SATURDAY, AUGUST 17

SATURDAY, AUGUST 17:

     Slept in late and were lazy getting up and around.  By the time we did, was closer to lunch time than breakfast.   Also looked like it was at least partly sunny.  So we picked up a couple of custom-made sandwiches in the deli right down the road in town and drove the 30-40 miles to downtown Anchorage where the Tony Knowles bicycle trail begins.  This is the best-known and travelled paved multi-use trail (bicycling, walking, roller-blading) in Anchorage, maybe in the state.  11 miles long (not a loop), it hugs the Knik Arm and Cook Inlet for most of the way.

     Was a wonderful ride!  After the first mile or so, we were directed to a detour because they were re-surfacing the trail.  The detour led us through some nice Anchorage neighborhoods, which were nice to see.  

     Then led us back to the main trail at Earthquake Park. This is a park set aside to commemorate the Good Friday earthquake of 1964, which we’ve read about in Valdez, Seward, & Whittier and which did so much destruction there.  It didn’t do as much devastation at Anchorage, although totally destroyed about 25 homes on the area of land where this park is now – they just slid off into the water.

                                        What an appropriate, evocative, solemn plaque.  We loved that they chose to reference the First Good Friday and the applicable scripture reference:
                                              

Anchorage’s harbor wasn’t nearly as affected as were the ports south (the 3 towns mentioned above), and, as a result, the economy base of the entire Southcentral part of  the state changed permanently with Anchorage now becoming the unchallenged maritime leader.  Had some nice views of downtown Anchorage  & the harbor from here.

 

 

       As we rode through some forested area, we encountered moose!  First a mom and her calf, then a mile or two down the trail, another mom and calf,

 

 

and finally, down the road even further, a lone bull.  They were all totally unconcerned about our presence, even though we were only a few yards away. 

 

 

We learned later that apparently they sometimes wander out of the woods onto the nearby airport, where they need to be guided right back into the woods!  (We were right by the main airport and a couple of times could watch the jets take off right over our heads!) 

 

 

Amazing how you can be 1 hour or less from downtown Anchorage and be in almost total wilderness!   Jets and a moose almost in the same photo! 

 

    We turned around to ride back after about ¾ of the trail, as it was around 6:00.  We probably pedaled a total of at least 20 miles, as the detour added several miles.  We skipped the detour coming back and just continued skirting the forest and the coastline, even though it meant we had to pedal over some gravel sections.  This time of evening, lots of people were out walking or skating. This is a terrific trail – easy access right in downtown, nice wide smooth pavement (except where they were re-surfacing), great scenery,

 

 

                                                Beautaiful bright red berries along the trail

 

 

some easy level portions, some gradual hills, and a few more challenging hills.  Which made it more interesting than, for instance, the KATY back home, which is totally level all the way.  We met lots of people on the way – serious bikers, families, couples.  Mostly local, but some other visitors like us.  Had the usual questions and comments about our recumbents – always a great conversation starter!   

     Were tired and hungry when we got back to the truck.  Saw that there was a Red Robin just north of town off the Glenn Hwy, so we went there for dinner.  Was packed and noisy – typical for Red Robin.  But we got seated and served almost right away and our burgers and cold drinks tasted really good!   

     Lo and behold – it had begun raining while we were eating!  Yet another lovely day for which Providence had paved the way!  On the way home, a huge gorgeous rainbow filled the sky.