|   a.m. ride brought tears to my eyes | AK Ken
Jun 15, 2002 6:14 AM | | Not because of the smoke like the Front Rangers have to deal with, and not because it was a particularly emotional ride, but because it was 31 degrees.
The dog's internal alarm had us on the trail at 0430 as usual, but it's been in the high 40s at that hour lately, so I was surprised to see the 31.6 showing on the thermal meter. Keeps the bugs down, though.
We did an hour on the local loop. This is the view looking east.
This is the view looking west.
And when we got home, we saw one of zose fine Chumman Ottomobeelz zat are so goot for bike haulink at ze end uf our drifeway. Don't know whose it is, but it's been there a couple days. If it stays there too long it'll become my winter restoration project.
Ken |
| That first pic is really | Jixxer
Jun 15, 2002 6:59 AM | | COOL!
I can't help it, I have a big soft spot for trail dogs. Nice scenery
to. What state do you live in? |
| Arkansas.... | Bill in AK
Jun 15, 2002 8:01 AM | | Cool morning, Ken. Nothing like some warm weather after the cool days we've been having, huh?
By the by, when you were up at Kemper, where did you take off from? I'm thinking about going there tomorrow after the Father's Day/Church picnic.
Bill |
| Don't know if there are more entrances, but we | AK Ken
Jun 15, 2002 8:28 AM | | stayed on the Glenn past the Parks intersection for maybe a mile or so, then took a left at the K-B entrance. We passed the first group of signs just a few yards down the road, then turned right into an old gravel pit with some rip rap on the southern edge of it. This is before the official parking area with the bathrooms, lake access trail, and so forth.
Ride out the east end of the gravel pit, back onto the gravel road, around the closed gate, and access the trails at the first opportunity.
There are some bear warning signs due to a dead moose in the southern most lake very near the dock/viewing platform. I hung out there a bit, but didn't see a bear.
Bugs were pretty fierce, though, so bring your dope.
Funny, it occurred to me on this morning's ride that exactly a week ago just the THOUGHT of riding with you musta scared the poop out of me! Still sorry I missed the rendezvous and ride.
I'll attach a pic of some of the WOMBATS partaking in post ride nourishment in the lot where we parked.
Don't forget your camera, we'll be waiting for a full report.
Ken |
| AK is the abbreviation for Alaska, unless | AK Ken
Jun 15, 2002 8:33 AM | | you live in the very balmy metropolitan area where Bill lives, because he apparently thinks he's in Arkansas.
AR is Arkansas, AL is Alabama, and AZ is Arizona.
Ken |
| The thermometer read 85 this morning... | Bill in AK
Jun 15, 2002 9:05 AM | | in the direct sunlight. Becca wants to set up her pool, but it's still too cool for that.
Thanks for the geography/postal abreviation lesson above. Too many times I answer the question, "Is that in the U.S.?"
Thanks for the trailhead info, too. I've been there to go fishing, but never thought about riding there.
Bill |
| The thermometer read 85 this morning... | DIRTJUNKIE
Jun 15, 2002 10:59 AM | | Yea that was a good one when you said Arkansas it's amazeing how anyone can mistake Alaska for anywhere else [Colorado,Wyoming,Montana,Utah] maybe.Thank's again Ken for the awesome photo's I allway's enjoy them. |
| When we first got to AK | AK Ken
Jun 15, 2002 11:59 AM | | I wasn't sure what to expect. After spending that first summer looking around, it didn't seem so very different from Colorado or other mountain states as much of the scenery was similar.
There was just so DAM MUCH MORE OF IT in every direction.
You can go west from our house and not hit a road for many hundred miles. East about 150 miles, same thing.
Anyway, we're off for the afternoon ride with a guest from CO.
Ken |
| The first thing I notice is... | Fat-tire
Jun 15, 2002 11:52 AM | | your dog is not on a leash :-)
Yikes, 31 at 4:30. Here in AZ, it was over 80 at 4:30. But that did not stop us for starting our ride at 7:45. By 8:30, it had to be a hundred. We did one loop, and got back to our cars by 10ish. By then, it had to be over 100. Not having ridden since week before last, I was not content with one loop, so I took off for a second. I got back just before noon, and it was creeping up to 110 (but it's a dry heat). That second loop was a mistake, but I think I lost about 10 lbs in sweat alone.
Nice pics. Maybe I should consider moving to Alaska for the Summer :-) |
| Goodgawd, I couldn't live like that | AK Ken
Jun 15, 2002 12:05 PM | | Inside the oven is a dry heat, too, but I couldn't live in there, either!
You can always put on more clothes if you're cold, but you can't always take off more clothes if you're hot.
RE: summer in AK, winter in AZ. We did that for a couple years. Spent 6 weeks or so in Mesa in the winter. Those migratory waterfowl just might have the right ideer.
Leashes? We doan need no steenkeeng leashes. :)
Ken |
| No leash................ | Mike T.
Jun 15, 2002 1:15 PM | | ....law? I'll bet you don't have Stoop & Scoop law either eh? Don't y'all head off on a doggiewalk with a pocket full of little baggies? |
| The first or second Saturday in May.... | Bill in AK
Jun 15, 2002 1:34 PM | | is the mayor-proclaimed Scoop-the-Poop day in Anchorage. The gentle citizens of our fair city are encouraged to fan out across the countryside to pick up the previous winter's accumulation of doggie leavings. I find it easier to clean up periodically throughtout the winter, then religiously pick up as each successive layer is revealed during break up. The secret? Go early, while the offending matter is still frozen. Bike content? Sometimes I pull my trailer with the trash bag on board behind my bike.
Bill |
| Laws?? We doan need no steenkeeng LAWS!! | AK Ken
Jun 15, 2002 10:28 PM | | Except the laws of physics, which are enforced immediately and universally immediately upon breaking them, regardless of race, creed, religious persuasion, baggies or lycra, riser or drop or BMX, dh or xc, boxers or briefs.
But the baggie idea, yeah, I could get behind that. A 30 gallon hefty bag or two for cleaning up the massive piles of blueberry pie filling that the griz leave behind on these trails.
Course, the dog mushers who are running 8 or 10 or 12 dog teams are gonna be some busy sonsabeaches picking up after those mutts.
Front fenders are a GOOD thing.
I don't know what we were thinking, moving here and not bringing all the trappings of "civilization" with us. Maybe we should have income tax, property tax, sales tax and that kinda stuff too, so we can hire someone to write us tickets if we don't carry our baggy to pick up the dog doo. If I ever see another human on one of these rides I'm going to discuss it with them, form a coalition, make a study group, get a grant, and see if we can't get to be JUST LIKE YOU GUYS!
Questions?
Ken :) |
| Yoo are now an honorary citizen of Sebastopol CA.... | Battman42
Jun 15, 2002 10:37 PM | | Sounds just like em.... glad I left
Tim(No Baggies, No dogs, just critters) |
| Maybe.................... | Mike T.
Jun 16, 2002 4:18 AM | | .....the mushers could have little diapers on their doggies? C'ummon get with the Program you AKers! You can't all be outcasts forever yanno. We've got a nice bylaw that ya could be thinkin' about - where ya can't have an RV or a trailer parked in yer driveway. They could ruin neighbor's sight lines doncha know! :o) |
| Maybe.................... | DIRTJUNKIE
Jun 16, 2002 5:34 AM | | Yea and maybe a starbucks behind every third rock on the right or a traffic light every one hundred yard's.Or they could put a boom box in every fourth tree blasting out rap crap at one AM.What are you thinking moveing up there it must be misarable with all that peace and quiet, no freeway traffic stress and the loudest noise of the day is two bull moose scrapping for thier lady. |
| their, moving (no e ) nm | sp
Jun 16, 2002 11:26 AM | | |
| Who says you can't take more clothes off? | Fat-tire
Jun 15, 2002 1:33 PM | | There is a reason I never post pics of my rides...it would get that MTRFire guy all excited :-)
Good for you. A dog is meant to run around and have fun, not get choked everytime he chases a duck. |
| A poem......Not mine..... | Bill in AK
Jun 15, 2002 1:54 PM | | It's HOT !!!
It's hot !
I can't get cool.
I've drunk a quart of lemonade.
I think I'll take my shoes off
And sit around in the shade.
It's hot!
My back is sticky,
The sweat rolls down my chin.
I think I'll take my clothes off.
Any sit around in my skin.
It's hot!
I've tried with 'lectric fans.
And pools and ice cream cones.
I think I'll take my skin off
And sit around in my bones.
It's still hot....
poem by Shel Silverstein
Boy, it's slow here.
Bill |
| what bars are you running......... | Adrian
Jun 16, 2002 8:28 PM | | ........that looks like some serious rise....got another pic that displays those babies a lil better?
Adrian |
| Redline bmx bars and stem | AK Ken
Jun 16, 2002 8:50 PM | | |
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