Finally got my first real ride of the season, I say first real ride as my November run down south of Cantwell was a disappointment with no snow. I did get to the cabin and get the roof on, but we should of taken the ATV’s instead of the sleds.
All the FST club rides had been canceled so far this season, either no snow or major cold temps in the -30 to -40 below range. I was going to lead the ride on Sat the 22nd from Nordale Road to Chatanika, but when I saw a -45 below for that morning I canceled it.
The projected temps for Monday were -15 below at the house but 2 above at Cleary Summit, so I sent a post to the FST forum with a 10:00 AM meeting at Chatanika Lodge for breakfast and a ride around Cleary Summit. Turned out to be a good call as it was holding at 2 above up on Cleary and -26 below in valleys.
Six of us showed up for breakfast and five were planning to ride, Chuck joined us but couldn’t make the run. After breakfast three of us drove our rigs up to Cleary and off loaded for the day. Wes and his wife rode their sleds out from Haystack and were going to try and join us by riding up the Fairbanks-Circle trail from the lodge. Ann and Tom showed up at the summit and we were once again five riders. We decided to ride down Fairbanks Creek road to the Fairbanks-Circle trail and meet Wes on the way.
There were tracks on Fairbanks Creek Road but we broke trail on the Fairbanks-Circle trail about 80% of the way back towards Chatanika, never did run into Wes and wife, he said later that the trail was real brushy on the lower end so they headed back for home.
Turned around and headed back to Cleary and then off towards Fish Creek, again breaking trail most of the way, Tom and Ann left us before we hit the Alpha C trail for prior commitments. The three of left, Tim, Nick and I, rode to Fish Creek and again broke trail all the way.
The temps stayed in the single digits above zero and the ride was fantastic until we got to about a mile or two from Fish Creek, then they dropped to somewhere in the -20 below range, so it was a quick turn around and back to the upper elevations.
We put on about 36 miles all told and that made it a decent first real ride for the season. The only excitement we had was when Nick took a header over his sled, oops, some of those wind drift were a bit more than one expected. No injury no foul, although he did crack his windshield.
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