On our fourth day in Alaska, we started with a last great breakfast at the Snow City Cafe. We then drove to Denali National Park where we will finish the day white water rafting with the outstanding people of RaftDenali (more on that later). We made a stop at a ramshackle rural store run by Mike Carpenter. It can easily be mistaken for a pile of discarded odds and ends but there is a genius to the place which sells everything from old washing machines to a severed human hand.

Our third day in Alaska began after my speech to members of the Alaskan Federal Bar Association in Anchorage. After the speech we set out to drive to Girdwood along the incredible highway with its massive snow capped mountains and broad marshes and mud flats. We visited Alaskan Wildlife Conservation Center and then drove to the Portage glacier area.

The next couple of weeks, I will be blogging from Alaska — one of my favorite places on Earth. As a lifelong hiker and outdoor enthusiast, Alaska is simply unequaled anywhere in the world for its immense and wild beauty. We arrived late Sunday night and experienced the gorgeous wilderness from the air. Flying into Alaska is always awe-inspiring as the seemingly limitless wilderness unfolds before your eyes. We spent much of the first full day biking and enjoying the city.