Alaska doesn't border the 51st state, it borders Canada, which isn't a state but rather a wholely owned Subsidiary.

My dear friend RichG:

According to the US government, the continental US does not include Alaska.

The Dept of Defense and the GSA list travel and deployments to Alaska and Hawaii as OCONUS(Outside CONtinental US) as opposed to the first 48 states as CONUS(CONtinental US).
http://policyworks.gov/org/main/mt/h...m/travel.shtml