Biking the Coastal Trail in Anchorage

After staying a bit later than normal at work today (6pm - isn't government work great?), I went for a ride down the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail here in Anchorage. The trail runs most of the northern perimeter of Anchorage -- from North of Downtown, around the airport and then South into Kincaid Park. From there you can link with other trail systems if you are willing to bike a few blocks on surface streets.

I started my ride from our house and crossed the street and creek to get on the Chester Creek Trail. From there it was a short ride out past Westchester Lagoon to the Coastal Trail. I had to navigate between runners and strollers, but it was a gorgeous day (I could see Denali and Mount Foraker from my office for most of the morning before they shrouded themselves in clouds).

The trail heads south right by Knik Arm and then climbs up onto a bluff as it heads around the airport. It was nice to get in a bit of a hill, but I started to realize just how tired my legs still are from our hike yesterday. A post (and LOTS of pictures) on our Sunday trip to Gold-Mint Trail and the Susitna River will be forthcoming.

The sun was gorgeous and the trail wound its way through a deciduous forest with glimpses South out towards Cook Inlet. I finally turned around. I'd like to say it was only because I was worried about running out of daylight, but my legs were more than pleased to know I was heading home.

I was rewarded with my first moose sighting of this entire trip. It's hard to believe that I drove all the way up here, did a backpacking trip on the Kenai Peninsula, hiked a good portion of the Susitna and still hadn't seen a moose, but there you go. I stopped with a bunch of other bikers and we watched the moose completely ignore us and chomp some foliage. When it stuck its head way in the bushes to start walking off up the hill (with its big moose-caboose sticking half out into the trail) we started passing it one by one.

The ride back went quickly. I stopped briefly at Airport Park to snap a few pics of downtown lit up by the sunset. Then I headed home.

-- Interesting Alaska Tidbit --

The locals apparently call the first snowfall to stick on the Chugach "Termination Dust". As in, the dusting signifies the termination of summer. So with the changing leaves (which started turning while I was down in Berkeley for Gene's wedding) and the arrival of the Termination Dust, we have now officially started Fall.

More pictures from this ride can be seen here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/jack.r.mckenna/CoastTrail