getting into a fat diet

Yesterday afternoon went to Billy Kootch's place to set up the bike and say hi to the family. While we were getting all the bits together and tweaking the equipment- Billy's 4 year old daughter took charge of catering and with a little help from mom produced some amazing marshmallow cup cakes- a lovely treat while we were fiddling with wheels, racks, bags, pogies [hand warmer handlebar oversizes 'gloves']

It was a perfect afternoon cold and sunny- and good snow- to hit the snow and go out for a 'little spin'- and back to adjust seats, handle bars- chains and gearing- but soon enough we loaded the bikes on the truck ( AKA Tony's car) and headed to a pre-race meeting- this was a meeting / briefing for the Susitna 50 and 100 mile races running on the weekend- all participants must bring their gear for check- the is a compulsory min weight to carry- mainly survival gear. everyone got issued with race bibs and shirts- and- as the eruption of Mt redoubt- our rumblings local volcano- is anticipated shortly- everyone got issued with dust masks! not quite your standard race kit.

The race organisers then ran a very funny- but also informative race session- and we then headed to another pub to eat and continue talking to some folks who are racing- it's not a very big place and soon enough i was running into some familiar faces-a nice feeling of being more local then a day ago- when i arrived- you get a lot done in a day!

After dinner went to visit Eric Parson-AKA Epic Designs AKA a great guy who himself done some amazing expeditions in some wild places- the last being a raft/ bike trip along the wild and glacier strewn coast of Alaska- incredible. Between these Eric keeps busy making fantastic bike gear- innovative and smart- and very popular with bike riders everywhere- [i have been the 'Australian' branch for a while]- and it was great to go see Eric in his new workshop- and collect some gear i ordered- which is already on my bike tonight - ready for the ride!

This morning went for a ride along Chester creek trail- heading out to Cooke inlet- pretty much frozen except a narrow channel with fast flowing tidal current. It's been relatively 'warm- just on -9 when we headed out- Tony, my host, [and driver, guide, beer buddy ] and generally a great guy! Nikki and Andy from the UK, and myself- enjoying our first fat chance fat bike experience. riding thru the forest along Chester creek we met quite a few people on skis- dogs, runners, and kids being towed on sleds- a lovely ride ending with a little outing onto the ice of the inlet- then back home for a quick change and headed out towards the mountains north east of Anchorage to drop Nikki and Andy off in a town near the race start ( they are doing the Su 50) and back to Anchortown to set up our own bike- i am heading out for a 5 day riding and camping ( no tents- it's a bivvy bag kinda camp) and with changing conditions, temp drop, and fresh snow expected tomorrow night- should be interesting....we are leaving early in the morning- so the next comm will be when i am back- about 5 days.

Thanks to everyone who's been sending hi via emails and comment on the blog- good to hear from you!

on the ice of Cooke's inlet

Into White

It's been 37 hours since I walked out of the front door in Melbourne- and I find myself in a bar in Anchorage- a lively place with great food, and beer, and lots of locals having a good time. My friend Tony collected me from the airport after a pretty smooth flight- 14 hours on the A 380 giant- a very smooth flight across the Pacific into LA- an airport that despite the horror stories of unfriendly immigration and customs officials proved anything but- took the whole of 5 minutes to get thru the lot, and I was out in the sunshine- walking across to terminal 3- faster in my walking pace then taking the shuttle service- then a quick check in at the Alaskan Airways counter, and a 2 hour flight to Seattle- clear skies and amazing views-about 10 minutes out of LA the landscape changed from brown / green to progressively more white- as we passed the Sierra mountains covered in snow- and headed over Mt Hood, Mt St Helen- with it's volcanic cone clearly visible and the destruction of it's explosion few years back still very evident- an into Pugent Sound- and Seattle- and mount Rainier glowing white in the evening light- huge, proud, and familiar- from a climb I did many years ago. The one hour stop over i spent mainly playing noughts and crosses with a 5 year old from Canada- who i met at the transit lounge- who's family breeds huskies for mushers- a chance meeting that turned out very enjoyable and fascinating- learning about their dogs running in the Yukon quest amongst other races. we boarded on time for the final leg to Anchorage- alas a hole was discovered in the cargo hold and we spent the next hour waiting.... and waiting... and then some more- but eventually took off for the final 3.5 hour leg to Anchorage- arriving by moonlight with huge areas of ice glistening in the waters of Cookes inlet- along which the city is built.

When i got out of the plane- the minus 18 temp was actually a refreshing feel- beautiful clean, cold air- after so many hours in the canned environment- and snow- everywhere.

Met Tony and we headed to REI- to collect some gear we ordered- and then to dinner...the bar.. where this episode starts.

After dinner we drove towards the GGBB- the Green Ghetto Bed And Breakfast- the unofficial name for Tony's place- under rennovation- a happy home for me while I stay in AK between trips and races. On the way home met my first Moose- ambling along the road- cars all around- totally cool and relaxed about it all.

Tommorow we get the bikes- and ride!

Quinuituq. Deep patience

"The long wait at a seal hole for prey to surface. Waiting for a lead to close. The Eskimo have a word for this kind of long waiting, preparing for a sudden event:quinuituq. Deep patience"
- Barry Lopez (Arctic Dreams)

The wait is over.

It's hard to imagine I am finally heading out there, almost even hard to recall more then 8 months of training, and planning, and imagining being there. 1000's of kilometres ridden, train rides to the bush for extended rides, crashing, grunting, motivating myself (mostly) in the dark and wet and cold of winter here, and the heat of summer, and 'just another ride before work' and convincing myself all this blood (sic- numerous crashes) sweat(sic) and tears(sic- ok, you know I'm a tough boy.. yeah right) are all for a good cause? ...even with the doubtful glances of some who know me quite well, giving me the impression that even with my existing reputations for thinking some silly ideas- this one is at #1 spot. Expeditions to nowhere... a speciality?

It's night-time in Alaska now- but here, Australia- the moon is getting read for bed and the sun is just getting motivated... it's a new day- departure day. While many will be heading out, to work, to daily routines- i will be stepping out of the house thinking- I will be late for dinner, very late.
Quinuituq. Deep patience.
Yeah!
See you on the 'other side' of this break...

Getting into Gear

A nice aspect of preparing for a 'little outing' such as this one is the enjoyment of the endless hours spent on the Net, in blogs and forums, websites, and browsing thru printed catalogues- salivating over new toys and more gear while pretending the bank account will remain 'healthy for the duration- HA!)- sometimes the 'research phase can become a journey of it's own- and sometimes even an excuse not to go out and train...(it's dark/ cold/ raining/ too hot/ too humid.. and i just need to email these guys over at... and... ya know)'

But there is an even nicer aspect- one that takes a little while to recognise- and that is the amount of people you ' meet' while searching for gear and information- and realising you just made contact with incredibly helpful and insightful people- some becoming friends quite fast too!

I have been very very lucky to come across a bunch of great people- whom i have never met (yet) in person- who were very generouse with help with the bike, to equipment, to advice and information, and places to stay. Tip of the old Akubra goes to many- but especially to: Bill and Kathy, Bill 'Kootch', Tony Allen, Nancy, Butch, Cassidy, and the sundance Kid, Eric Parsons, John at OMM, and- on home turf- Franco D and Chris Watson at Melba.
Thank you. I will see you soon. :~)

picture: Eric Parsons of Epic Designs Alaska 'delivering'....

Fire and Ice

Fire and Ice
It's hard to imagine the contrasts- While we were sweltering here in almost 47 degrees heat ( that's about 107F for those using the 'other scale') Anchorage was chilling out with a pleasant minus 20- making me realise what a rapid adjustment I'll have to make- puts a new meaning on the term 'snap frozen'?

After a horrible black weekend here of so much damage and sadness- and losses- it was hard to imagine being in a landscape of white- after all the blackness everywhere here- contrasts in so many ways.- in worlds of monochrome we travel.

To make matters abit more interesting- Alaska has been rehearsing for it's own fireworks display- it's hard to remember as you think Alaska that it has so many active volcanoes- and just south of Anchorage Mt Redoubt has been keeping everyone guessing for the past few weeks. Last time it erupted the ash in the air almost brought a Jumbo Jet down ( the engines seized- read more here:.... http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/fs030-97/

So the question of getting there- even just really 'getting there'- on a normal scheduled flight...took on a new meaning... so far, The volcano has accommodated my travel plans- thank you! Redoubt
Data today:2009-02-10 07:38:42 -
this is AK time- here we are in already the future- Wed 11th of Feb
Redoubt: Redoubt Volcano continues to be in an elevated state of unrest. The seismic activity is dominantly volcanic tremor with occasional small earthquakes.The web camera is now dark for the night.The volcano has not erupted and AVO continues to watch the volcano 24/7.
http://www.avo.alaska.edu/activity/Redoubt.php

Image courtesy of AVO/USGS.