Thanks everyone. Careful visiting Alaska, it might change your life! Once I came up here I realized there was just no where else I could live! Actually, I really think everone should visit this place. If nothing else so they see what the rest of the country probably was like at one point before we paved over it with blacktop and sky scrapers. It'll bring a tear to your eye when you realize what we lost. Thankfully there are still small pockets of places like this around to enjoy!
This looks strangely familiar
Oh yeah, I live right there too.
I've been looking for you on the trails!! Gonna do the Frosty Bottom race next weekend - unless the weather gets totally out of control. You should do it man!
Ha, yeah, except Norway is getting all the Aurora lately....grrrr, it's not fair I tell you!
I would Love to live there. If I wasn't tied down by family Alaska is would be my first choice to move. Your pics are great by the way. What I would give to mountain bike up there.
The mtn biking up here is pretty off the charts! The vistas are just unreal. I can be riding just a mile from my house sometimes and it drops my jaw! Actually Anchorage has a very extensive trail system so it makes it super nice. The bears can be a little bit of an issue, but I guess that is all part of the equation that makes it exciting. Ah, and in the winter they are asleep (well, we hope at least).
This morning I was riding in to work and as hard as it is, I'll try and describe it in a way to do it some justice. Legs were a little chilly, face and upper bdy toasty warm...breathing thru a face mask occasionally wiping the ice off my eyelashes so they don't get stuck together. The trail's soft and with the fat tires and low air pressure it is like riding on a cloud. The trees are all white,filled with snow and covered in Hoar frost. It's as if you're riding in snow globe scene. The moon is overhead, the sky that is an inky blue and sets off the white snow perfectly. The head lamp riding light hits the crystals of the snow and hoar frost that covers everything. There are sparkles and glints of light flickering all around you like little fairies flittering about. The only sound is the low monotonous whoosh and a gentle squeak as the tires compress the snow below. Now and then you pass an almost frozen creek and marvel at how the ice is slowly engulfing and taking over the moving creek water. The contrast of the dark water and light snow makes you take a visual double take in appreciation. Then the soft pastel pink starts to iluminate the horizon as the sun gradually gets ready to crest the mountains behind you. That inky blue sky is now lighter and the lower your eye goes the more it fades from blue to pink. Now the contrast is between the dark and light snow covered trees and the pink sky that was blue just a while before. Since we are so far north the sun rises and a very low angle so the dusk and dawn colors linger much longer than one is accustomed too. Not bad if you liek photography, or even if you just appreciate the natural beauty of the Earth. After 25 mins of this riding without seeing much other than what has been mentioned, and maybe a moose, you finally come to a real road. Lucky for me once, I abandon the trail system I have only a 3 block paved road ride and I am at work. Not bad for a commute if you ask me! beats the sea of Brake lights I used to see. I used to get excited at going 15 MPH back east on my commute. Now I still get excited at hitting 15MPH but the only braking that needs to be done is enough to negotitate the twists and turns in the trail
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So anyway, I wont get any eagle pictures like that again.
