Fifteen Soggy Photos

I headed out to do some science today.  My commute to the research site follows a glacier fed lake for the first eight miles.  Between record snowfall last winter and a healthy amount of precipitation this summer it's been a big water year and the lake is getting too big for its britches.

Their are (normally) two roughly parallel, occasionally intersecting,  trails along the lake.  One for ATVs and one for non-motorized users.


Today the lake was more full than I have ever seen it.

Pretty cool if you ask me.

Encountered this 100 yards down the trail.  I went back to the truck for my rubber  boots.

The view has improved since the trees that were there fell in the lake.

Tried to stick to the trail and avoid the abrupt edge that dropped into the lake.

Hub deep and then some at times.

Right before I turned around and took the high road.

Deep enough to make me double back.

As you might guess I opted for the ATV trail here.

I had to skirt around the new 'sea cliffs'.

There was also some of this to deal with after our recent windstorms.

I eventually had to step my game up a notch.

Booty I found floating in deepest water crossing.

Bow hunter fording the lake ahead of me.

Cargo bike portage. Photo courtesy of "the bow hunter."

Out bound ATVer.

I easily remained under the speed limit across this stretch.

The power of water never ceases to amaze me.

Bankfull and Then Some

Pop quiz for Gypsy Nick (or anyone else who would care to play):

Name that flooded creek.

This is some of the good stuff that you miss zipping around in a car.

Things have been wet and wild up here for the last week or so, especially for communities north and south of here.

I was fortunate enough to see the sun for a few minutes earlier this morning, so I won't complain.

In Summary

I noticed it has been a month since I posted anything.  

Here is a photo summary of the last month of my life.

Much of it is bicycle related:

 

    

Fortunately

Fortunately I was out in the garage until almost 1am installing fenders on the Unit.

Took it for a test ride around the neighborhood. 

Noticed that the neighbors had their garbage cans out.

Realized I should put mine out too or it would be overflowing by next week Thursday. 



Bought the fenders via squarebike.com last spring, but didn't feel the need to install them until now.

Great prices, nice guys, small shop and free shipping.  

Not my LBS, but not a big box store either so my conscious didn't mind supporting them.  Took good care of me when USPS lost the first set of fenders.

Zipping Around on Dirt

Took the long way to school this afternoon.  

Rode my CrossCheck like a crossbike for the first time in a long while.

In the winter Anchorage has a couple hundred kilometers of groomed cross country skiing trails.  In the summer they're perfect for zipping around on a cross bike.  Fast and smooth, but not too smooth. Fun, fun, fun.
 

This sign was on the door as a I headed to the lab.  Exercise caution   .   .   .   goes without saying in Alaska.

The Past Few Days

Bikes, friends, kids, fishing, family, some science and a wheel build.

We had a public use cabin reserved for a couple nights out on a lovely lake.  Allman, Poundcake and Fi rode out hang out the first night.

Trucking in a few odds and ends.

Little reeled this one in all on his own.

Friends and fires.

Bikes, boats and science.

I've had some disc specific Velocity rims laying around since last spring's bike swap. I had visions of building up a coaster brake wheel for the 1x1 or doing a fancier build with some of the new Surly Ultra Hubs, but financial realities weren't going to allow any of that to happen anytime soon.

New hubs came in the mail from my brother's LBS.

I had some birthday slowly burning a hole in my pocket the past 5 months.  I managed to swing a price match deal on some Shimano hubs that would allow me to build some wheels sooner rather than later. 

Now to do some spoke calculating.

Ride Bikes?

Biermag was leaving the house on his way to a BBQ last evening with his helmet and bike shoes on. 
Little wRider asked him repeatedly if he was going to play soccer.
Biermag told him "No, going to ride bikes" each time.


After Biermag got home Little confirmed that Biermag had indeed been out to "ride bikes?"

I had to interpret the follow up question for Biermag after Little asked it a couple of times.

He was asking: "Ride singletrack?"

Image stolen from: kanyonkris.blogspot.com

I have to confess it makes me incredibly proud that my 2 year-old is asking people if they rode single track on their bike rides.