Alaska Is...

       a kaleidoscope of colors: blue skies, purple lupine, green spruce trees, black mountains, red-violet fireweed, orange sunsets, yellow cinquefoil, and maroon and gold AGLP shirts.

Final Reflections

        As I sit down to write my eighth Alaskan reflection, I wonder how I can write something different. We see the same magnificent mountains and glaciers. We go to the same interesting museums. We camp in the same campgrounds. But there is always something new!

• The new things for me this year include the following:
  
• watching/waiting for whales and seeing playful porpoises
  
• traveling into Denali National Park and viewing the top of the mountains without clouds
  
• sitting on the Park bus and seeing caribou, moose, and bears all at the same time
  
• driving a van with co-drivers, Bob and Craig
  
• getting to know the new participants

       Watching our large group of 80 individuals work together to become a cooperative, cohesive family of 80 is the best part of the trip. We cook meals, set up tents, and ride in vans together. We share our experiences with laughter and enthusiasm. Ishtar, our pirate leader, has spent many hours and days planning our 2007 Alaskan adventure. Without his leadership, this trip would not happen. I appreciate the chance to renew friendships, to see growth in students’ leadership skills, and to experience Alaska with 80 other travelers.