Everyday Life . . . .

Pioneer Peak from the top of Bodenburg Butte -
Always a nice hike this time of year!

 Once school starts everything in life seems to flip into overdrive.  I told my neighbor just before school started that the fun Jill is going to soon be replaced by the working, scheduled, busy, and structured Jill.  We try to take advantage of our weekend time and get in some sort of activity, but other than that it often feels more like playing catch-up from the week if there is nothing specific planned. 

Top of Bodenburg Butte



At the end of the Equinox Marathon - a rainy and
slimy trail slowed me down a bit from last year,
but good enough for 1st place in my age group.

Gus's Swim Meet at Bartlett High

At the top of Bingham's hill, looking at the
subdivision on a late fall morning.

Lost Lake Trail . . .



. . . . is no longer on the lost list.  William Edward Hickson says, “If at first you don't succeed, try, try again.”  Well, trying and trying again seemed to work for us.  Twice we brought our bikes down to Seward to bike the Lost Lake Trail and twice we returned with our mission unaccomplished.  I have a pretty clear memory of the bolt on my seat attached to the post breaking about 2/3 of the way up to Lost Lake.  And the next time, the details are unclear, but I know the bikes and us came back home after a weekend in Seward not ever coming close to Lost Lake.

 But we tried again, and I finally got to top of the trail via bike.  This was a trail I backpack on when I first came up here and I remember the weather being horrible as in not being able to see 5 feet in front of myself because the fog was so thick.  So, it was definitely one of those places I was happy to finally revisit and enjoy the spectacular views the area offers. We started from the trailhead closest to Seward and instead of riding all the way down into the steep sections of the Primrose campground, we turned around for "one of the best down hills ever."   

I have many happy and soggy memories of Seward both in the campground and from during the time when we had the boat in the harbor.  So it wasn't surprising at all when our sunny Saturday skies turned drippy over night, but at least we left Seward knowing that we found Lost Lake. 

For a few more pictures of the Lost Lake Trail: 
https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/108360286648812110649/albums/6140424956184501457

Southcentral Alaska 2014 Summer Hikes

In the Summer of 2014, I accumulated some miles on the trail.  Some of them were spent hiking, some running, and others feeling like I was dying from exhaustion.  All the hikes were day trips that I was able to do from the house.

Bird Ridge is just south of Anchorage.  It is a short, but steep climb from Turnagain Arm up to 3,505 ft.  I was easily able to convince our visitors that it was a great hike to do before bringing them to the ferry in Whittier.  We were fortunate to have a dry conditions and get some great views of the Chugach Range and Turnagain Arm. 

Hiking up the last section of Bird Ridge

 Matanuska Peak: - Every time I leave the house I can see the 6,1119 ft. Matanuska Peak, but until July 15, 2014 I had never made it to the tip, top! My usual running partner convinced me that not only should we climb Matanuska Peak but we should do so via way of Lazy Mountain, which is the Annual Matanuska Challenge Course. I've always had a healthy respect of the athletes who run this race, and now having completed the course, I am even more impressed by their times.

Matansuka Peak - 6,119 feet

There is over 9,000 feet of elevation change in each direction on 14 miles of trail.  Near the top of Matanuska Peak it is a bolder scramble and there are some smaller sections of scree, but mostly it is the steepness and the constant up or down that beats up on the body by the end of the day.  By the end of the day, I felt I had accomplished something!

Flattop Mountain: On the hillside of Anchorage is the most summited peak in Alaska, Flattop Mountain, which is accessed by the Glen Alps parking lot. I brought Autumn and a friend up Flattop the first year I lived in Anchorage, but hadn't returned again until I picked up one of our visitors from the airport.

Top of Flattop looking toward Anchorage

When I asked if he'd rather stroll around downtown until Bryant got off work or go climb a mountain, he picked climbing a mountain, and I didn't complain. The hike takes about 1 1/2 - 2 hours round trip.  There is a bit of scrambling at the top that made me too nervous to bring the boys on it when we were young and lived in Anchorage.  And seeing that it is such a busy trailhead, I never saw any reason to go back again until that day.  There were thin high clouds and visibility wasn't that great, but it was fun to get on top of that famous peak once again.  What I didn't realize when I took the picture up the valley is that Powerline Pass would end up on my agenda a few weeks later.  Maybe the hike up Flattop replanted that trail idea in my mind. 

Top of Flattop Mountain looking up Powerline Pass

Powerline Pass - Glen Alps to Indian:  There are also less popular trails that leave the parking lot and we decided that to do just that.  Powerline Pass is a trail along a set of electrical wires that head from the Anchorage side through a valley and end up on the Turnagain Arm side in the small town of Indian. To the pass, the trail is wide, easy to follow, and affords great views of the city of Anchorage down below.  Most people turn around here and now I know why. 

The Indian side is steep and overgrown with alders.  That isn't so bad with hiking/running but I'm glad Bryant and I never followed through with any ideas of biking this same route.  Down wouldn't be much fun at all on a bike and coming back up I suspect would be a hike and bike for almost anyone. 

Powerline Pass - Looking down the Indian Side at Turnagain Arm

When we reached Indian, we had a snack at the Barbeque Pit and then headed back to Glen Alps.  It was an almost marathon day at 25.4 miles and 5,500 feet of elevation round trip.  Neither Kari or I thought it mattered that we didn't reach the magic 26.2 marathon number.  We'd had a fun and fulfilling day. 

 

Bold Ridge Trail - Eklutna Lake:   Through the month of July and early August it became a weekly event for my running partner, Kari, and I to conquer the different trails in our area.  On all the trails we'd done so far there were sections that were runnable, but the steep sections we would hike. Bold Ridge Trail is a nice combination.  The first and last five miles are an easy trail that runs alongside Eklutna Lake.  Then the trails heads up and then down the mountain ridgeline.  

View of Eklutna Lake from the Bold Ridge Trail

We just kept following the trail and ridgeline until we couldn't go any further.  As we moved closer to Bold Peak, we scared quite a few Dall Sheep and they looped away ahead of us around the next bend in the trail. After 3.5 miles the uphill trail stops. Experienced climbers carrying loads of gear may choose to go beyond our turning point and conquer the actual peak. Even if we had gear we couldn't have gone further, because clouds moved back and forth over the top of Bold Peak.  It was also good we didn't dilly dally any longer than necessary because the raindrops chased us back to the parking lot the last 2 miles. 

Johnson Pass:  Johnson Pass is the perfect long running trail.  It is 23.5 miles long, but there isn't much elevation gain and the entire trail is runnable(or bikeable). The problem is that the trail either requires driving 2 vehicles down and running a shuttle between trailheads, or an extra long day of round trip running back to the car.  Neither situation appealed to us, so Johnson Pass remained on the "would like to do list."

When Bryant started talking about heading to Seward for the weekend one Friday after work,  running the Johnson Pass Trail popped into my mind.  Luckily Kari was willing and available to run.  She drove us down to the south end of the trail and we spent all day running to the other side.  At the top of the pass are several lakes with good spots for a lunch or camping if someone were backpacking.  The cow parsnip along the trail can get pretty thick and high in places, but we were fortunate enough to have arrived only a few days after the Forest Service had cleared it away from the trail.  Everything was smooth sailing for us.  Along the way we came across tons of blueberries and salmonberries.  We gratefully grazed upon them talking loudly to keep the bears from invading our find of berries. 

It wasn't long before we made it to the other side and we were waiting patiently with the little biting flies for Bryant to pick us up.  Running Johnson Pass is now on the "done list."

Summit Lake Hatcher's Pass:  I was able to convince Wyatt and one of his friends to join me on a short day hike in Hatcher's Pass. 

At the very top of Hatcher's pass is the Summit Lake parking lot.  There is a short, steep and beautiful trail that wraps halfway around the ridgeline above the lake.  From the top are great sweeping views of Pioneer Peak, Palmer, Wasilla and down the Knik Arm.  We explored a little beyond the top of the ridgeline peak where the trail is a little less defined and eventually petered out completely,  Maybe next summer I'll go back and explore the connecting ridgeline to Government Peak.

For more pictures from Alaska Summer of 2014 Hikes:  https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/108360286648812110649/albums/6139704843905819649

20 Years Later - McCarthy and Kennicott

I hadn't been to the McCarthy/Kennicott area in 20 years and Bryant had never been there, so we figured it was a good long weekend adventure to take our friends who were visiting us. Right after Bryant got off work, we headed to the Klutina River just south of Glennallen for the first night.  We had hoped to have some luck at red fishing, but none were to be found that evening by us or anyone.  At one point, we debated not even going further east as the weather forecast was not very promising and the rain seemed to be on an on/off cycle for the past 12 hours, but we all lacked another plan so we continued on. 

Beware!  2 - 3 hours of Gravel Ahead!

After enjoying some short hikes around the Wrangell St. Elias Visitors Center, we bounced along the 60 miles of gravel road capturing some great scenery along the way. 

Chitna River

 We arrived that evening and set up camp close to the Kennicott River.  I was surprised to see how beautiful the Root Glacier looked up in the valley, because that particular scene never stuck in my memory.  I guess it is a reminder why some places need be visited more than once to appreciate what they have to offer. 

The new bridge across the Kennicott River

The hand tram cable car over the Kennicott River was replaced by a user friendly bridge for pedestrian and bike traffic, which was a much needed improvement as the campgrounds on the east side of the river have exploded compared to 20 years ago.  The little town of McCarthy is less than a mile from the campground, but tourists are not able to drive vehicles past the campground even through there is a service road for the National Park Service and locals 1/2 mile south of the main camping area.  We didn't mind not being able to drive because we all had bikes.  The first evening we made our way into McCarthy and enjoyed appetizers at the only restaurant in town.    



Kennicott Copper Mines

The next day we biked up toward the Kennicott Mine, which is on a gravel road 5 miles north of McCarthy.  The National Park Service has also done some renovations with the old copper mine buildings.   Past the town of Kennicott (if you can call it a town!) is the Root Glacier Trail and it is a great trail to either bike, run, or walk on. We had to dodge a few raindrops early in the day, but the afternoon was better than expected.  The gradual bike ride back down into McCarthy is a lot of fun!

Root Glacier Trail

That evening I was able to scrounge up some firewood and we all just hung around camp talking and eating.  It turned out to be a fun weekend.  Now along with my old memories, I have new memories from the area.  For more pictures of our trip to McCarthy and Kennicott: 

https://plus.google.com/photos/108360286648812110649/albums/6139664785078559265?authkey=CIbhwpeb7IanIw

Kesugi Ridge Overnight

On the 4th of July, we had the pleasure of camping out and enjoying the great view of the continent's largest mountain, Denali or Mt. McKinley as many insist on still calling "the great one."

We had friends coming to see us for a couple of weeks in July.  One was arriving a few days earlier than the other and had hoped to make a quick trip to Denali National Park. The park itself is 4 hours from where we live and once one arrives at the park, even in good weather the mountain is not something you can see from the entrance, but it is a long bus ride into the park, which requires reservations and in the end becomes more than a "quick trip."   It hardly seemed like a trip someone would enjoy having already spent 20 hours traveling from Italy to get to Alaska.  The clear blue skies lent to the decision that a trip to Denali State Park would be a much better place to bring our guest.  

Backpacking 3 miles with 2000 feet of climbing seemed the way to welcome a friend to Alaska., who was looking forward to spending as much time outdoors as possible.  Although Bryant and I had been adventuring together for 12 years, we had never backpacked together.  We each had a history of having backpacked, so it wasn't too surprising that we went into our gear shed and found all the equipment we'd need.  Bryant was even able to produce a water filter that I was quite convinced he didn't have or wouldn't be able to find.  

Within 4 hours of leaving the house we had a tent set up on top of Kesugi Ridge near a little lake with great views of Denali.  

The next day we day hiked beyond our campsite to the ridgeline up above the camp which afforded us beautiful views of the Talkeenta Range opposite of the Alaska Range that Denali is a part of.

Looking East at Talkeetna Range

After returning to camp, we packed up, hiked back to the car, headed to Talkeetna to car camp in town for the night and enjoy a meal in a local restaurant.

Bryant and I at a Denali State Park pull out on the Parks Hwy.

Return from Espana

The reality is I've been home from Spain for 9 months, but I needed to back date my Blog so I remember where we were and what we've been up to.  I'm not sure if it was the hundreds of pictures to sort through with Spain or the busy summer and fall, but either way, I've severely neglected my Blog.  The likely answer for stalling was the fact that I enjoyed our Spain trip so much, it was kind of painful to go through all those pictures.  When a memory of a place is fresh and fun in my mind, the pictures feel disappointing. But as time passes, I can appreciate the travelogue of pictures I accumulated during that time a lot more.  So the questions remains, "What did we do in Spain for 17 days?" 

The short overview is we flew into Barcelona, rented a car, picked several destinations to stay along the way that had great mountain passes to climb with our road bikes and that seemed like interesting cities.  Then we flew out of Madrid.  We explored 5 different cities/towns, traveled 700 miles in a car,  rode 400 miles on a bike, climbed 72,000 feet of elevation on the bike and walked numerous miles on foot exploring the different cities. If you don't want details about the trip, click here and get the picture overview:  https://picasaweb.google.com/108360286648812110649/SpainJune2014

I'd like to add to each place we visited when I have time and energy to regress into memories of the trip, but in case I never get around to it, here are a couple of pictures from each of the different cities.

Barcelona:

Barcelona Cathedral

Bryant and I were on the fast track when it came to the city tour.  We climbed mountains around Barcelona during the early part of the day and later in the afternoon toured all of what we cared to see of Barcelona in the remaining 10 hours.

Local Games in the Park

Narrow Streets

Bike Ride 1 - 29.5 miles, 4.938 feet of climbing
Strava Track:  http://www.strava.com/activities/151398515
We rode a loop in some smaller mountains right near the hostel where we stayed.  Tibidabo is the mountain top where this church is located.  There are also some tourist shops, an amusement park, and great views of the city. 

Temple del Sagrat Cor vist des de la Talaia del Tibidabo

Ride 2 - 58 miles, 10,177 feet of climbing
Strava Track:  http://www.strava.com/activities/151876709/overview
We reached the summit of Turo De l'Home at 5,418 ft. and climbed some pretty steep grades to get there. 

 



Looking down at the Switchbacks of Turo De l'Home 

On the downhill, we then looped around on a ridgeline, swooping into a valley of deciduous trees experiencing "the best downhill ever!" And I think I repeated that phrase for every downhill I was on for the rest of the trip. Somewhere along the way, we enjoyed a huge "El Menu del Dia," which is a three course meal including bread, a beverage, and dessert. It is served daily between noon and three. I came to love and look forward to the big mid-afternoon meals as the trip progressed. 

 

Tarragona:

On route to Tortosa, we stopped off in Tarragona.  It is about 1 1/2 hours south of Barcelona.  Here we toured Roman Ruins from the 1st and 2nd Century including an Amphitheater, praetorium, and one of the best preserved circus complex built by the Emperor Domitian for chariot races. 

Amphitheater

Circus Complex

And there were tunnels in every direction . . . .

Tortosa:

I stayed in a castle; this castle was at the top of a knoll near a river.  It was built by the Moors in the 12th Century and then added on to by the Christians in the 16th Century.  Now the Spanish government owns and manages these historic buildings, Castles, Palaces, Convents, Monasteries, and Fortresses, for tourist hotel accommodations.  Most of them are located in small medieval towns. 

 

Bike Ride 3:  Tortosa to Mont Caro - 32.4 Miles, 7,500 ft. of climbing.
Strava Link: http://www.strava.com/activities/152642931

Driving up to the castle . . .

Looking over the wall . . .

Mont Caro is the highest peak behind the wall.

I'm happy because I just spent the night in
a castle and I didn't climb the mountain yet.

Looking Ahead!

And a couple hours later, we made it!

Castalla:  

Bike Ride 4:  Xorrent de Cati - 11.5 miles, 1,835ft. of climbing

https://www.strava.com/activities/153039854

Castalla is a little town off the
autovia on route to Tabernas

The cycling professionals in the Vuelta a Espana ride up
the Xorret de Cati, a steep short climb right outside town.

We decide to give it a try!

It may have taken a few more minutes
than the elite but we made it to the top!

Tabernas:

Tabernas is a town of about 3500 inhabitants located in the edge of the Tabernas Desert, not a true desert, but one of the only semi-arid region in Europe.  This desert became famous when it was used as the location for filming the Spaghetti Westerns (The Good, Bad, and Ugly, etc.) starring Clint Eastwood.  This area was used by the Italian director of the films because it resembled the landscape of so many westerns that had been filmed in the United States. 

 

Bike Ride 5: Calar Alto Loop - 68 miles, 11,598ft of climbing

Strava Link:  https://www.strava.com/activities/153407768

Strava Link:  https://www.strava.com/activities/153487129

View from the Top

Descent into Bacares for a late lunch followed
by more climbing back up for dessert.

The long downhill ride back into Tabernas

Granada:

Granada is one of those cities that has a little bit of something for everyone. 

The Sierra Nevada's highest peak, Pico Veleta,
looms in the background behind the Alhambra .

Walking the streets of Granada

Bryant thought it was important for us to incorporate this area into our trip so we could ride our bikes up the highest road in Europe and conquer the 11,135ft Pico Veleta.  When we left Monachil, we were sweating to death in our shorts and jerseys but by the time we reached the top, we were both shivering and wishing for more clothes.  It was a cold and shivery ride down.  The coffee, in the gas station around half-way down, never tasted so good. 

 

Bike Ride 6:  Monachil to Pico Veleta, 48 miles, 11,012 feet

Strava Link:   https://www.strava.com/activities/154304142

Looking down the valley  at the little town of Guejar Sierra

 

Sierra Nevada ski hill is on the left

The road is starting to deteriorate and so is Bryant.

Just because one can ride,
does it mean one should? 

It's not much further now!

The last few 50 feet are a hike up!

 Happy to have mission accomplished 11,135 feet high!



Ronda:

Ronda is a real cool historic town with a long history of occupation by various groups who have all left their mark in some way shape or form. 

The new bridge in Ronda

The town is located on a hill, which was great for every bicycle ride leaving town, but coming home each day I dreaded the last 5 miles climbing back into town. 

Surrounding Ronda are small white villages on quiet country roads.  We created several loops through these little towns that went up and down the different mountain tops.

Bike Ride 7:  Rhonda to Grazalema Loop, 65 miles, 9,131 feet of climbing

Strava Link:  https://www.strava.com/activities/155553239

Setenil de las Bodegas

The white village of Montecorto

Bike Ride 8:  Rhonda to Ubrique Loop, 67 miles, 9,255 feet of climbing

Strava Link:  https://www.strava.com/activities/155907316

Ubrique in the distance

The streets in Ubrique



Benaocaz, another white village, nestled in the mountains.

 Bike Ride 9:  Estepona to Los Reales, 26 miles, 7,572 feet of climbing

Strava Link:  https://www.strava.com/activities/156294679

From the Mediterranean Sea

Winding our way up the twisted roads

 



To where the road ends at Los Reales



    After Bike Ride 9, we packed up the bikes the following day and toured more around the town of Rhonda trying to take the entire trip, hardly believing what we were able to accomplish and yet bemoaning the fact that the trip was already over.  Soon we'd be returning to the day to day life in Alaska.

       We didn't have enough time in our trip to visit the city of Madrid and figured we'd leave it to explore on our next trip to Spain.  But on the way to the Madrid airport, we had to stop in Consuegra and take pictures of the windmills that were made famous by the book Don Quixote when it was first published in the 16th Century.  Millers used the windmills to grind grain from the wheat that was harvested in nearby fields.

Consuegra Windmills