State Number 23 - Runners Marathon of Reston

State Number 23 – Runners Marathon of Reston,

Reston, VA

 10 April 2016

 

Paper or plastic?  Over the past few years, this has become California’s eternal question.  Other states may face similar impasses; but in my personal opinion, I prefer plastic.

In the context of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), Public Resources Code §21000 et seq., the term “fair argument” is a legal standard for reviewing the appropriateness of a negative declaration as opposed to an environmental impact report (EIR).

We, as grocery shoppers, contend with the question of whether to use paper or plastic bags at the check-out stand.  California’s Supreme Court has ruled in Save the Plastic Bag Coalition v. City of Manhattan Beach that an EIR is not required as a condition precedent to local ordinances prohibiting plastic bags, throwing out the “fair argument” standard required of CEQA.

The troubling aspect of the decision was the Court’s conclusions concerning the potential impacts caused by increased paper bag use, i.e., air emissions, pollutant discharges, increased tree harvesting and increased landfill impacts.  In my professional opinion, the ramifications of this decision may confuse more than resolve the “fair argument” standard.

Putting aside CEQA law, in my opinion, it can be “fairly argued” that the Runners Marathon of Reston can be somewhat of a challenge to most runners, and the quality and organization of this event could be considered second to none with the nicest bunch of people you could ever meet.

Three hours after we left the friendly snow covered confines of the Garden Spot Village Marathon in New Holland, PA, we arrived at Reston’s South Lakes High School in time for packet pick-up and the pre-race pasta dinner.  The snow had disappeared not long after we left New Holland, so winter-like travel was no longer an issue.  The most direct route to Reston was via U.S. 30 and U.S. 15 through Gettysburg, Emmitsburg, Frederick, Point of Rocks and Leesburg. 

While riding in a shuttle van on my way to Dulles International Airport (IAD) from FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute in Emmitsburg in 2007, the Point of Rocks historical landmark piqued my interest as I rode by.  Since that time, I wanted to see what was actually there and what made the area a historical landmark.  Nine years later, I was afforded that opportunity so I made it a point to stop to see what the significance of that historical area was about.

The weather wasn’t very cooperative as we approached northern Virginia.  Remnants of the clipper that blew through New Holland earlier in the day were still apparent.  The skies were colored various shades of gray with a light precipitation permeating the cold damp air.  The boat launch ramp was empty and only two vehicles were parked at opposite ends of the parking lot with the leafless deciduous trees signifying spring had not arrived, contrary to what the calendar said.  Perhaps some adventurous souls were taking in the sights, but the thought of hiking around in the not-so-favorable environment didn’t appeal to me.  Besides, due to time limitations at the expo and navigating through the metro D.C. traffic, we didn’t have a whole lot of time to spare.

From what I read on the information sign, Point of Rocks is a narrow passage in the Potomac on the Maryland-Virginia state line that sparked a violent legal battle between a canal company and the B&O Railroad over who had control of the passage during the early 1800s.  The multitudes of legal disputes over the years finally lead to a compromise between the two transportation companies and allowed both to build on the right-of-way through the passage with a wall separating the two so trains would not frighten the mules as they pulled the canal boats up the river.

We arrived at Reston’s South Lakes High School about fifty minutes later.  The rain had stopped after the cold front moved through.  The northwesterly breezes had picked up which made for some bone chilling weather, but Sunday’s forecast called for clear sunny skies, with sub-freezing overnight temperatures.  I can handle the cold, but did not want any snow as in New Holland.

South Lakes High School appeared to have gone through a fairly recent renovation and served as the official start and finish lines.  The contemporary décor and style created a modern and attractive campus.  The school’s interior and the indoor cafeteria area reminded me of the 1985 movie The Breakfast Club.  Immediately entering through the hallway doors, various display cabinets on each side of the hallway caught my eye.  One, in particular, displayed memorabilia from alumnus and former Olympic runner Alan Webb who holds the high school record for the one mile run, clocking in at an impressive 3:53.43.

The cafeteria functioned as the venue for the pre-race pasta dinner and race packet pick-up, which was super easy and quick.  As part of each goody bag, participants received a ticket entitling them for a complimentary pasta meal.  There weren’t any vendors in the traditional sense, but various running merchandise was made available from the marathon sponsor, Reston Runners.

As we picked up our bibs, a note was stapled to them indicating we were one of the participants who traveled the greatest distance and were eligible for a prize after completing the marathon with one caveat, if the runner from Washington State failed to show, we were deemed the winner.  I guess we were the “runners-up.”  The note indicated we traveled 2283 miles as the crow flies; I suppose Washington is a little more distant.  The red race tech shirts were of a simple, yet classy design displaying the marathon’s logo in the upper left quadrant. 

After our pasta dinner, the Courtyard Herndon Reston was our next last stop for the day to clean up and get some much needed rest after a hard day’s running in the snow.  We arranged our wet clothes and shoes over chairs and around the heater to dry avoiding the likelihood of mold and mildew spoiling our clothes.

The cloudless nighttime skies enhanced the radiational cooling as a natural way of maintaining Earth’s energy balance.  The light winds and dry air were the direct cause of Sunday morning’s sub-freezing temperatures.  We dressed in our cold weather gear and were equipped to take on the challenge of another 26.2 miles.

The outside air was cold and crisp.  Race and school officials deserve bonus points for allowing runners to hang-out inside the school to stay warm, have some warm drinks, munch on snack foods, and to use the indoor restroom facilities with minimal wait times before heading out to the east parking lot to the race start.

When it was time to head outside, a race official called for everyone to follow the lady holding a large “FOLLOW ME” sign over her head.  I thought it was a clever idea as she was there to lead runners to the start line from the school’s cafeteria.  What I found interesting is that she was holding the sign facing the wrong direction.  The sign’s message was visible from the front, not from the back where lined up runners could see.  It was synonymous to a pilot car leading vehicles through a construction zone.  Maybe next time the message could be printed on the front and back sides so everyone can see.  I know, a trivial thing.

Approximately 500 enthusiastic runners from around the country lined up at the start.  This marathon is put on by runners for runners, so one can assume that there are fast runners competing in this race.  Given that I ran the previous day, I counted on being in the upper quartile of runners.  I was there for a good time, so my finish time was unimportant, as long as it was under five hours, however.

I overheard others who have run this race before that it was a challenging two-loop course (half marathoners making one loop) with plenty of rolling hills balanced between bike paths and city streets.  I was excited for the challenge that was presented before me.  After the air horn sounded, we were off. 

Surprisingly, I was feeling pretty good at the start.  Immediately after leaving the school grounds and onto South Lakes Drive, the road grade changed from flat to a slight incline on Ridge Heights Road.  For the first 3.5 miles, I maintained a steady 9:30 pace trying not to fatigue myself any more that what I was. 

Just prior to Marathon Mile 4, the route departed off Twin Branches Road and onto the Turquoise Trail, a very scenic and tranquil paved biking/pedestrian trail through wooded areas and creeks.  At the trail’s entrance, just atop a steep downhill grade, was a man providing a variety of entertainment and support for all the runners who passed by.  He asked me if I was in need of a pizza and that he would have one for me on the next loop.  Of course, a steep downhill grade comes with the price of a steep uphill grade.  It wasn’t bad at first, but I knew that I would be walking on the second loop.

The next mile and a half was very peaceful.  All I could hear were the birds singing in the wooded area, runner’s footsteps and casual conversations among runners.  Near Marathon Mile 4 I passed by a deer feeding on some sapling leaves just off the paved trail.  He seemed content on eating his breakfast with no desire to be afraid of the runners.  Frankly, I was envious of the residents of Reston who have such great places for training and recreation.

Turquoise Trail

I was beginning to notice the bill of my cap was falling into my face.  As I reached up to adjust the bill, “sweat” ice had formed and small icicles formed as the sweat dripped off the bill and froze.

Just after Marathon Mile 5, the trail joined Lawyers Road for another 1.25 miles only to break off back to the Turquoise Trail.  The rolling hills on this section of trail proved to be somewhat of a challenge. 

Runners then had to share city streets once again for a slight detour to a turn-around at Marathon Mile 7.5.  Then once again back on the trail for the next 3.5 miles with several rolling hills and steep inclines.  The trail was quite curvy, so I cut each of the tangents and ran close to the chords as much as possible.

Around Marathon Mile 11.5, runners joined South Lakes Drive for a slight downhill grade sweeping back around the high school and once again onto Ridge Heights Road.  At that point, I upped my pace to around 8:30 per mile.  This was the beginning of the second loop as the half marathoners broke off to the left back to the school’s stadium track to the finish.  My half marathon time was clocked in at 2:11:59.

The beginning of the second loop started pretty much the same as the first loop.  I was surprised I didn’t tire as much as I had expected, but I still had thirteen miles left.  The temperatures were rising, but still somewhat cold, but I didn’t have icicles dangling off my bill anymore.  My gloves came off and I was beginning to get hot.

The man at the start of the Turquoise Trail was still there motivating everyone who passed by.  I asked if he had the pizza he promised.  He quickly informed me that it smelled so good, he ate it and had nothing left but the greasy box. 

Bridge on Turquoise Trail

As I predicted, I walked the steep hill once back on the trail.  I began to tire after Marathon Mile 17 and the rolling hills took its toll on my energy level.

The last hill came just after Marathon Mile 23.  I picked up some food energy and a cup of Gatorade and started walking up the hill.  I was so fatigued, the thought of running up that hill, as I did on the first lap, was an ominous chore.  A volunteer at the food station encouraged me to run and didn’t want to see me walk and made that very clear.  So, I mustered up the energy to run, which made her happy.  However, as the trail wound through some trees and out of sight of the aid station, the running ended and I proceeded to walk back up to South Lakes Drive for the final downhill stretch to the school.  She said she didn’t want to “see” me walking.

I was on par to break the five hour mark and barring any unforeseen circumstance, I predicted my time to be around 4:45.  There weren’t many runners left on the course and I was pretty much on my own.  I figured I was at the back of the pack, but I wasn’t too troubled by that fact.  As I made the final turn into the school grounds, I saw the stadium track and suddenly gained enough steam to pick up my pace.

It was an exhilarating feeling to enter the track where Alan Webb broke the high school mile record.  I had to make nearly one lap around the track to the finish, but not at Alan’s blistering pace.  I positioned myself in the inside lane and picked up the pace as much as I could to finish strong in a time of 4:47:23 with a 10:59 per mile pace.

Age graded time: 4:18:09

Age graded score: 49.13%

After receiving my finisher’s medal and catching my breath for a moment, I proceeded up a nearby flight of stairs, ugh, and to the school cafeteria where I found my wife talking with a fellow marathoner while finishing up her post-race sandwich.  She was surprised I finished so soon.  I grabbed a sandwich wrap, a drink and some amazing baked goods for a great post-race lunch.  The spacious area of the cafeteria gave me the opportunity to relax and stay warm while conversing with other runners.  All the while, stiffening up which made walking to the car a little more difficult.



Winner's Mug

Before we left the cafeteria, we checked with a race official if we indeed won the prize for traveling the greatest distance.  It turned out that the Washington runner either did not show or did not claim the prize.  So, we each were handed a coffee mug printed with the Reston Runners logo.  A nice souvenir from a great marathon.



My rest break didn’t last long as we needed to get back to the hotel to shower and check-out.  Prior to checking in, we requested, and were granted, a late check-out because of the marathon.  However; as my wife went to the room while I checked out, the room key did not work.  I figured that the desk clerk didn’t program the card to account for the late check-out.  So, I received a new key and went back to the room to open the door.  Actually, what had happened was my wife went to the wrong floor and tried to open the wrong door.  The key actually did work.  Oh well, we were tired and really needed a shower.

After we showered, packed up and vacated the room, we drove over to Santini’s New York Deli on Baron Cameron Avenue for another lunch.  The décor was much like a sports bar with multiple TVs showing different sports games and seemed to be a popular spot for locals.

I had a Philly cheese steak and my wife had a slice of pizza and a hamburger.  Of course, my cheese steak sandwich was delicious and hot.  My wife said the pizza was good, but the hamburger was nothing out of the ordinary.

It was time to hit the road again with a 35-mile drive down the Fairfax County Parkway to the Mt. Vernon estate of President Washington situated along the banks of the Potomac River.  My last visit to Mt, Vernon was in 1977 as part of my Boy Scout Jamboree trip.  For some reason I don’t remember, a tour of the mansion wasn’t possible then, but we were able to walk the grounds.

Author at Mt. Vernon

The tour of the mansion was a lot different than what I had expected.  I envisioned large rooms, studies, libraries, servant’s quarters and parlors.  Instead, the rooms were quite small with intricate details and designs.  Also, the many bedrooms served as guest rooms for those who would drop by on a whim for the night or just to talk with the president.

Lastly, as we walked the guided pathway, we came up to George and Martha’s tomb.  It was a time to pay our respects to one of the founding fathers of our country, a Revolutionary War general, a Master Mason who set some of the District of Columbia’s famous building cornerstones, and a land surveyor who partitioned large portions of Virginia.

The surveyor display in the visitor center was my attention grabber.  I have been a practicing civil engineer for nearly 25 years and rely on the principles of land surveying as an integral part of my profession.  George was an avid professional land surveyor and learned the craft at a very young age, so viewing the old instruments he employed in his work and map making was a treat.  What a significant difference from the total stations and GPS technology surveyors use today.



Early surveyor tools

Visiting Mt. Vernon was a remarkable experience.  I was fascinated with the mansion tour and walking the estate’s grounds and humbled just how hard life was in the late 1700s and made me reflect upon the things that we Americans take for granted. 

We are truly fortunate to live in such a beautiful and free country, so why are we so unsatisfied and ungrateful?  In today’s mad world, we take for granted cell phones, 24/7 markets, fast food, cars, paved roads, electricity, friends, family, our job, and running hot water just to name a few.  We need to be more cognitive of the fact to appreciate the things you have before the time comes that will make you appreciate the things you once had.  If we weren’t so reliant on entitlements and work hard for what we have, we could be better off as a society.

The day was ending soon and we still needed to drive back to Baltimore for an early morning flight back to LAX.  On the way up George Washington Parkway, we stopped by the George Washington Masonic National Memorial in Alexandria.  I once visited the memorial in 1986 and found it to be a great place to learn about the various branches of freemasonry and the many artifacts from Washington’s days as a freemason in Fredericksburg Lodge No. 4, AF&AM.  The time was after 1700 hours, so it was unfortunate a tour was not possible.



Washington's tomb

George as early surveyor

With daylight waning, we made our way back onto the Capital Beltway, I-495, to the Baltimore-Washington Parkway which led us directly to our hotel, the Springhill Suites BWI an hour and a half later.

As we drove into the parking lot, a large bus was parked in the portico as baseball players from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore were arriving after their game with Coppin State earlier in the day, while cramming their bags and gear in the hotel foyer.  The solemn looks on the players’ faces spoke volumes about the outcome of their game.  I did check later and found they lost both games of their double header.

We woke up early Monday morning, turned in the rental car at BWI and caught our early morning Alaska Airlines flight back to LAX.

Overall, I really loved this challenging race.  The super nice folks really know how to put on a marathon and the pre-race pasta dinner was great during Saturday evening’s packet pick-up.



George Washington Masonic Memorial

The rolling-hilled course was a lot of fun challenging my endurance and fitness.  I particularly enjoyed making the two 13-mile loops required for the full marathon.  After the first loop, I knew what to expect on the second round which seemed to make the time go by faster.  The miles were clearly marked with the initials “RMR” painted on the pavement.

Running on the bike trails through the shaded forested areas was a pleasant experience.  The miles of the Turquoise Trail were quiet and serene, particularly on the second loop after the half marathoners finished their race.  My footsteps created their own beat, with a creek here, a deer there, perhaps glimpses of some other wildlife, the cool breeze on the path, children playing on nearby playground equipment, and locals out for a stroll or walking their dogs all under a blue sky.

The marathon may be small compared to most marathons, but I was impressed with the amount of spectators and the supportive volunteers staffing the aid stations.  The stations had plenty of water and Gatorade with a few providing bananas, GU, fig newtons and other snacks.

Finishing on the track where Alan Webb set his running record was a great experience.  It was too bad I couldn’t keep his pace for the final lap.  Finish line photos were available, but since I’m not the photogenic type, it didn’t matter to me.  Hanging out in the cafeteria post-race was an idyllic situation where runners could warm themselves, change wet clothes and grab some of the plentiful food and drink while talking with others about their race.  Great atmosphere and great experience!

The Turquoise Trail conveyed to me a biblical thought – Psalm 23: “The Lord is my shepherd; I lack nothing.  He makes me lie down in green pastures: He leads me beside the quiet waters.  He refreshes my soul: He guides me along the paths of righteousness for His name's sake.”

Last, but not least, in reference to the abovementioned “fair argument” standard, this marathon was inarguably one of the best marathons I have run to date – all the better that an EIR is not required.  So, what should it be…paper or plastic?

 

State Number 21 - Chattanooga Marathon

State Number 21 – Chattanooga Marathon, Chattanooga, TN

6 March 2016

“Pardon me boy, is that the Chattanooga Choo Choo?”  Whether or not Glenn Miller’s 1941 hit made Chattanooga famous is up for debate, but wasn’t up for debate is the Chattanooga Marathon.

The weekend’s second marathon directed us up the northbound I-75 corridor to the Volunteer State where we volunteered to participate in this inaugural marathon. 

The drive from Albany to Chattanooga took us around five hours, largely due to construction around the Atlanta area together with the daily congested peak hour traffic volumes through downtown.  The HOV lane did afford us with increased average speeds; however, at times it moved slower than the non-HOV lanes. 

Before approaching Atlanta, I thought of using the I-285 by-pass around the city.  However, my Inrix iPhone app warned of congested traffic on the I-285 beltway around Atlanta as well.  I guess there are no easy ways around large metropolitan areas and one must accept the fact of overcrowded freeways.  After clearing the downtown area at the I-85 split, traffic was once again back up to normal freeway speeds all the way in to Chattanooga.

The expo/packet pick-up was held at the First Tennessee Pavilion near Finley Stadium on Reggie White Boulevard.  We arrived in time to pick up our bibs, shirts and other items before it closed at 1900 hours.  We still had on our running attire from Albany and we definitely didn’t look or feel at our best, but there weren’t many feasible options available.

At check-in, each participant was afforded a box of fried chicken strips from Zaxby’s.  Since closing time was near, the event staff told us to take what we wanted so they will have less to deal with at the expo’s conclusion.  We were hungry and couldn’t resist, so we each grabbed two boxes.

Each box contained three large pieces of chicken strips, dipping sauce and a 4-inch chocolate chip cookie.  Since our last meal was in Albany, we were quite hungry and looked forward to a meal after we checked into to our hotel, the Wingate by Wyndham Chattanooga off Shallowford Road in East Brainerd, twelve miles from the pavilion.

We heated the chicken strips with the in-room microwave oven.  The hunger I was experiencing made the chicken very tasty and delicious, especially with the spicy dipping sauce.  We satiated ourselves and felt much better after a shower and looked forward to some rest and relaxation before Sunday’s marathon.  Another great pre-marathon meal.

The alarm clock sounded at 0630 indicating it was time to accept the day’s tough challenges.  We ate some granola and a banana for some pre-race energy and drove down I-24 via I-75 to the finish line parking area.  The lots were full, but we managed to create a parking space in the fire lane area.  Others were doing it, so why not us?

Prior to boarding the shuttle bus to the race start, my wife made a quick trip in to the pavilion to exchange her tech shirt for a smaller size, while I waited to catch one of the available buses lined up against the curb.  Once the bus departed, it was only a five minute ride to downtown.

The early morning breezes swirling around the downtown buildings made the “feel like” temperature fairly chilly.  We kept warm in the Courtyard Hotel lobby where we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to use the indoor restroom facilities.  This also gave me some time to read the newspaper and watch the morning news on the lobby TV.  I turned on my Garmin Forerunner 310xt watch; however, the damn thing was stuck on the boot-up screen for some reason and was not able to locate any satellites.  Being in a building may not have helped with satellite reception, but stuck on the boot-up screen?  I wonder how many other 310xt owners experience the same problem.

A few minutes prior to the start, we made our way down through a parking structure corridor to the bag drop area and joined the exuberant crowd of marathon and half marathon runners.  My Garmin still wasn’t working and still stuck on the boot-up screen.  I performed a hard reset, but to no avail.  Nothing worked and was enough to piss-off the good-humor man, but I just had to live with it.

It was perfect running weather – cool with some scattered clouds – but as the day progressed, the temperature would undoubtedly warm up.  I knew the course was rather hilly and, besides, I just ran a marathon the day before, so my goal time is to finish in under five hours.  After the playing of our national anthem and a few valedictory words from the race announcer, we were off and making history with the running of this inaugural event.

My watch was still hung up on the boot screen after the start, but I kept it on with the hopes of it eventually booting up.  My mile and overall times were going to be jacked, but what can I do? 

All participants began running down Broad Street with the half marathoners breaking off just after 1.5 miles.  The number of runners suddenly thinned after the split leaving more room to maneuver.  I was feeling pretty good with a slight soreness in my calf muscle from the previous days’ marathon.  I kept glancing at my watch, but still the same after the half break off.

Shortly after the break, voila, my watch was working!  I immediately started the timer and waited for the next mile marker to figure how much of a discrepancy there was.  The 5 km timing mat was my reference point and quickly calculated that I started my watch at Marathon Mile 1.8.  So I just had to adjust every mile by 1.3 to figure my overall distance.

The course meandered through the southern part of Chattanooga with a turn-around on Virginia Avenue shortly before Marathon Mile 5.

Just before Marathon Mile 6, runners passed by Clumpy’s Ice Cream Co. and the Lookout Mountain Incline Railway, a funicular train that climbs to the top of Lookout Mountain. 

As I ran by the Marathon Mile 6 banner, my distance was off by approximately 0.25 mile.  That got me wondering if something was wrong, but didn’t think any more of it and continued to plug along.

Around Marathon Mile 7, I had to make a pit stop to fix a sock problem that was plaguing my left heel.  A hot spot was beginning to progress into a blister, so it had to be dealt with ASAP.   I did not have a Band-Aid available, but once I stretched and adjusted the sock, it didn’t bother me again. 

It wasn’t until about Marathon Mile 8 I overheard a group of runners ahead of me questioning the validity of the distances between mile markers and their watches.  They made comments to a course official about a discrepancy of about a quarter mile.  I also chimed in about the same inconsistency. 

Yummmm

With that out of mind, it was time to focus on finishing the marathon.  I was beginning to fatigue around Marathon Mile 9 but fortunately for me, my leg pain wasn’t getting any worse.

I decided to walk up the hill at Marathon Mile 10 while munching on some food energy I picked up at the aid station.  At the top of the incline, Veterans Bridge spanning the Tennessee River came into view.  After a few tenths of a mile through a small development area on Battery Place, I approached the bridge.

The half mile over the bridge provided a great view of downtown, the river and the North Shore of Chattanooga.  The hard part of the course began.

The hilly terrain of North Chattanooga definitely tested my ability to overcome the gravitational challenges hills present.

The steepest hill came at Marathon Mile 13 as we turned up Falmouth Road.  I immediately began to walk as I was really getting tired.  Runners around me quickly exclaimed, “Oh, my God!  Are you kidding me?”  The half marathon split was about 0.1 mile up the hill, so I couldn’t look strong crossing the timing mat.  I crossed in a time of 2:12 ± (according to the clock).

Soon after, I was glad to reach the hill’s apex where I resumed running taking full advantage of the force of gravity.  This area of Chattanooga was very scenic with stately homes overlooking the Tennessee River and the beautifully manicured Chattanooga Golf and Country Club.  I was much more interested in hopping into a golf cart and playing a round of eighteen than running twelve more miles.

After finishing the North Shore route, it was time to cross back into downtown via the Walnut Street Bridge.  This fascinating one-half mile long bridge built in the late 1800s is testament to a modified camelback truss design and has functioned as a pedestrian only bridge since 1978.

Spectators, as well as those just out for a morning stroll, cheered runners as they ran over the old wood deck boards.  The protruding nails and the loose (and some rotting) deck boards were a constant tripping hazard, so I watched every step.

Once off the bridge’s approach into downtown at Marathon Mile 16, just a couple of blocks from the start line, the course turned easterly towards the University of Tennessee Chattanooga passing by the McKenzie Arena and the Chattanooga Confederate Cemetery, a final resting place for confederate soldiers who fought in the Civil War and a treasure trove of our history.  At that moment, I was able to hear screams and cheers in the distance.  I wasn’t quite sure what all the hullabaloo was until the campus quad area came into view. 

All passers-by were greeted with the super loud cheers of students from various fraternities and sororities giving and receiving high-fives and from UTC’s mascot, Scrappy Moc, upon entering the campus quad area.  The sound and support from the students lifted my spirits and gave me some much needed energy to pull me through the last nine miles.

After leaving UTC, the blister on my heel was beginning to become tender.  I stopped at medical aid for a Band-Aid, but they did not have one.  Apparently, only tape and gauze were in stock.  I knew that wouldn’t work, so I thanked the helpful, and apologetic, EMTs, re-adjusted my sock and continued on with my task at hand.  

Original pilaster to Ferger Place

The next 4.5 miles were somewhat humdrum.  Older residential sections interspersed with commercial and industrial developments dominated the scene.  However, as I headed towards Marathon Mile 23, I was unexpectedly treated with a run through the Ferger Place Historic District.

An informational sign at the district’s entrance said Ferger Place was founded in the early 1900s and serves as the first gated community south of the Mason-Dixon Line and features rare architectural styles.  This beautifully preserved neighborhood was once home to the wealthy and government officials.  Although not gated today, the original pilasters still exist. 

The streets in the U-shaped subdivision are named Morningside Drive, Eveningside Drive and Ferger Place.  Of course, Morningside is on the east and Eveningside on the west.  Several of the residents were kind enough to offer runners cups of cold beer.  I took up their offers for some much needed carbs and as a pick-me-up for the last 5 km. 

While appreciating the neighborhood, the land surveyor within me pondered how Tennessee law treats ancient subdivision maps and plats.  California uses the Subdivision Map Act contained in the Government Code.  Does Tennessee use something similar to California law?  Is a certificate of compliance all that’s needed?  That’s a topic outside the scope of this tome and can be discoursed at a later time.  For those who REALLY need to know, see when a map is not a map.

Making a left back onto E. Main Street, I was happy to finally be less than three miles from the finish.  My energy level was drained, my calf was sore and one thought was on my mind – to finish in under five hours.  I could only guess at my time, but I had a sense of where I stood.  The last two miles seemed like an eternity, but I kept pushing.  When I was able to hear the cheering crowds massed around the finish line area, an adrenaline rush kicked in as I rounded the penultimate turn onto Broad Street. 

I made the final turn onto Reggie White Blvd. and right there in my view was the Marathon Mile 26 banner.  The finish line was in sight and I can truly say, “I was almost there.”  I saw the race clock in the distance ticking away – it was under five hours – yay!  I picked up the pace and finished strong with a time of 4:53:55, an 11:14 pace.

Age graded score: 47.65%

Age graded time: 4:26:12

Upon receiving my finisher’s medal, I walked over to some shade to cool off and texted my wife I was done and where to meet up with her.  After talking with a couple of young girls about their earlier one-mile run and how happy they were to receive a medal, I walked into the pavilion and found my wife.  She had just finished her complimentary food truck meal and was sitting in the sun trying to warm up.

My complimentary food truck meal consisted of two carne asada tacos.  It wasn’t much, but other food was available and needless to say, I took advantage of the post-race food, chocolate milk and coconut water.

We spent about an hour just lounging before leaving for the hotel to clean up and see the sights around Chattanooga.

Although we had some post-race food, we were still a little hungry.  Now that the race was over and traffic was back to normal on the city’s surface streets, we ate a late lunch at The Terminal Brewhouse across from the Chattanooga Choo Choo Hotel and museum.

Chattanooga Choo choo on Track 29

After much internal deliberation, I settled on the Philosopher’s Burger consisting of ground lamb seasoned with cinnamon, oregano and other spices with feta aioli and onions with a side of chipotle whiskey baked beans.  The burger was quite delightful.  One taste of that burger was analogous to Plato sitting at our table educating us on his western philosophical works.

As we were preparing to leave, a runner from the Chattanooga area, with his bib still plastered to his shirt, came up to us and asked if we ran the marathon.  This was his first marathon and finished in just over four hours.  He was quite happy with his time (as he should be on that course) and was out celebrating with friends.  When he walked, it was evident he had the “marathon shuffle” and he struggled making his way down the staircase to the ground floor.  We weren’t too bad, but we can relate to the shuffle.

The Chattanooga Choo Choo depot across the street was our next whistle stop to see the classic train on display, on Track 29, of course.

Lookout Mountain was our next destination, an upscale community of around 2000 residents, to visit Rock City Gardens (actually in the State of Georgia) and Point Park in the Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park. 

Rock City is known for its ancient rock formations, famous gardens and the stunning panoramic views of seven states.  Unfortunately, Rock City closed its doors at 1700 hours and we arrived a few minutes before.  So a visit to the Seven States overlook and the ancient rock formations will have to wait for another date and time, if ever.  So, it was back through the maze of streets through the community to Point Park.  The sun was beginning to set and we didn’t have much time to spend visiting the park, so only a few photographs of the area had to suffice.

Can you see seven states?

On a side note, I am very skeptical one can see seven states from Rock City, especially North and South Carolina, Kentucky and Virginia.  My calculations indicate that in order to see all seven states listed, the viewer’s elevation must be around 9500 feet.  At Rock City, the elevation is a mere 1200 feet above Chattanooga, not high enough to see points beyond 40 to 50 miles, at best.

The road down into Chattanooga led us to Ruby Falls and right to the funicular at the bottom of the hill.  There we stopped at Clumpy’s for a homemade ice cream treat to top off our day.  Just a few hours before, we ran past the place.

Point Park entrance

It was getting late in the day and time to head back up I-24 to the hotel and rest up for our early morning drive back to Atlanta for our flight back to LAX. 

For an inaugural marathon, I got the impression the organizing committee “gave it their all” for this event and to make it memorable for everyone.  The marathon’s web site is user friendly and informative. 

The course was hilly (one of the hilliest I’ve completed), challenging and tough and likely not a BQ course for everyone.  Participants were encouraged to park near the finish line area and catch a ride on the shuttle bus to the start, which was only a few minutes away.  Transportation was well organized and we did not experience any hang ups.

Although we arrived at the expo toward the latter part of the day, it seemed to have limited vendors.  Maybe because it was at the end of the day.  The extra boxes of Zaxby’s chicken was a pleasant surprise – especially because I was so hungry.

Hats off to the local law enforcement for providing excellent traffic control.  Without their support, our safety would be compromised.  The friendly volunteers, spectators and ample water stations made this a great event.  The enthusiasm of the race organizers were commendable and this marathon should be a great annual event for Chattanooga in future years.  In a combined event, a majority of participants choose the half marathon so marathon runners may be running alone, but the course was well marked.

The course provided runners a tour of the various regions of Chattanooga, especially the North Shore and the Ferger Place District; however, the course could be redirected around some of the more run-down or industrial areas.  I know, easier said than done given the recertification process.  The three highlights, at least for me, were running across the two bridges (what else from an engineer), the uplifting spirit and inspiration from the UTC students, and finishing.

The tech shirt and finisher’s medal were somewhat plain and lacked any style.  Perhaps in the years to come, they will become more attractive with more fashionable bling and designs.

Not long after we settled in back home and taking pleasure in checking off another state, a notice was sent out from race officials that read:

“On behalf of the Chattanooga Marathon Planning Committee, I would like to sincerely apologize to the runners of Sunday’s Inaugural Chattanooga Marathon full marathon. As you may know, the full marathon was short by 0.28 miles because the St. Elmo turn-around was placed 0.14 miles before the certified course turn-around. Please know that the certification was not the cause but rather the placement of the cones that resulted in the discrepancy.

On Sunday, a few local athletes informed me after their run that they thought the turn-around was early. After hearing this, we requested Garmin files and found, after reviewing the files on Monday, that there did appear to be an issue.  On Tuesday, we went down to St. Elmo and got the exact distance of the shortage and began responding to inquiries via phone and email.”

That message only confirmed my uncertainties of the course’s distance after the turn-around point.  It is unfortunate that this marathon may not be accepted as an official marathon towards any kind of certification; however, Boston is willing to accept it using a projected finish time.  In my professional opinion, if runners endeavoring to run all fifty states completed this marathon acting in good faith with the confidence and trust this USATF certified course was laid out correctly, it should be counted – with or without a projected finish time or the distance covered.

I am not assigning fault to anyone, but mistakes can and do happen; everyone makes them occasionally, it’s inevitable when there are different levels of human involvement.  We can be open to them, learn from them and use them to better ourselves the next time.  With that said, the race organizers did offer a reduced entry fee for the 2017 running to all 2016 marathon participants provided they completed the course with an official finish time.   

They weren’t compelled to offer a discount, but I consider that to be honest customer service and a way to better themselves for next time.  This marathon was an inaugural event and bugs will undoubtedly transpire.

It is unclear whether or not I will run Tennessee again in the future as a make-up run, but one thing is certain, I did have a great time in the Volunteer State.

“Chattanooga Choo Choo, won’t you choo-choo me home?”

All aboard!

 

 

 

 

State Number 25 - Anchorage Mayors Marathon

State Number 25 – Anchorage Mayor’s Marathon,

Anchorage, AK

18 June 2016

In 1960, rockabilly singer Johnny Horton sang about miners rushing “North to Alaska” in hopes of striking it rich after the discovery of gold.  However; my wife and I rushed north to Alaska for another purpose, the 43^rd running of the Mayor’s Marathon in Anchorage.

Four things are certain about belonging to the 50-States Marathon Club – death, taxes and completing marathons in the 49^th and 50^th states.  Although Alaska may exhibit some of the most beautiful scenery in North America with its dense sub-arctic rain forests, expansive tundra, glaciers and wildlife, visiting the “Last Frontier” during the summer months can undeniably have a financial impact on one’s pocket book – chiefly rental cars and hotels.

What exactly was the motive behind completing Alaska so soon in our 50-state quest? Ironically, in October 2015, as my wife and I were about to catch a flight from LAX to Baltimore (BWI) to run Monster Mash (Delaware) and Atlantic City (New Jersey) Marathons, a major thunderstorm swept across the Tehachapi Mountains closing Interstate 5 requiring us to use State Highway 58 as a detour.  Unbeknownst to us, that same storm swept across Highway 58 causing substantial runoff and debris flows out of the steep canyon walls, trapping us and many other motorists as we descended into the Mojave Desert.  The lahar type flows left everyone stranded for several hours causing us to miss our flight.  So, there we sat, with nothing to do but cancel our reservations and wait for Caltrans to be dispatched to the area for the massive clean-up.  Alaska Airlines graciously credited that airfare to another destination within the next twelve months only paying the differential fare to a new destination, if any.  

Despite the fact Alaska wasn’t on our marathon radar anytime soon, we decided to apply our credit for our flight to Anchorage.

Our northern expedition to Alaska began on 15 June around 1830 hours with a drive to LAX to catch a non-stop red-eye Alaska Airlines flight to Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC). 

Getting to LAX’s Lot C and to Terminal 6 took longer than usual.  The entrance off Westchester Parkway was barricaded so we had to find alternate entrance.  We found our usual shuttle stop, only from a different angle.  The shuttle bus arrived about ten minutes later, but in the meantime, I enjoyed watching the landing aircraft fly a couple hundred feet directly over us.

After we boarded the shuttle bus and made the rounds through the lot, we were finally on our way to the terminal.  Traveling was really slow and Terminal 6 was on the opposite side of the airport.  The trip from Lot C to the terminal area typically takes ten to fifteen minutes, but this time it took over an hour.  We were sure glad we left home a bit early, or else we would have likely been late or even missed our flight. 

As I printed our boarding passes earlier in the morning, I noticed we were given TSA Pre-check.  Considering our off-airport tribulations, it was a treat to breeze through security in just a few minutes. 

Flight AS175 departed LAX around 2355 hours and after 2,355 miles, 4 h 55 m later, we landed at ANC’s Runway 7R approaching over Turnagain Arm with a right turn base leg over Fire Island in the Cook Inlet.

Sleeping on an aircraft is difficult enough for me due to noise, the upright posture and the major lack of comfort.  Even though we were assigned an exit row seat by happenstance through the gate agent at LAX, the added leg room was not enough for me to stretch out and doze.

The early summer sun had already risen over the northeastern horizon by the time we debarked from the 737-900 aircraft around 0430 AKDT.  The airport’s Avis rental car counter opened at 0530, so, in order to kill some time, we took a much deserved nap on an airport bench seat.  Each of the bench seats in the terminal area lacked arm rests, so it was easy to spread out in relative comfort and our traveling neck pillow served as a make-shift throw cushion.  We weren’t the only ones catching a few Zs, I noticed many passengers sleeping away on the bench seats likely those who decided not to spend the night in a hotel room before catching their early morning flight.

We, at least I, napped on and off for over an hour and before we knew it, it was after 0530 (every half hour, an announcement came over the PA system informing us of the time of day).  We gathered up our luggage and scampered through the airport passing by numerous displays of Alaska’s indigenous animals on our way to the Avis counter.  To our surprise, the pricey rental car was a petite little Chevy Spark.  Oh well, what can one do?  The summer solstice was only a few days away and with tourists infiltrating the area, the laws of supply and demand take precedence.

The Spark’s small hatchback trunk had enough room for only one carry-on bag and a backpack with room for a few odds and ends.  Our other carry-on had to be stowed in the back seat.

It seems to me this mini-car is fitting for the younger generation due to its compactness, gas mileage, and maneuverability in urban settings.  The car was equipped with a Bluetooth connection, OnStar, Sirius XM Radio and Apple CarPlay – which I discovered when I went to charge my iPhone using the on-board USB port.  The large dashboard screen mirrored my phone screen and I did find it rather challenging to load the radio’s home screen so I could change radio stations.  I’m an old-school baby boomer and I find all these urbane electronic gadgets and gizmos unproductive.

After we were “comfortably” seated in our mini-car, we exited the airport grounds and drove to the nearest Super Walmart off Benson Boulevard to pick up a few supplies we weren’t able to bring with us on the plane – Coke Zero, water, bananas, and an aerosol spray can containing N, N-diethyl-meta-toluamide to aid in mosquito abatement, a necessary staple for Alaska’s outdoors.

The time may have been around 0620, but, to me, it felt like it was late morning/early afternoon due in part to the sun being at such a high angle at that hour of day messing with our internal clocks and being awake practically throughout the night – and we still had a full day ahead of us.

The weather for Thursday and Friday was forecast to be sunny and clear, no wind with temperatures in the upper 70s to the low 80s (near record temperatures) in the Anchorage metro area.  The forecast for Saturday (marathon day) called for advancing clouds ahead of a cold front coming off the Bearing Sea with temperatures in the low 60s – perfect running weather for me.  However, the prognosis for Sunday and Monday were not so pleasant and called for cloudy skies and cooler temperatures with periods of rain showers.

To take full advantage of the beautiful weather, we moved Friday’s excursion to Thursday and vice versa.  Saturday was marathon day, so not much activity took place post-marathon.  Sunday and Monday took us down the Kenai Peninsula to the City of Seward, the Exit Glacier and a bay cruise. 

It was still too early to check into our hotel, so we left Anchorage on southbound Highway 1 (Seward Highway) along the scenic Turnagain Arm of the Cook Inlet.  The winter snowcaps of the Chugach Range from the Seward Highway were still visible and plentiful enough to provide a picturesque setting.  The clear dark blue hues of the sky and breathable air, by the way, enhanced the beauty of the mountains along the Turnagain Arm as if we were looking at a high definition photograph.  Numerous waterfalls cascaded off the sheer cliffs throughout the area.

While driving along the highway, I noticed the receding tide causing very turbulent water with numerous vortices and eddies.  I was hoping when we returned back to Anchorage, I would witness one of the Alaska’s famous bore tide phenomenon in Turnagain Arm, but it didn’t seem like enough time would elapse on this excursion to see the return of the tide.

What exactly is a bore tide and what’s so special about the Turnagain Arm bore tide?  A bore tide, essentially a hydraulic jump, is a rush of seawater that returns to a shallow narrowing inlet from a broad bay and comes in after extreme minus low tides created by the full or new moon.  These tides occur all over the world, but only a few are large enough to attract an audience such as Alaska’s – one of the biggest in the world and it takes about a 27-foot tidal differential for a bore tide to form. 

Over the course of thousands of years, glacial flour from all the glacial fed tributaries pouring into Turnagain Arm created the extensive mudflats and shallow water depths.  The mudflats create perilous hazards for anyone venturing out during times of lower tides.  The soft viscous material makes it very difficult to traverse and escape if needed.  Signs are visible along the Seward Highway warning people to stay out.

After driving 60 miles on the Seward Highway, we arrived at the junction to Portage Glacier Road and Whittier around 0730.  It was a rare day near the Kenai Peninsula with crystal clear skies, no wind and temperatures hovering around 70°. 

The community of Portage once prospered in this area.  The Good Friday Earthquake of 27 March 1964 was powerful enough to cause the land to “sink” below sea level causing the water of Turnagain Arm to rush in to fill the resultant void, thus wiping out the community.  I couldn’t help notice a ghost forest of dead spruce trees dispersed in the flats that died as a result of salt water intrusion.  The community never returned and the ghost forest is an everlasting reminder of what once was.

It was too early to secure our vouchers for the Portage Glacier Tour.  The tour’s ticket office is located in the Portage Glacier Café which opened at 1000.  This left us enough time to visit Whittier and pass through the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel, the longest combined vehicle-railroad tunnel in North America. 

The tunnel is a one-lane roadway shared with the Alaska Railroad trains.  To enhance vehicle and tunnel safety, vehicles wait at staging areas outside the portals in order of vehicle class and size.  Two-axle vehicles are required to pay a $13 toll (round trip) before entering the staging area.  Computer controlled releases were every half hour or so in alternate directions.  The next release of vehicles was scheduled at 0830, which allowed enough time to appreciate the scenery and snap a few pictures.  As soon as we stepped out of the car, it seemed like the mosquitos were waiting to attack.  They were a constant nuisance, even though we sprayed ourselves with DEET.

The maximum speed through the 2.5-mile long tunnel is set at 25 mph and it took about six minutes to drive through it.  I was captivated by the tunnel construction which was built in the early 1940s by the U.S. Army since Whittier was home to a strategic Army military harbor and logistics base during WWII.  The railroad tracks were set in the middle of the one-way traffic lane.  Driving on the railroad tracks was strongly discouraged as they may cause a vehicle to lose traction.  Motorcyclists must heed extra caution when riding through the tunnel for obvious reasons.

Remnants of the base are still in existence, such as the 14-story Begich Towers Condominium building which currently houses most of the permanent residents of Whittier. 

Whittier, aka the “city under one roof”, is a small municipality of around 215 residents.  Besides the small boat harbor and the cruise line ship in port, Whittier doesn’t have much to offer.  The city is home to some nasty weather and is usually windy, rainy, cloudy or bone-chilling cold in the winter.  So a calm, warm sunny day was definitely a treat.  We took a few pictures of the marina and surroundings then drove back to the tunnel’s staging area for the return trip back to Portage at 0900.

After exiting the tunnel, it was still too early to purchase glacier tour tickets.  In the meantime, we decided to hike the Byron Glacier Trail.

The trailhead begins at a well-marked vehicle pullout area just before the gate to the Portage Glacier Tour dock.  The 1.5-mile trail, more or less, leads hikers to a close-up view of a glacier in the Chugach Mountains paralleling the cold snow fed Byron Creek.  The alder forest was interspersed with cottonwood trees lush with ferns and other shrubs in the understory for a serene beginning to the hike.  The coniferous trees had not shown their presence in the ecological scheme of forest succession, a sign the forest was still maturing following the glacier’s recession.

The winding trail is mostly flat through a rocky, fertile alluvial plain scattered with tall alders (Alnus sp.) and a smattering of cottonwood and aspen trees (Populus sp.) with a few willow trees (Salix sp.) along the creek’s edge.   As one approaches the glacier, the forest thins out to display views of the rugged cliffs and glacier.  From the trail terminus, Portage Lake and Valley was just a 180° turn away.  Bouldering opportunities abound throughout the area for the thrill seeking adventurous visitors.

There wasn’t much left of the Byron Glacier except for some cirque glaciers perched in the mountains above the glacier carved valley.  Whether or not ice caves were present in the remaining ice, I wasn’t about to find out.  Only a crazy individual would venture into one of those caves.  The walk back turned into a run back for a little warm-up to the marathon.

We arrived back at the car a few minutes before 1000 and drove to the office.  Once the doors opened, we lined up to secure our spot on the boat for the 1030 cruise.

With tickets in hand, we drove back up Byron Glacier Road to the dock and boarded the mv Ptarmigan for the one hour outing.

The Ptarmigan is the only boat operating on Portage Lake and offers a one-hour cruise around the glacial lake.  The cruise, or a hike over Portage Pass Trail from Whittier, are the only ways to see Portage Glacier today.  Due to decades of recession, the glacier can no longer be viewed from the Begich-Boggs Visitor Center as it once was ten years ago.

A narrator from the U.S. Forest Service provided enlightening and educational information on what is happening in and around the lake.  The first thing visitors see is the murky turquoise/azure colored lake water.  The narrator explained that the extremely fine sediment load of the glacial rock flour suspended in the water column creates very high turbidity levels.  Fish and other aquatic life do not exist in the lake due to the very low dissolved oxygen levels.  Photosynthesis is nonexistent and is the reason plants do not grow in the water.  Essentially, it is a dead 900-foot deep lake, but very picturesque.

The narrator also revealed that the steep mountain cliffs with numerous waterfalls cascading down into the lake were composed of the mineral greywacke, a hard sandstone rock with veins of quartz, feldspar set in a fine-clay matrix.  The quartz veins are an indication of gold deposits, so miners flocked to the region in the mid-1800s in hopes of striking it rich, but to no avail.  Gold just wasn’t plentiful enough to be worth their time or effort.  The striations etched in the greywacke cliffs from ancient glacial activity were unmistakable.

The lake was created by a dam from the glacier’s terminal moraine hundreds of years ago.  The glacier is characterized as a tidewater glacier and large chunks of ice regularly break off the glacier called calving.  Also visible is the “blue ice” along the outer edges which comes from the shorter wavelengths of light reflecting back to the viewer’s eye.

The craziest thing about the cruise was seeing a paddle boarder standing on his board only a couple hundred feet from the glacier.  It may be he was a researcher or some old chap watching and enjoying the calving.  For whatever the reason, he had a wonderful ride over the large waves produced by the ice falling into the water.  At least he was smart enough to give enough distance between himself and the ice shelf.

We were fortunate enough to witness some calving as we approached within a few hundred feet of the glacier.  A by-product of the calving glaciers are the numerous mini ice bergs floating in the lake.

Ptarmigan staff make it a point to collect samples of ice for passengers to hold and touch.  They even put a chunk of ice in an aquarium container so one can see how much ice lies below the water surface and how much shows above.  It was explained that approximately eighty five to ninety percent lies below the free surface depending on the water and/or ice’s density.  I was dumbfounded how many people took pictures of a chunk of ice.  Have they never seen ice?  Sure the ice may be a little denser than average or the crystalline structure may be somewhat different, but it isn’t any colder or dissimilar from a block of ice available at a grocery store.  They probably took a piece to bring back home.

After the conclusion of the cruise, we again stopped by the Portage Glacier Café, this time for a sandwich and something cold to drink.  The roast beef sandwich was good, but nothing special.  It satiated my appetite to some degree, but I was still a bit hungry.  On our way out of the Portage area, we made a pit stop at the Begich-Boggs Visitor Center.  The most interesting features were the giant relief map of the Chugach National Forest located in the lobby and a display of the various salmon species inhabiting the state’s waterways.  For five dollars, a visit to the “visitor center” was in the offing.  I said to forget that, “why pay five dollars to see a visitor center?”  We spent enough time using the restroom, seeing the map and fish displays before driving north up Highway 1.

A few miles north was the community of Girdwood and the Alyeska Resort.  Originally, we had budgeted some time to hike the Winner Creek Trail and experience the famous hand tram.  However, the temperature was getting rather warm at this point and that it may take a couple of hours to hike the trail, so we decided to rent a bike for an hour to see the resort area and enjoy the great weather.

We rented a simple cruiser bike with multiple gears for use in the area’s hilly terrain.  After being “fitted”, we were on our way down a bike/pedestrian path paralleling the Alyeska Highway to Girdwood.  The route was mostly downhill, so that meant uphill on the return trip.  The last thing I wanted was a strenuous workout a couple days before a marathon.  Oh, well.

The bike path was riddled with tree root intrusions, misaligned pavement and numerous alligator cracking.  Besides the utility work being performed and various pieces of construction equipment, it was a pleasant ride to Girdwood.

The distance to Girdwood was about three miles from the bike shop.  We stopped at the very busy commercial strip at the intersection of the Alyeska Highway and Highway 1 for some ice cream; however, we instead hydrated ourselves with a water bottle I had carried with me.

On our way back to the resort village, the uphill wasn’t as tough as it looked.  As we crossed the bridge spanning Glacier Creek, I noticed several youths having fun with a boogie board riding the creek’s Class I rapids while simultaneously holding on to a rope attached to the bridge deck to maximize their enjoyment.  It looked like a lot of fun, but I wouldn’t last too long in the cold snow fed water.  How great it would be to be young again!

The six or so miles we rode took little less than an hour – enough time to turn in our bikes.  For me, it was enjoyable getting out with the spectacular scenery all around and enjoying the fresh clean air to breathe – a far cry from the air I breathe at home.

Our time was up in the resort town and it was time to head back to Anchorage to check in to our hotel and pick up our race packets at the marathon’s expo held at the University of Alaska, Anchorage (UAA).

The marathon expo began at 1500 hours at the Alaska Airlines Center on the UAA campus, but first we checked into our hotel, The Creekwood Inn off the Old Seward Highway.

The blue-colored inn is an old rustic stopping place from the 1950s complete with an RV park.  The only modern amenity were flat screen TVs with a remote that wasn’t very functional.  Old-style keys with the room number engraved on them were used to open a deadbolt lock.  If you lost a key, someone would find you.

The rooms were definitely from the past.  The enclosed hallway was something that was added after the hotel was built.  The stairwell steps were not to current codes as one had to be careful using them.  With the absence of an elevator, the hotel did not meet accessibility standards.  Our non-air conditioned room contained hardwood floors, a clichéd Alaska-themed bed spread, a small shower and bathroom.  Baseboard heaters were used to provide heat.

Air conditioning was a must during our visit.  The rooms were quite stuffy, however, hotel staff provided a box fan for air circulation.  Having a window open provided no relief as there was no cross ventilation.  I guess this is their way of saying, “stay outdoors and do something.” 

Besides lacking comfort, the place wasn’t all too bad considering Anchorage’s hotel rates

Our room was on the second floor overlooking the many RVs parked in their assigned place.  Just beyond the RVs was the Chester Creek Bike Trail (which happened to be part of the marathon route).  Opposite the trail was a Worthington Ford dealership.  The dealership’s name brings back memories of my youth and for those who remember Cal and his dog “Spot” commercials.

Incidentally, "Spot" was never a dog.  Often, Spot was a tiger, a seal, an elephant, a chimpanzee, a bear, and at one time, a hippopotamus.  Spot was even a vehicle or (as I distinctly remember) an airplane which Cal stood atop the wings while airborne.

The classic commercial jingles were set to the tune of, "If You're Happy and You Know It" with the lyrics re-written to the refrain of "If you want a car or truck, go see Cal, if you want to save a buck, go see Cal" or "Give a new car to your wife, she will love you all your life", with "Go see Cal" repeated numerous times.  The jingles often created permanent cerebral redundancies.

We made the short drive to UAA for the expo held in the newly built basketball arena.  The outside temperature was rising and getting very uncomfortable.  Once inside the arena and in the air conditioned comfort, we felt much better.  The expo was bigger than I thought with many product, apparel and food vendors with free samples being given out to passers-by. 

We spent less than a half hour at the expo.  So back out into the heat we went snapping some pictures under the finish line kite set up near the entrance.  We were commenting on how hot it felt and a nearby race volunteer immediately agreed.  The combination of humidity and sun felt like ones skin was baking.  I was delighted the forecast was for cooler temperatures for Saturday, although Friday was still on the warm side.

It was a little past 1600 and we were getting tired from the long day traveling, biking and hiking and the many hours of being awake.  So, back to the hotel we went to get a little rest before dinner.  It is evident that hotel and home swimming pools are a non-existent sight in Alaska, but I wished our hotel had a pool.  Lounging at a pool with an ice cold beer would top off my day.

The stuffiness of the room was stifling.  Even though the window was open, I couldn’t feel any breezes, so I jerry-rigged the box fan into the open window held in place by the venetian blinds.  It wasn’t much, but it was better than before.

For dinner, we had planned to eat some, what else, pizza at Moose’s Tooth Pub and Pizzeria.  According to the restaurant, the pizzeria and brewery is currently ranked as the third best pizzeria in the United States, behind New York City and St. Augustine, FL.

With their famous reputation for pies and craft beers, we made it a point to give this place a visit.  This place does not serve domestic or foreign beers, but only markets their own craft beer ranging from 3.2% to over 18% alcohol by volume.  I’m not much in to craft beers, but we each ordered one of the milder beers anyway, with my wife also trying one of their berry-flavored beers.

The place was pretty packed with patrons on a waiting list waiting to be seated.  As we arrived, I noticed two spots opened up at the bar next to the pub pick-up.  We immediately snatched up those seats and ordered a beer and a large pizza.  Our order consisted of a large half cheese and half blackened chicken (for me) pizza.  We were quite hungry from the days’ activities, it wasn’t very difficult polishing off half of an 18-inch pizza.  I must say, the pizza was very delicious and the place does live up to its reputation.

After our extraordinary pizza, it was time for us to turn in for the evening.  It wasn’t much past 1900 hours and the sun was still shining brightly.  Sunset was 2350 hours, so trying to get sleep during daylight hours may be a challenge.  The room did have some drapes and blinds, so some sort of darkness was possible.

I live in a climate where it can be super-hot in the summer and sleeping in warm conditions isn’t much of a problem for us.  Since we’re used to warm evenings, we didn’t have a problem with getting a good rest for Friday’s activity schedule.  We shut the blinds, closed the drapes, moved the fan to the desk and turned it to low which provided some comfort throughout the night.

We were awakened early by some noises outside as Friday morning dawned over Anchorage.  The schedule was to visit the areas north of Anchorage, again taking full advantage of the perfect weather.  For breakfast, we munched on some trail mix we prepared at home and a banana.  That would tie us over until lunch and provide some needed energy for hiking or whatever comes upon us.

Our first activity for the day was a casual bike ride along the Tony Knowles Bike Trail that skirts along the Knik Arm, through Earthquake Park, around the airport and Point Woronzof and through Kincaid Park.

We each rented a mountain bicycle at Pablo’s Bicycle Rentals on W. 5^th Street as the kiosk opened at 0900.  The two-hour rental rate was quite reasonable and the leisurely ride provided us an opportunity to see the coastline around Anchorage from a different perspective.

The entrance to the trail began at Elderberry Park with a steep descent down 5^th Street.

On such a beautiful day, the paved trail was being used by many runners, walkers and other cyclists.  Some runners were out for a warm-up run before the marathon or half marathon.  I proceeded to ask a runner if he was running on Saturday, and he said he was, but only the half.  After some idle chit-chat, we wished each other good luck and were on our way.

The highlight, at least for me, was the jaunt through Earthquake Park, a memorial to the 1964 earthquake and the damage done to the area. 

I enjoyed seeing the remnants of earthquake induced ground slumping in the area known as Turnagain Heights, still visible to this day.  Of course, I had to stop and read the exhibits before I could leave.  I met a geologist who was reading the information signs as well.  I guess we were the only two in the area that had a keen interest of the earthquake’s destruction that occurred 52 years ago.

Beyond the airport, the coastline scenery pretty much vanished as we entered Kincaid Park.  After one hour, we reached the 6.2 mile mark.  At this point, we turned around and headed back to Pablo’s.  Unaware in the beginning, I noticed mile markers painted on the trail with the letters MM, standing for Mayor’s Marathon.  The trail serves as the route for the half marathon.

We made a brief stop at the Downtown Anchorage Viewpoint just off Northern Lights Boulevard.  This stop provided a great vantage point of downtown, the Talkeetna Mountains and of Mt. McKinley showing very prominently in the distance.  A sign said the mountain was 135 miles away as the crow flies.  I was amazed we could see that far away.

We arrived back at Pablo’s with about ten minutes to spare.  The steep ascent out of Elderberry Park back to Pablo’s was quite a challenge.  My wife instead walked her bike up the hill.

We made our way through downtown and through the area that sustained substantial damage from earthquake induced liquefaction during the 1964 earthquake.  All is well now, but monuments abound reminding everyone of the area’s history.

We found our way onto the Glenn Highway towards the Matanuska-Susitna (Mat-Su) Valley to visit the Cities of Palmer and Wasilla.

One of the eccentricities of human nature is our ability to climb things.  The ability to climb a tree, a rock wall or the urge to seek out high summits lies deep within the depths of many; but for me, the urge to climb high summits just doesn’t exist. 

Rationalizations for such endeavors include the challenge of a difficult ascent, the view from the top of the world or to challenge oneself in the memory of a friend or loved one.

It is possible I could summit Yosemite’s Half Dome or Sequoia National Park’s Mt. Whitney in my lifetime, which I have thought about for many years, but the prospect of ascending Mt. McKinley, Kilimanjaro, or Everest is slim to none.  It's not in my soul and is not on my life’s bucket list.

A visit to the Mat-Su Valley isn't complete without a hike to the summit of Bodenburg Butte near the City of Palmer.  This 880-foot butte is an igneous intrusive “mound” complete with spectacular glacial grooves, or striations, carved into the bedrock by the retreat of the Knik Glacier thousands of years ago.  The fine loess glacial flour supplied by the Knik covers the butte which made our hike to the summit a filthy undertaking.  To me, I felt like I was on top of the world.

There are two trails to the summit, one on the north side (the easiest route) and one of the south side (the steepest and most challenging) but without a clearly defined trail.  Of course, we had chosen the steepest trail off Bodenburg Loop Road not far from the Reindeer Farm.

The 1.5-mile ascent tested our fitness and agility by climbing the multitudes of boulders and bedrock outcroppings.  The reward at the summit was well worth the sweat of the climb.  The stunning 360° view of the fertile valley was dominated by the “in-your-face” mountains of the Talkeetna and Chugach Ranges, with the Knik Glacier visible in the east-southeast background.

A number of other people were gathered at the summit, as well as little kids and toddlers, enjoying the view and the revitalizing breeze.  They must have taken the easier trail on the north side, as I would find it hard to believe small children could have made it up the trail we did.

Getting down turned out to be less of a challenge than I thought.  Sure, the rocky crags posed some challenges with hand holds and footwork, but overall the loose soil didn't give way under foot and provided remarkably good traction. 

We could have taken the easy trail back down, however, we would’ve had to walk a couple miles around the butte back to our car.  As we drove up to the parking area, we did see a couple of women walking alongside the road to their car in the same parking area as us.  We concluded they took the difficult trail up, but decided to use the easy trail back down. 

My biggest concern was all the energy I expended a day before a marathon.  It wasn't too smart on my part, but I was there for a good time and as long as I finished, I was happy.

After we got back to our car, we left for Wasilla.  The route through Palmer led us to Taco Bell for some lunch and to clean our dirty legs, arms and faces.

We drove into Wasilla, the home of Sarah Palin, to visit the headquarters of the Iditarod Trail Race.  No, we couldn’t see Russia.  The complex houses a museum with exhibits of trophies, awards, photos and historical items from the famous sled dog trail race.

Sled rides were also available for a minimal cost where sled dogs would pull a wheeled sled around the museum grounds.  The harnessed dogs were always excited and ready to go at a moment’s notice.  Other dogs were tied up at their houses sprawled out enjoying the warmth of the sun.  One dog in particular, Ernie was his name, was available for visitors to pet.  I don’t know if the other dogs were as docile, but I didn’t want to find out with a bite wound.

Three husky puppies about eight weeks of age were sleeping in their kennel.  As a group of children arrived on the grounds as part of a field trip, a worker picked up one of the puppies for the children to coddle.  They all sat round in a circle and let the puppy walk around so he could be loved.  The kids looked as if they were having a great time playing with the puppy.

The same worker even offered us to hold and pet one of the puppies if we were interested.  Of course we couldn’t pass up the opportunity. 

After a brief visit to the museum and a few pictures with statues of Balto and the “Father of the Iditarod”, Joe Redington, Sr. displayed outside the museum’s entrance, it was time to move onward and upward.

We bade farewell to the Mat-Su Valley and proceeded to our next destination – Thunder Bird Falls.  The one mile hike, with maybe a 100-foot elevation gain, on an accessible trail leads hikers to a 200-foot waterfall that drops spectacularly into a deep canyon.  A viewing platform at the trails’ terminus provided a great few of the waterfall.  The roar of the water echoing through the canyon and the constant mist from the atomizing water crashing over the rocks was impressive.  The mosquitos flourished in the cool damp environment of the vegetated area of the park so we had to keep moving in order from being bitten.

Not far from the viewing platform, another trail leads hikers down the canyon to Thunder Bird Creek, one of the main tributaries of the Eklutna River.  The elevation gain was a little more substantial than the main trail.  Observers were able to walk upstream for an up close and personal view from the base of the falls if they were daring enough to navigate the slick creek banks and rocks.  I ventured out a little ways until I slipped on the wet sloped creek bank, but managed to regain my footing before falling into the creek.  Needless to say, that gave me a little fright.

About twenty minutes later, we arrived back to the car.  We were planning to visit Eklutna Lake some nine miles up a road off the Old Glenn Highway, not far from Thunder Bird Falls.  We were getting a little tired, so we decided to skip that outing and return to Anchorage.

We returned to the hotel to clean up and find a place for dinner.  Deciding on a place was a task in itself.  We opened the iPad to evaluate some pizza places.  I made an executive decision and picked the Great Alaska Pizza Co. off Northern Lights Boulevard.  However, when we arrived there, it was a take and bake place and didn’t offer dine-in.  We didn’t have a Plan B, so we drove around the corner to Arctic Boulevard and decided to try the Arctic Roadrunner and had ourselves a burger.

The establishment has been in business since 1964.  It is a simple burger joint – nothing special.  I decided on a salmon burger with all the fixings.  Along with my wife’s burger, she ordered a blackberry shake.

Inside the diner, abundant photos hang on the walls documenting the establishment’s humble beginnings to what it has become today.  As we began eating, a weather front suddenly came through Anchorage, as was predicted by weather forecasts.  The skies began to cloud over and the wind hastily began to blow.  The outside table umbrellas and flags were whipping in the wind.  I thought that the wind would pick up the umbrellas and toss them into the street.  I guess they were anchored down enough to prevent that from happening.  Just as the wind started, the lawn sprinklers came on and water was spraying all over completely avoiding the grassy areas they were designed to irrigate.

After our great dinner, we headed back to the hotel to ready ourselves for Saturday’s marathon and to get plenty of rest.  When we pulled into the hotel property, it looked as if it was snowing with drifts of fuzzy-like material swirling around in the parking lot.  For a few weeks in June, it snows, courtesy of cottonwood trees, a familiar sight in June.  The wind was blowing around those fuzzy cottonwood seeds that it looked as if a snow storm was approaching.  They gathered in corners, doorways or any impediment to the wind. 

We opened the door with our old-style lock and key to our small hot and humid room.  The window has been opened all day, but it sure didn’t feel like it.  We moved the fan to the desk, shut the window and closed up the blinds and drapes and hit the sack.

We woke up early Saturday morning due to the early morning sunlight.  We had ample time to get ready for our 26.2-mile run in and around the city.

Instead attempting to find a parking spot near the finish line at Delaney Park Strip and catching the shuttle bus to the start at Bartlett High School on Muldoon Road, we drove ourselves.  Parking was plentiful and easy and not far from the start.  A shuttle bus transported us back to our car at the high school after the marathon.

There was plenty of great music playing to entertain the runners with water available for pre-race hydration and plenty of porta potties for those who drank too much water or from pre-race nerves and excitement.  The weather was perfect with cool temperatures and broken overcast skies.

While waiting in the porta potty line, we talked with a local runner who decided to run this year’s race one more time before moving to the Lower 48.  He suggested a few attractions to see and do, but we already did them or couldn’t do them since we were traveling south down the Kenai Peninsula on Sunday.

Around 0715, the Marathon Maniacs assembled under the starting line kite for a group picture.  After the picture, I rushed over to the gear drop area and deposited our jackets and other odds and ends to be picked up at the finish.

At 0730, the horn sounded and approximately 680 runners were off as the 43^rd annual marathon was underway.  Immediately, my legs felt heavy as I struggled along – likely from all the hiking, biking and climbing I did in the days leading up to the race.  I presumed this was going to be a challenge for the entire 26 miles, but after a mile, running wasn’t so hard.

I managed a pace of around 8:40 per mile for the first 2.5 miles or so along the bike trail fronting the Glenn Highway and Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.  At Marathon Mile 2.7, a “LOW BATTERY” message popped up on my Garmin.  “Damn”, I thought.  Within a couple of minutes, the Garmin shut off.  At that point, I was irritated, but accepted it and moved on.  I was going to rely on the race clocks at the intermediate split points or by asking other runners.  It turned out that there were no clocks at the split points, which coincided with the marathon relay transition points.

The course had a steady incline for the first few miles.  After the Moose Run Country Club at Marathon Mile 7, the course made a sharp right turn on to a gravel roadway.  I don’t particularly care to run on a gravel surfaces, but I had no choice.  The area wasn’t too scenic, largely restricted land used by Elmendorf.  Posted signs near the road warned of unexploded ordinances in the area and to keep out.  The seven miles of gravel roadway was somewhat boring until the road tapered to a single file trail over some make-shift bridges and stream crossings.  The trail “day-lighted” at the second relay transition point at Marathon Mile 15±.  From that point on, the route was back on city streets.  Now that the course reached its highest elevation, it was downhill to the finish.

I was feeling pretty good all the way up to Marathon Mile 18, more or less, where my wife managed to catch up to me.  I wasn’t able to keep the pace and was adamant on keeping my own pace and running my own race.  After a brief refreshment stop and some hydration, we crossed the Tudor Road pedestrian bridge and onto the University Lake Trail that meanders through UAA and various parks and forested canopies with ample shade and was a serene area that I enjoyed.  Striking up conversations with fellow runners about running, listening to classic rock and other superfluous dialogue, made the time go by much faster.

At the end of the day, we eventually merged onto the Chester Creek Bike Trail.  Approaching the soccer fields at Woodside Park, the distinctive blue building of our hotel was in view just prior to Marathon Mile 23.  I asked a nearby runner of the time who promptly informed me that it was just past four hours.  I thought, “Great, I should finish around 4:35.” 

The bike trail looped around Worthington Ford, some play grounds, parks and Westchester Lagoon, with the numerous ducks and geese enjoying themselves on the water, in to the homestretch.  My wife texted me as I approached the lagoon to inform me of the killer hills in the last mile.  Earlier, I overheard other runners talking about the hills to those running the course for the first time so they won’t be caught off guard.

As we left the Chester Creek Trail and onto U Street merging in with the half marathon runners, I saw the first hill at the end of U Street wrapping around Bootlegger Cove Drive.  I walked up that hill conserving as much energy as I could for the final push.  When the road leveled out, I began running again until the nastiest hill came into view as we turned off Stolt Lane and onto West 9^th Avenue.  The 9^th Avenue hill was ridiculous, I wanted to walk, but I continued running (it hurt less to run).  An overhead banner greeted runners at the top of the hill on the Delaney Park Strip and the finish line kite was prominently in view about 100 yards away.  I picked up pace in the grassy finishing chute, passing several runners on the way, and looked strong for the camera.  I finished with a respectable time of 4:34:57 with a 10:29 pace.

Age graded score: 51.35%

Age graded time: 4:06:59

Since I didn’t have a working Garmin, I’ll never know if the course was long or short.

I proceeded to retrieve my finisher’s medal and my much earned tech shirt and texted my wife I had finished and to meet me at the Fred Meyer tent.

I picked up some oranges; which were quite sweet, refreshing and delicious by the way, a banana, cookies, grilled cheese sandwich and some wonderful freshly baked artisan bread for a post-marathon recovery snack.  We walked over to the beer garden for some libations, but everyone had to pay $5 per cup of craft beer or $2 for a bottle of chocolate milk.  I believe those who put out a lot of energy and work should have been reward with such a refreshment.  We weren’t interested and looked forward to a cold domestic beer and burger at Red Robin not far from the high school.

We boarded a shuttle (school) bus at the park strip back to the high school starting line area, retrieved our car and made our way across the street to Red Robin for a delicious burger, bottomless fries and a tall Coors Light, sitting at the bar of course.

After our great lunch, we drove back to the hotel to clean up and rest a little.  We were thinking about doing some climbing up Flattop Mountain just outside of Anchorage.  I was kind of achy and worn out and such a strenuous climb would be counterproductive, so we decided to use Saturday as a rest day and postpone any activities for Sunday.

In Alaska, a state that's cold and dark for much of the year, celebrating the sun is of the utmost importance to Alaskans, or those in the upper latitudes for the most part.  This is why the solstice is a much awaited affair.  With 22 hours of daylight, why not celebrate?

The annual Downtown Summer Solstice Festival (midsummer as I call it) was held Saturday afternoon in downtown.  There were plenty of things to do for all ages ranging from arts and crafts, beer gardens, games and concerts.  We were under the impression the festival started at 1800, but instead, it ended at 1800.  So, we missed out joining the locals sharing their partying spirit.

For dinner, we attempted to try Moose’s Tooth pizza again.  As we drove up to the restaurant, a party must have been going on.  There were tons of cars, people, music and a large tent set up in the parking lot.  Instead of waiting in line for who knows how long and trying to find parking, we ended up at Village Inn for a slice of pie – home to the “Best Pie in America.”

We wanted to test that claim.  As we entered the waiting area, I walked over to the large cooler with several pies looking at me.  I wanted some of each, but I knew that wasn’t about to happen.

First, we split a French dip sandwich to satiate our appetite and then ordered a warmed up a slice of their popular triple berry pie with vanilla ice cream for a dessert treat.  The pie was delectable and I wanted more.  The mix of the sweet ice cream with the tartness of the berries hit the spot.

Monday morning greeted us with overcast skies and light rain showers.  We checked out of the hotel and headed south down the Kenai Peninsula to the City of Seward.  Before leaving Anchorage, a strenuous hike to the summit of Flattop Mountain was in order.  Located in Chugach State Park in the southeast flank of urban Anchorage, Flattop is the most climbed mountain in the state.

This very popular hiking mecca is reached by the Glen Alps trailhead at the park’s parking lot.  It was cloudy with light intermittent rain showers, gusty winds and rather chilly, so we put on multiple layers for comfort for the 1300-foot elevation gain we were going to experience.

The trail was well-maintained for the first mile or so with a rapid elevation gain around Blueberry Loop.  From that point, the trail became rugged, rocky with steep staircases made from railroad ties and hikers must exercise due caution.  “The best darn bench in the world” is located at the top of the first set of stairs offering panoramic views of Anchorage and Turnagain Arm.

Once past the bench, the trail becomes more difficult and eventually the trail fades away into the rocky terrain.  At this point, hikers crawl up the rocks and boulders testing their physical dexterity and bouldering skills.  We terminated our hike on a rocky ledge a hundred or so feet from the summit due to the wind and inclement weather.  However, the view was just as spectacular as if we were at the summit.

After spending a few minutes admiring the scenery, the hard part was about to begin – getting down.  I found out going up was much easier.  Trying to gain a foothold was tough and the loose gravel/soil easily gave way underfoot and falling would be a painful experience.

Once down off the difficult terrain, the loop trail led us back to the parking lot.  On a steep little pitch just short of the parking lot, I managed to slip on the loose gravel and fell onto my hip and hands and the small pieces of gravel shoved into the road-rash on the palm of my hand.  At least it was there and not at the top.

Hunger began to set in after our exhausting hike and we planned to have a sandwich at Subway in Girdwood.  My legs held up pretty well considering running a marathon the previous day.  Attached to our running bibs were coupons for a free sandwich at participating Subway’s in Anchorage and Girdwood.  So, on our way to Seward, we stopped at Girdwood’s Subway for a complimentary six-inch sandwich.  Soon after wolfing down our sandwich, we were on our way to Seward, but first to check in at Sunday night’s stay at Trail Lake Lodge in the hamlet of Moose Pass, thirty miles north of Seward.

The drive down the Kenai Peninsula was very scenic, even with the rain showers and the clouds resting on the snow covered mountain tops.  As we pulled into Moose Pass, a farmer’s market and charity auction was taking place across from the lodge.  As visitors enter town, a sign displays the slogan, “Moose Pass is a friendly town.  If you have an axe to grind, do it here.”

The lodge is an old-fashioned rustic place surrounded by awe-inspiring panoramas of the Kenai Mountains alongside the shoreline of Upper Trail Lake.  The only watering hole for some food and drink was in the main lodge, so we ventured south to Seward to partake in such indulgences.

For the region of the Kenai Peninsula’s coast on which it perches, Seward may not be a bustling metropolis, but rather serves as an active fishing hub and port, July’s highly popular Mt. Marathon Race, the starting point of the historic Iditarod trail, and a destination that draws tourists who have meandered south from Anchorage.

We walked around the marina area and visited some nearby shops.  A Norwegian Cruise Line ship was moored near the marina which stole the scene of the marina area.  Finding a place to eat was a challenging task with so many sea food restaurants in the area.  We first went to a pizzeria for a slice of pizza, however, it would take about an hour for a new slices to become available.  So, we decided on some sea food at Terry’s Fish and Chowder House for a halibut sandwich.

After dinner, we walked over to Bakery at the Harbor for a drink and something sweet to eat – a large freshly baked cookie.  Since it was Father’s Day, I called my dad to wish him a happy day form the comfort of a booth seat.   Later we drove down the highway to the southerly part of Seward to Post Mile 0.0, the beginning of the Iditarod Trail.

It was getting late, so we drove back to Moose Pass to our humble place of abode for the evening.  Before turning in, we walked into the bar area and had a beer or two.  There was a lively bunch of people bellied up to the bar having their fix of adult beverages.  The highlight of the evening, though, was getting a hug from a Lower 48 transplant who worked for the Department of Corrections.  He was a friendly man who welcomed us to his community and hoped we enjoyed our stay. 

We later sat on the porch of the lodge, kicked up our feet on the banister and marveled at the unparalleled splendor of the Moose Pass mountain landscape.  The time was 2300, the rain had already stopped and it was so quiet and peaceful with blue sky showing through breaks in the clouds.

Our last day in Alaska was another day of exciting things to see and do.  We left Moose Pass early Monday morning to visit the Exit Glacier before our four-hour Resurrection Bay cruise provided by Kenai Fjords Tours.

The Exit Glacier is a popular destination in the Seward area and is situated in the lower elevations of the Harding Ice Sheet that blankets the Kenai Peninsula. 

Upon reaching the visitor center in the Kenai Fjords National Park, a paved accessible trail takes hikers to a viewing area of the glacier.  As we approached the visitor center, various signs displaying year numbers inform visitors of where the glacier once was.  These signs were also on the trail leading up to the glacier.  Visitors can also continue past the paved trail to get up close and personal views of the glacier.  Several years ago, one could walk right up to the glacier wall, but now because of glacier recession, we could no longer touch the ice.

We joined in with a guided tour and listened to the leader explain what is happening to the glacier and the landscape.  It was quite fascinating and we learned a lot in the Glaciology 101 class such as forest succession, which we could all see from the high vantage point, and ancient moraine deposits.

On the walk back to the visitor center, Western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla), Mountain hemlock (Tsuga martensiana), Shore pine (Pinus contorta), Red alder (Alnus rubra), Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis) – Alaska state tree, White spruce (Picea glauca), Cottonwood (Populus trichocarpa), Green alder (Alnus viridis), Thinleaf alder (Alnus tenuifolia), lush grass understories, and various willows (Salix sp.) around Resurrection River’s tributary streams dominated the landscape with the density of conifers being proportional to the glacier’s distance.

We couldn’t spend a lot of time hiking around the Park area.  Our Resurrection Bay tour set sail at 1200 and we still needed to pick up our boarding passes at the main office in Seward.  We parked at the facility’s free parking area for a short five minute shuttle ride to their office.

Before we boarded the tour boat, I was offered a Dramamine tablet since I am susceptible to sea sickness.  The bay look pretty calm, so I wasn’t set on taking one, but I did just in case.  As the boat sailed out of the harbor, the scenery got even better looking out toward the Kenai Mountains, with Mt. Marathon presenting itself prominently over the city.

Besides the typical sea birds, the only wildlife we saw were sea otters, but we were going to see much more as the tour progresses.  The first stop was into the idyllic waters of Thumb Cove to view Hanging Glacier, a cirque glacier suspended in the mountains.

I was getting hungry and thankfully, the next stop was Fox Island for a buffet lunch at Kenai’s wilderness lodge.  Everyone had one hour to chow down on prime rib, salmon, mashed potatoes, steamed vegetables and lemon aid.  For an additional $30, we could have had some crab legs.  I skipped on the prime rib, but had extra helpings of salmon.  It was very good and filled me up for the rest of the day.  During lunch, a park ranger spoke about the glaciers, wildlife, whales and the area in general.  It was rather informative.

On the patio outside the lodge, a wilderness guide offered a great talk about and proudly showed off a great grey owl (Strix nebulosa) indigenous to the state.  The owl had been injured and subsequently rehabilitated and is used for such talks.  I was quite interested in the Q & A session on the evolution of owls, their hunting and survival skills and what makes them such a beautiful bird.

After skipping a few rocks across the bay’s water from the island’s Skipping Stone Beach, we were back on board the boat for the rest of the cruise tour.

As the tour proceeded, the sights and sounds of thousands of black-legged kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla) flying around stole the show.  Not long after, horned puffins (Fratercula corniculata), common murres (Uria aalge), right whales (Eubalaena glacialis), and hundreds of sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) came into the picture.  Watching the puffins and murres awkward flying and rocky landings were quite entertaining. 

The kittiwakes and other gulls swarmed the areas where whales were feeding on krill.  We just had to watch for the birds and soon a whale would surface and grab another breath, while sea lions were sunning themselves on the rocky ledges on the islands.

 The cruise boat rounded the outer islands and into the open waters of the Gulf of Alaska.  The waves increased in size and were really rocking the boat.  I was sure glad I took that Dramamine table before sailing, or else I would be much sicker than I was.  I was holding my own, but was hoping to get back into calmer waters soon as I stayed seated in the center of the boat.  The Dramamine caused me to become a little drowsy and felt like taking a nap, but getting up and walking outside for some fresh air helped.

The rugged outer islands were home to many old WWII era bunkers and artillery garrisons used in case of Japanese invasions.

Once back into the calmer and protected waters of Resurrection Bay I began to feel much better.  As we passed by the eastside of Fox Island, a ghost forest on some ancient terminal moraine left by old glaciers was visible.  As with Portage, the ghost forest was a remnant of the 1964 earthquake and the resulting sea water intrusion.

From that point, the cruise boat made a bee line back to Seward.  I think everyone on board was tired and had enough of the four-hour tour and was ready to get back to land – at least I was.  I couldn’t imagine taking the eight-hour tour.

We lucked out with the weather, as boat personnel described the previous days’ tour as rough and terrible.  The large wind driven waves made the excursion a challenging one.

After we moored and stepped of the boat, I was ready to head north on the Seward Highway to Anchorage.  A few miles outside Anchorage, we stopped at Beluga Point, a rocky outpost jutting into the waters of Turnagain Arm at mile post 110.5.  It’s named for the white beluga whales often spotted from this location as they make their way up and down the inlet eating the multitudes of fish inhabiting the area.  Unfortunately, we didn’t see any whales.

Visitors to the site must remain in the parking area and not trespass onto the Alaska Railroad property just below the parking area.  Signs warn against crossing the tracks by order of the railroad’s police, but does that stop people from venturing beyond the tracks?  No.  Just because everyone crosses over the tracks doesn’t mean it is right, but we did cross them to get a better vantage point near the rocky outcropping, but did not attempt to climb it.  We noticed several people climbed up the rocky prominence for a better look into the waterway hoping to see whales.  Climbing up looked easy, but judging from those coming off, it looked to be quite a challenge.  Falling off would not be an option for me, so I stayed away. 

Upon entering Anchorage, we stopped at Moose’s Tooth for another pizza.  Again, the place was packed with people with a one-hour waiting list.  As a way to kill time, we went back to our original hotel to check in again for our last night.  When we got back Moose’s Tooth, our signaling device buzzed and we were immediately seated.  We ordered a large pizza and ice water.  We were both hungry, but weren’t sure if we could finish it.  We did have a microwave and refrigerator in the room if we needed to take some back with us.  That didn’t happen, we couldn’t believe we at the whole thing.

I guess we weren’t too full, so we decided to have one last slice of triple berry pie at Village Inn.  It turned out the place was out of the pie, but the waiter told us that their Spenard Road location had some.  We asked for directions and off we went to that store for another round of delicious pie and ice cream.

Shortly after we got settled into our hotel room, it looked as if some drama was about to take place.  I peered out the window and noticed a police car near the RV bath house with people gathered around.  Immediately, sirens were heard as two fire engines – a tender and a ladder truck – pulled into the parking lot, overkill I thought.  It turned out to be a small fire in some mulch near an RV.  With all the wet green vegetated areas, a brush fire appeared highly unlikely.

Our Alaska Airlines flight back to LAX, via Portland (PDX), departed ANC around 0630 hours.  We left for the airport around 0430 to allow enough time to drop off the rental car and to get through security.  As when we arrived, we noticed several people sleeping on the terminal’s bench seats.  Perhaps we could have done the same thing and saved a few bucks on a hotel, but I favor the comfort of a bed over a bench seat with the non-stop commotion of cleaning staff and PA announcements.  After departing Runway 32, it was on to PDX and eventually home. 

Both the marathon and the trip to Alaska were memorable experiences for me.  Within the five days, we were able to see and do many things that I will always remember as I close out another chapter in my marathoning journeys.  I would like to go back to Alaska some other time to see Fairbanks, the North Slope, drive the Dalton Highway, visit Barrow and the western part of the state.  That will have to wait for another time, but for now, we must focus on the remaining 25 states on our “Quest for 50.”