Last month we introduced the kiddo to the wonderful world of packrafting.
And last week, we had three generations out in the rafts, paddling among the ‘bergs.
Archive for the ‘Activities’ Category
Packrafting: Startin ‘em early (and a bit later)
Friday, August 14th, 2009
Bard Peak paddle-climb
Tuesday, August 11th, 2009Aaaahhhhh.
That noise you hear is me letting out a loud, contented sigh. Finally, after five long months, I made it back into the mountains of Alaska. My main goal as I was rehabbing my Achilles tendon was to heal well enough and quickly enough to do some peak-bagging before summer was over. If I could just bag a peak or two, summer would not be a total loss. By early August, I was feeling ready and the weather was looking good. So Tim Kelley and I got together for a hike.
Tim suggested Bard Peak, which he had done before. If you’ve ever gone to the Portage Glacier Visitors Center and looked across Portage Lake, you’ve seen Bard Peak. Here’s a picture of it in winter time. Bard Peak is the pointy one on the left.
Bard Peak is fairly close to home and seen by hundreds of people every day, but rarely climbed. It would provide enough vertical gain, bushwhacking, and rock scrambling to give my legs a good test without too many unknown-territory variables.
We accessed the peak by paddling across Portage Lake. The paddling made for great bookends to a spectacular hike. Check my photos below, and of course also check Tim’s trip photos.
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It feels good to be back at home with sore muscles and a few scrapes on my arms and legs, enjoying the afterglow of a long-awaited peak-bagging outing.
The Big O
Friday, August 7th, 2009I was probably a little too excited for this week’s orienteering meet. I was merely going to run around in the woods for a hour or two by myself. At the end, I would compare my time to a few other people. Not exactly a big deal. I really should not have been so nervous before the start.
But then again, this was my one shot for the year. I missed all the traditional (i.e. ‘real’) orienteering meets in May and June. This was the last one on the calendar. My only chance to compete at full speed. I really wanted to do well.
Unlike a sport like skiing or running, adrenaline is not an advantage in orienteering. You have to be calm and clear-headed. I can’t even count the number of times I have blasted out of the start, only to be lost within minutes. So this time I did my best to temper my excitement. I started slow and deliberate. I ran well for the first ten of the fifteen total controls on the Red course. But then, with one mistake, my race fell apart on control #11. My bearing was off by a mere 10 degrees or so as I navigated a funky mess of hills, depressions, and reentrants. I had to attack the control from four different locations before I finally found it. I lost about 12 minutes, and my hopes for a good result were dashed.
I finished 4th out of 5 finishers and 10 starters. It’s disappointing when one mistake ruins an otherwise decent performance. But that is the way orienteering works. In the larger scheme of things, I can’t really complain. After all, I was crashing around throught the woods again. That was something I’ve wanted to do for a long time.
ROUTE GADGET (race re-enactment)
Was it something I said?
Wednesday, July 29th, 2009Last week, I mentioned the new Alaska Birkie bike race. I wrote that even though I thought it sounded like a fun race, I wouldn’t be able to do it this year. I also thought they should change the name of the race.
Well, I just saw an announcement that this year’s race is cancelled because of low registration numbers. So much for my attempt to promote it! But get this - they will be changing the name of the race for next year:
We will instead focus on a 2010 race. Our website will be the source of official information for the next year. There will be changes for the 2010 event starting with the name of the race. The race will not be called Birkebeiner. Stay tuned…
I hope they come up with a better name than the suggestions I offered!
So maybe I’ll get to do the inaugural race after all. But then again, maybe not. Summer in Alaska is really short, and as I’ve said before, we’ve already got a ton of fun summer races. Not to mention the other non-racing activities to choose from (hiking, packrafting, road trips, etc). It’s hard for a new race to get a foothold. The Powerline Pass running race - a favorite of mine and many mountain runners - has bounced around for seven years , trying to find a date to call home. That’s why I think this bike race should try September, or even early October. Or maybe the first weekend of June, as soon as the trails open to mountain bikes.
But then again, what do I know? I tend to gravitate towards events that don’t have a ton of participation. So maybe I’m not the best guy to offer promotional advice.
Ride For Life Alaska
Tuesday, July 28th, 2009Linda did the Ride for Life this past weekend. Its a two-day ride from Anchorage to Seward with a campout at Summit Lake in the middle. 80 miles the first day, 40 the second. Its a ride, not a race, and the organizers treat the riders right, with huge spreads at the aid stations and a big barbecue on Saturday night. It’s a pretty fun deal. For many of the participants, its the longest bike ride they’ve ever done.
The kiddo and I cheered Mommy on (via car) along the way, and met her at Summit Lake after day 1, where we had the tent and her dry clothes waiting. We camped out and enjoyed the band, barbecue, and evening program. On Sunday morning, Linda got up and finished off the ride into Seward.
The weather was kind of miserable - a steady headwind and frequent rain. I had grand ideas for my own adventures each day after Linda finished her biking. I had a hike near Summit Lake and a mountain bike ride in Seward all planned out. But Mother Nature unleashed her nastiest in the afternoons, so I bagged both days. My weekend was an O-fer.
Fortunately, Linda picked up my slack. She raised money for cancer prevention and rode 120 miles. We all had a lot of fun, even in the wind and rain. We talked about how it would be fun to do this ride as a family. Too bad there is no way we’d risk pulling a Chariot on the Seward Highway.
Photo: George Stransky
The Alaska Birkie - A New Bike Race
Tuesday, July 21st, 2009Last fall I wrote that, as much as I enjoy cyclocross, I would like to see more interesting ‘cross race courses. The go-around-in-circles format is just not my thing.
So I was excited to learn about a new bike race here in Anchorage, the Great Alaska Birkebeiner Mountain Bike race. The race starts in Chugiak and traverses 90 kilometers of pavement, dirt roads and ski trails to get to the finish at Kincaid Park. Its a unique event that offers good tests of fitness, strategy and gear selection. This year’s race is on Saturday August 8, 2009.
It sounds cool but I’ve got a few small quibbles, mainly with the name of the race. Why is an Alaskan bike race named after a Norwegian ski race? Is someone going to be towing the infant king in a Chariot? Plus, they call it a mountain bike race even though its about two-thirds pavement. But then again, I guess they don’t want some roadie trashing his $7,000 Cervelo on the Spencer Loop.
I think this race has the potential to be really fun. It will be interesting to see if it catches on. I could see it becoming a hit with recreational riders looking for their once-a-season big challenge, a la the Tour of Anchorage ski race.
Having said all that, I doubt I will do the race this year. I’m not sure my Achilles is ready for four hours of racing. Plus, August is looking like a very busy month for me as I try to squeeze an entire summer into about five weekends. (Another quibble - Hold the race in September!).
We are fortunate to have a ton of interesting races here in southcentral Alaska, and I am glad to see the Alaska Birkie join the ranks. I just wish they’d call it something else. How about ‘Crossing Anchorage? Municycle? Cycle to Kincaid ( Cy2K for short)? Hmm, maybe Alaska Birkie isn’t that bad after all.
Hiked Flattop Yesterday
Wednesday, July 15th, 2009Mostly hike, a little run. I dare say it was my first real workout. Achilles felt great. Opposite knee, not so much. Aaarg, if its not one thing, its another.
Professional Backpacker: The perfect job?
Friday, July 10th, 2009Andrew Skurka’s office definitely has a better view than mine does. He’s currently in Alaska and recently hiked from Hope to Homer. Then he turned around and headed north through Kenia Fjords, the Chugach mountains, and is currently in the Talkeetna mountains on his way to Cantwell. Check out his Spot page to follow his progress. http://www.andrewskurka.com/
I am not doing the Fireweed 400
Tuesday, July 7th, 2009So maybe you’ve been checking out the Fireweed 400 bike race coming up this weekend. Or you saw the article in yesterday’s Anchorage Daily News. In either place, you might have seen my name listed as an entrant in the 400 mile race. The newspaper even put me on the short list of notable racers, along with Jeff Oatley, Rocky Reifenstuhl, and Janice Tower. Not bad for a guy who hasn’t done a road bike race in 18 years.
As you know if you’ve been reading this blog, I haven’t exactly been training for a 400 mile ride. Even though I am on the mend, I think my maximum distance right now is about fifty miles. Maybe 75 if I really push it. I’ve ridden about 100 miles total this summer.
So why am I on the start list?
I set up the online registration for the Fireweed races, and I had to enter myself to test the system. I figured that when the organizers saw my entry come in, they’d know it was a test. But somehow my name still ended up on the website. I mentioned it, so they could remove my name, but they were probably busy with more important matters. So my name stayed up.
I guess I will be a “Did Not Start” on Friday. I have been known to do some stupid things to my body, but I am going to sit this one out. I’ve had my fill of stupid for a while.
Early leader in the clubhouse…
Friday, July 3rd, 2009…for “This Year’s Adventure I Envy Most”: Nabesna to McCarthy bikepackraft
