First Half

The Mayor's Midnight Sun Marathon and Half Marathon brought nearly 4,000 runners from 49 states and several friends from Kodiak to Anchorage's trails on Saturday. A slight breeze and mostly sunny skies made for excellent race day conditions at the start. While the picturesque course offering million dollar views of the Chugach Mountains and Cook Inlet made everyone a winner. I ran the half marathon course (my longest race distance to date) and Meg ran race support - meeting me at the finish with comfortable shoes and a dry shirt. During the race I was able to keep a steady pace and finish right at my goal. this was my first major individual race and it was really fun to be at the start with thousands of other folks pumped about running. To me it's evidence that humans are hard-wired to run in groups. For instance I've noticed that my times are much faster when running with someone else. Perhaps it's a vestige of our ancestral persistence hunting tactic: running = survival.

Pickup

Tacoma at the Columbia

Mom takes a gander at the Gorge

After a spring spent hunting for a safe and reliable vehicle in which to explore summer in AK, Meg and I took the plunge and bought a pickup truck. We wanted something that we could use for camping in places with a paucity of developed campsites (e.g., the Denali Highway), yet small enough to parallel park downtown. A 4x4 was essential and we wanted to make sure that we had a place to retreat to if any bruins got too close (i.e., our encounter in Montana). So we found a Toyota in Colorado for a fair price and made the purchase. Lacking the vacation time to drive the truck all the way up to AK, we decided to put it on the barge in Seattle. Last weekend my Mom helped me drive it from Colorado to Seattle. We had good weather and Mom got to see parts of the West that she had never been to before. We took the "northern route" through Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho. It reminded me of my younger days taking road trips with the family, when the journey was the destination. I could not have made the trip without Mom - as always a great traveling companion.

On the river

Out for a practice float in the Taiya River near Skagway, AK


Ben and Laura prepare to put in near Dawson, YT

Laura conducts trip logistics

Two good friends recently set off on a two month adventure paddling the Yukon River. Ben and Laura plan to kayak most of the length of the Yukon river this summer. When possible, they will send dispatches from the field and update their position via their Spot Satellite Messenger. As you might expect, being completely self-sufficient during the next 60 watery days requires considerable planning. Meg and I are excited to be part of the support crew. We have been mailing boxes of food and reading materials to places along the river where Ben and Laura will stop for provisions.

Midwest Tour

Lighthouse, Muskegon, MI

Dad and Brother Duncan on the dock in Leland, MI

Large wooden pike

Meghan and I "made the rounds" this Memorial Day and paid a visit to several family members in the Upper Midwest. We began our trip at a cousin's wedding on Lake Michigan over the holiday weekend. Then Meg took the ferry across Lake Michigan to visit with her family in Wisconsin, while I made a trip to Northern Michigan to see the grandparents. I then rejoined Meg at the family farm in Wisconsin after taking the same ferry trip across the lake with my Mom. For most of the trip the weather was quite pleasant and when it got too hot we could always find a lake nearby to take a quick dip. It was great to see so many friends and family. I think we got a bit homesick for the "luxuries" of the L48: delicious food, proximity of family, affordable housing. The pictures above are from the Northern Michigan leg of the trip.

Summah's here - Gotta run

David, Bill and I hanging out after work

Although there's still plenty of snow up high for getting turns, most of the trails in and around town are dry and begging for a run. Anchorage and the Chugach mountains to the east offer many (literally) breathtaking runs. Kincaid Park features a trail that runs along sandy bluffs overlooking Cook Inlet, Denali, and two volcanoes. There are many trails along the Turnagain Arm that traverse lush coastal forests and subalpine tundra. Not to mention the nearly 200 miles of trail in Anchorage proper where one might cross paths with moose, bear and the occasional wolf.
Friends and I have a few race dates circled on the summah calendar and we've been trying to get out as much as possible to prepare. Last night we tackled Bird Ridge south of town. The trail follows the shoulder of Bird Peak - straight up and straight down. We topped out at around 8p and hurried down for a beer in the parking lot, while fat mosquitoes swarmed our blood-rich limbs. Thanks to Dave for bringing along the camera.

She Passed!

She did it again! Meg learned that she passed the Colorado Bar Exam soon after we moved to Alaska in '08. Today Meg received word that she passed the Alaska Bar Exam as well. We are so proud of all of her hard work and determination. Congratulations Meg. With this milestone behind you, I just know that you're looking for the next challenge. May I suggest babies?

In tape we crust (ski)

Chris repairs the day's first failure

While the trails in town have surrendered their snow to the 50 degree temps, the weather has been perfect for crust skiing in the mountains surrounding Anchorage. On Saturday I was invited to join a few of seasoned experts who seek solitude and distance on their crust skiing excursions. An early alarm (5 am) and a drive down to the Kenai Peninsula brought us to some pretty amazing skiing -- accompanied by three pieces of broken equipment.

A fixit shop among the trees

We skied along a frozen river and an (unlawful) snow machine trail to a broad meadow. Much of the trail was rutted and it proved challenging to maintain one's balance. After skiing into a deep rut I heard a snap and instantly knew that my trusty pair of rock skis would never be the same. When I caught up to the group, they immediately set to work mending the cracked ski with the duct tape I was advised to bring along. Luckily, Chris brought along an emergency ski tip for such an occasion and fastened it to the shortened ski. Moments later a broken pole required more tape and a few cottonwood branches.

Corey ties up the repaired pole (notice the ski with the funny tip)

With all gear adequately mended the tour continued into a bright white meadow where the crust was perfect for high speed cruising. We skied to the top of the meadow and looked toward our intended destination - a high pass unreachable with hobbled gear and a greenhorn. We made the call to turn back at about 11 and rocketed back down the meadow toward the riverbed that would take us back to the trialhead. Sure enough, a bit of hotdogging snapped Martin's ski beneath the foot and forced him to ski most of the return trip on one foot. As for me, I'll be scouring Craigslist for another pair crust/ rock skis.

All smiles and speed in the meadow

Ski train

Meghan happy to be off the train and on her skis above the Susitna River Valley

With Mark and Laurence inside the "Wine & Cheese Car"

Live entertainment

An overdue post on our trip aboard the infamous Ski Train. Departing from Anchorage at 7 am and returning well after 8 pm, the Ski Train was full day outing consisting of early morning cocktails, costumes, a polka band, and a little skiing thrown in. At times it felt intercontinental - nibbling on cheese and sipping wine while sitting in the glass domed rail car as Alaska's wilderness flashed by. At others it felt like a cramped car trip with dozens of loud traveling companions. Although the scenery was spectacular and it was great to get out with friends, Meg and I agreed that once is enough for the Ski Train.

In the Sea

It is illegal to take shells from the beaches in Hawai'i...so I just collected and then replaced these finds. Lots of seaglass onshore, to my delight. We also learned that we could not carry fruit from Kaua'i on to Oahu and the fruit policeman and his x-ray machine caught Bruce trying to sneak an orange across the border.

The morning of our first day on the Island was cool and rainy-we were the only people to get in the water at Anini Beach-we tested the water temperature in our raingear before committing.

Another cool day, at Ke'e beach.

Strange Fruit

Our last supper on the Island-a fantastic fruit, smoothie, and sandwich stand that we stumbled across after our stop at Moloa'a Beach. We devoured mahi-mahi, ahi, tangelo, lychee, the most flavorful bananas we have ever tasted, and an incredible smoothie. Amazing after a day of sun and sand. We tended to enjoy the best dining experience on the occasions when I would be overwhelmed with frustration and throw the guidebook into the backseat of the Vibe.

At Moloa'a we saw evidence of the tsunami's impact-an unusually high wrack and an abundance of plastic beach debris. Beachfront home owners worked to repair damage to their buildings.

Bruce absorbs some final rays.

Time flies...

We enjoyed our trip to the North Shore so much that we are already plotting our return for next year. There are so many reasons to go back. We especially enjoyed the sleepy feel and slow pace of the windward side of the island. At the top of our list though, are the many different beaches to explore. Each sandy spot that we visited was unique. There were great reefs for snorkeling, waves for surfing, sun for tanning, and of course - sand for combing. Here are a few shots of the beaches where we stayed long enough to snap a pic or two.

Secret Beach

Anini Beach

Larsons Beach

Hanalei Bay

Island diversity

Located more than 2,ooo miles from the nearest continental shore, the Hawaiian archipelago is the most isolated group of islands in the world. Nonetheless, we've caught a glimpse of several species that have found their way here one way or another including animals not pictured below such as humpback whales and the great frigatebird.

green sea turtle

red-footed booby

monk seal

sea meghan

whitemouth moray eel

red-crested cardinal

Postcard from paradise

We'll keep the words brief to save space for pictures of the beautiful island. When not preparing for a tsunami evacuation we've been enjoying the North Shore.

Our greeting to the accommodations

The view from our lanai

Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge

Haena Beach and Bali Hai

Next post, local wildlife...

Tour reflection

Before: with a Tour veteran

The symbolic end of another Alaskan winter came and went on Sunday as we took part in the 24th annual Tour of Anchorage ski marathon. After skiing the 40k distance last year I signed up for the 50k distance this year. Meg ran race support, shuttling me and friends to the start and cheering us on along the route. It's amazing how much mental space the Tour occupies throughout the winter. After the race I sat down and took off my ski boots and Lycra. I paused, and felt my brain empty out. I had nothing in the near future to prepare for - no more worries about race times or bonking or whether I was skiing enough. And although I would have liked to have skied the race a bit faster, I am satisfied with my results considering the winter that was. Meg's winter-long bar prep required added attention. I neglected to get seen for a knee injury that nagged all winter until three weeks ago. And preparations for this specific race were not adequate. At the risk of listing excuses, I rarely skied longer than 90 minutes at a time this winter and on race day I slept in and ended up eating breakfast too late which caused some serious difficulty on the very hilly first 10k. All in all, it was quite the learning experience and it was great seeing friends do so well. Looking forward to 2012...

After: 50k and still smiling

Meg in motion

Meg has taken to the trail every day after work this week.

Hallelujah

Meghan finished taking the exam at the end of last week and life is slowly returning to normal around here. While she was studying it felt like only half of Meghan was around and it's nice to have all of her back. Many well wishers have sent congratulations her way after finishing and we are quite grateful it is over. Looking ahead, it seems that life will move forward very quickly. Next week we take our belated honeymoon and when we return 12 hrs. of daylight will greet us. The extended days seem to put energy levels on overdrive and summer comes before you know it. Which is nice, considering we'll have to wait three months to get Meg's results. The picture above is from the morning walks Meghan and I took during her three days of test taking last week.

Reinforcement

Last week Meg's mom, Deb paid a visit. She provided much needed emotional and domestic support for our little bar exam-taker. When not cooking up a storm or taking care of Reb, Deb was on her skis as much as possible, always on the lookout for moose and other critters. Luckily, our neck of the woods was quite a popular spot for the boreal ungulates, as they seemed to stop by the front yard once a day during Deb's visit. We also toured Powerline Pass on Saturday under bright February sun to play in the 8" of fresh snow. Thanks for the visit Deb - we couldn't have made it to the test without you.

Sundowner

5:46 pm

Update: Russian gray whale on the move

Meghan scans for gray whales off Narrow Cape during Kodiak's 2009 Whale Fest

It looks like Flex, the wayward Russian western gray whale, successfully crossed both the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska and was recently swimming off the coast of Vancouver Island. A local BC paper reports that although Flex is following a well established eastern gray whale migration route, he is keeping his distance from his eastern Pacific cousins.

Flex is now more or less following the migration route of Eastern Pacific gray whales, but he's aloof, staying farther offshore than they do. The reason for uncertainty about Flex's uniqueness is that researchers have never tracked a Western Pacific gray so extensively.

Flex's speed and determination indicates that he may join other grays at their Mexican breeding grounds. He'd better hurry though, by March most of the single whales will have begun their northward migration to Kodiak and beyond.

Saturday sun

Saturday offered clear skies, sun, and crisp air - perfect for snapping pics of the Anchorage Bowl. The Great One and the Alaska Range were on display to the north and surrounding ranges - Chugach and Tordrillo - showed their stuff as well. I took the camera along on an afternoon ski and dropped the shots into a slideshow between grabs from an FAA webcam located in downtown Anchorage.

Evening commute - no flash

Today was cloudless and we finally got to see how much light we've gained this week. Like Candlemas Day, the first day when it's possible to make it home from work without lights marks winter's turning point. I left the office at 5:30 and skied home under civil twilight. As the days become longer energy levels increase and moods brighten. - just in time for Meg's big test and the big race.