Low today (ANC): 1F
I spent a day lingering around Anchorage, finding $5 shirts at Kohl's, (yes! Anchorage has a Kohl's now!), drooling at gear at REI, and going to places that were once familiar. My favorite visit though, was somewhere I spent nearly every other Friday at, and some weekdays after work, too. Far North Bicentennial Park.
This place brings back a lot of memories. My first encounter with a mama and calf moose, blazing down the trails yelling through the woods in an attempt to avoid any bear encounters, nearly taking out a hiker while going down a hill through some deep brush, sitting alongside the creek just listening to the water while contemplating this beautiful state, participating in my first orienteering event, biking with the WOMBATS... the list goes on and on. But, this was my first visit to FNBP in the winter.
I headed to the trailhead to just look around, and to take some photos. But then, I saw a fatbike, and immediately my heart stopped for a second out of jealousy. And then I wondered what the crap was I thinking with my skis and bike in the car, visiting trails I loved, but not bringing my biking or skiing clothing??? What the heck, Julie? I seriously contemplated driving 100 miles R/T to get my pants to bike in. I had a wicking fabric shirt on so could pull off what my upper body was wearing, but there was no way I was going to be able to bike in 0 degrees in my jeans. But rather than be even dumber and drive 100 miles to satisfy an itch to bike on these trails again, I headed to Fred Meyer and bought some sweatpants to be able to survive in for an hour or so.
So upon re-entering the Campbell Airstrip trailhead, I blazed through an old trail system of memories. It was flipping awesome. The trails were more packed down than anything I have ridden on this winter - I felt like it was way faster than riding on dirt in the summer. The above photo is at the Black Bear trail, a trail they reopened the summer I was there. I zoomed around on the Old Rondy trail, Rover's Run, Moose Track Tr, to the Hillside trailhead and back around. Really wasn't out for all that long but was cruising since the trails were in awesome shape. I also got to test out Amanda's awesome bike light that she is letting me borrow the next few months. It rocked! What didn't rock was how cold my legs got in those sweatpants. But for the short hour of glory, it was totally worth it. I had the trails all to my myself, which I blame on the darkness and the "cold".
Now remember kids, if you're going to put your gear in the car, put your clothing in there too. Or if you really need a new pair of sweatpants and need an excuse to purchase one, that works too. ;)
No comments:
Post a Comment