Turnagain Arm Bicycle Trip

Turnagain Arm is very scenic mountain fjord southeast of Anchorage, Alaska. It is itself an arm of Cook Inlet, a deep notch in the Alaska coastline. Once only traveled by boat (tricky with the tide and mudflats) or trails, today there three ways along the north side: the Alaska Railroad, the Seward Highway and, at least along a portion of it, a bicycle path.

We started at the NW terminus of the path about 24 miles from Anchorage and rode only about 6.5 miles to Bird Point. The grades are mostly easy, as evidenced by the number of families making the trip with small children.

There are many interpretive signs about geography, geology, ecological relationships, and other natural history notes along the path. There are even more than can be seen from the Seward Highway itself. The trail is near the road in a few places, making it a bit noisy, but in other places it is pleasantly far from the highway as it wends through the woodlands above the fjord.

The mudflats below the trail look interesting, but they are dangerous and have claimed a number of lives over the years. The inrushing tide is sometimes faster than rescue for stuck hikers.

Katie and I made the 6 mile trip in about an hour, but we weren't pedaling fast, just enjoying the late spring day.

The path continues for several more miles to Girdwood.

Wildlife Riskier for Bicyclists

The grizzly mauling of a teen bicyclist in Anchorage's Bicentennial Park earlier this week was a tragic illustration of the danger of running into large and potentially dangerous wildlife in Alaska's biggest city. I got a taste of it myself this morning.

As I was cycling to work along 100th Ave, I noticed a moose right next to the bike path. As I came closer, I saw the twin calves. I knew that wasn't a good sign, even `tho the cow was steadfastly ignoring the cars whizzing past less than 10 feet from them.

I dismounted, waited for lull in traffic and headed for the other side of the street while still 50 meters or more from her. I must still have looked threatening to the cow and she started coming at me.

Fortunately, a motorist had slowed down to get a look at the moose -- or to shield me -- so I pedaled along on the other side of the car until well past her ladyship. Moose are plenty dangerous, especially when they are accompanied by calves. At least two Anchorage residents have been killed by moose in recent years. This one was planning on neutralizing me as a threat to her little ones.

A week earlier I had another encounter with a moose, but was able to turn about and go the other direction.

I don't plan to quit cycling, but it's obvious that "defensive driving" is just as important on the cycle seat as in the driver's seat.

The New Bike

I don't think I have had a new bike since I was a kid. My family all contributed to the purchase of a new mountain bike / commuter this past weekend, and it's great!

My main reason for the purchase is being able to ride back and forth to my part time work. It's only a four minute commute by car, and it's 25 minutes by bicycle, but I like the exercise. I also like not paying for the gas and I like not transferring more carbon out of the earth's crust and injecting it into our atmosphere and ocean. And then there's the fact that we own just one internal combustion machine, and I'd like to keep it under two.

There's a bit of a hill or two along the way, but scarcely worth mentioning. There are bike paths or low speed suburban roads all the way, so it's a good, safe route.

The bike is red and white, has 21 gears and disc brakes and goes like crazy. The boy in me likes it. :}