Alaska State Troopers are gearing up to host a 650 mile outdoor relay. KDLG’s Chase Cavanaugh has more.
On July 24th, the Alaska State Troopers will host their fifth-annual Adventure relay. The event begins in Fairbanks and features a 650-mile course all the way to Seward. Along the route are 44 different legs of trails, on foot, on bikes, or even on the water. Spokeswoman Beth Ipsen says since the course is so long, it’s physically impossible to do the whole thing. Rather, participants choose a leg that’s right for their level of experience.
“We’ve got some that some legs, especially in town like Fairbanks, Palmer, and Anchorage, where it’s great for families to do together. There’s a nice easy bike leg through Anchorage that many people do, it’s along the coastal trail, and of course there’s also hiking the Kesuki Ridge. That’s 17 miles, and it’s straight through.”
While some people may take only one or two legs, Ipsen says some people get quite enthusiastic.
“You only need to do a leg, and then there are some people that follow it the entire way through and try and do as many legs as possible. I know one family, they’re going along the whole route, and their 9-year old son wants to do all the water legs, he wants to kayak all the water legs, and then he’s going to do some biking legs, but they’re avid hikers”
Proceeds from the event will benefit Wish Upon The North Star, an Alaska Charity that is similar to the Make A Wish foundation, providing opportunities to children suffering from lifelong illnesses. Ipsen says these opportunities, such as visiting Disney World or riding in the Iditarod, helps both the kids and their parents.
“For the child, that’s what their life has been, so they don’t know anything different, but for their parents, that are taking care of the kids, having to spend all the time in the hospital with the kid, it’s not normal for them. So the wishes that they get, it’s a nice break from that life of just worrying about the next hospital visit or worrying about their child’s condition.”
She adds that since the foundation is Alaska-based, it has almost no administrative costs, and a typical ASTAR event is able to support the wishes of 4 to 5 children.
The relay is open to state, federal, local, and military law enforcement personnel, and employees, as well as retirees and their families. This also includes firefighters and the Alaska Department of Law. Additional information on the event, including a list of the legs, and how to register, can be found at alaskastar.org.