Along dusty and rocky trails, the rubber of our bike tires flexed and shifted with every bump and dip. Every rotation ushered us closer to the back of the valley. Our group of eager friends, energized by the understanding of a day without night, strapped, bungee-tied, and fastened gear to whatever metal or human extremities we could find. Our destination: Serenity Falls Cabin.

Ellen and Barbara. Two incredible people giving it their all to manage and conserve nearly six million acres of Forest Service Land in Alaska. Our mission this trip: Schrode Lake Cabin trail maintenance. Tucked away in Prince William Sound, the journey to Schrode Lake is remote, beautiful, and humbling.

There are many places in Alaska that feel like you’ve just stepped onto another plane of existence. Places that make you ask yourself, “Is this real?” Seldovia is one of those places.

16,000 miles in Dimitri’s Honda Civic. 16,000 miles to contemplate the lives, memories, and experiences streaking past the window outside as we drove from town to town. It’s a lot of time and distance to think. We often found ourselves in quiet pockets of the country between cities. Where the road looked like it would stretch on forever, and the only decision to make was when we should continue on our way. A state of such simplicity that if someone were to ask me where we were going, I’d be inclined to raise a hand and point out to the horizon and plainly say, “that way”.

An 11 pm text that it’s time to go. A flurry of activity to grab warm clothes, gear, and our flashlights. A mad dash back into the valley. Then silence. Then waiting.