April 20, 2013

Last local ride to Chatanika Lodge, a 75 mile day and enjoyable. Temps were 45 above on the return ride and I rode without my coat on all afternoon. Have to love it.

I got to the parking area on Nordale road about 45 minutes early thinking that Stoney and Larry would already be there as it’s pretty common for them to arrive an hour early. You know how those single, I need to get a life kind of guys are

So I unloaded and had some coffee while I waited for folks to show, Dave arrived at about a quarter till, just when I was starting to thinking it was going to be a solow ride for the day. Well low and behold shortly after Dave James and his and yuppers Stoney show up. After some discussion we decided to head to Chatanika Lodge for lunch.

Now DOT had been working on the road sides and pushing the snow berm back and Stoney said he knew this get around to avoid the ditch banging I figured we’d have to do for a mile or so, but thanks to Stoney’s recon the day before we got right past it. The track we took went over Gilmore and I figured this would be an interesting run until we got to the overflow.

It was much worse than when I fell through a month before but solid. On Gilmore we ran into a plowed road and had to ride on dirt for ½ mile, then back to some good snow to the top and over to Cleary Summit. The wind must have been blowing on Cleary for you couldn’t see a track, but it was fun jumping the small wind rows of snow.

Anyway, we made Chatanika, had a great lunch and rode back. The only time I was concerned was when I saw water flowing on top of the overflow on the back side of Gilmore, no one fell through but still gave ya pucker feeling