future, it might be a wildlife biologist's paradise.

Me?  I want to know I made a difference.  Made a change.  Made something good, even better.

And if I'm going, I'm going shamelessly.