Live in Moscow

Stuffed on sushi and BBQ Pringles. A small reward for a good ride. I find that getting into Anchorage to ride the trails in Far North is something I really look forward to doing. These are my home trails, man. The trails I cut my Alaska cycling teeth on. I love them. Know them like the back of my hand. Know that the good snow riding is quickly coming to a close.

So I had to come into town tonight and wait for many an hour until making the trip back to the valley. So, what's a guy to do? Bring the bike and ride.

In an hour and a half I bombed some of my favorite trails - Ball Park, Paper Plate, Speedway, Black Bear, Rovers Run, and Blue Dot. Connected up a serious set of trails for some serious riding. Awesome times. Started at 8:30 and didn't need my head lights until well past 9. Went down five times over the course of the ride, the snowy slushy ice pellets slick as snowy, slushy ice pellets are when on top of transformed snow or ice. The front wheel would occasionally catch in a mass of these natural ball bearings and next thing I'd know I'd be on the ground. Sometimes still attached to the bike, other times I was able to get free before going down.

None of the wrecks were serious and apart from a bit of getting banged around and some stiffness tomorrow, I'm no worse for the wear. Yet another thing to love about snow biking - you can push yourself a bit further with less serious consequences when things go too far. Landing in snow is much more forgiving than landing on hard packed dirt. It can still hurt, but most times a wreck ends in a laugh and a hoot rather than blood and broken things.

But, it is quickly coming to an end for another year. I might be able to get one or two more snow rides in here in Anchorage and a few more up Hatcher's Pass way, but then I think it'll be that horrible time of year where we can't ride the trails because their too muddy. I'd rather suffer, though, than get a road bike. Just saying. maybe this spring when I can't ride I'll try taking up running again. Maybe.