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September 14, 2018: Hi Ho The Dairy Oh, A Hiking We will Go

A few days ago, I suggested to Pete that on Fridays we do something non-horse related. This thought first materialized last week, when we went to Eklutna. I didn’t have a good time because I had a cold. All I wanted to do was to crawl back into bed. The prospect of our coming across a decent blueberry patch was initially a motivator. Our not finding any blueberries made me extremely grumpy. Still, I was glad to get out – and the weather and the landscape were nothing short of spectacular.

Pete agreed with me that doing something non-horse related was a good idea. This is because he doesn’t have the horse gene. Very impressive, that the horses and the care have become such a large part of his life. At the same time, I sensed that it was a good idea to once a week do something


Alys and Ryder on the Gold Mint Trail

else. And yes, we do have a lot of high end outdoor equipment. As I said to Pete, “If we don’t start to use it, we never will.”

Pete got to make the choice, which was to go to Hatcher Pass and hike the Gold Mint Trail. I replied that I was up for this. We were out of here by noon, early for us. It was yet another beautiful day, warm and sunny. We were out on the trail in no time.

I presumed that we’d make it a short hike, walk five miles max. As it turns out, we went 12 plus miles. The path paralleled the Little Susitna river – close by, the sound was near deafening. Farther away, less audible. The trail was at first easy to follow – wide with a gravel base. As it went along, it became more mucky, winding, brushy, rocky. This did not slow us or Ryder down.

A little over five miles out and we met up with a woman who said that she’d lost her mountain bike. She explained that she set it next to a rock adjacent to the trail and continued on, on foot. And she indeed, forgot exactly where she set it and her helmet down.

I took her name and number and said that if we found it, we’d let her know. We then continued on our way. Lo and behold, I found it lying next to a rock, three quarters of a mile where we first met up. Pete and I turned around and headed back, me pushing the bicycle, which was too big for me to ride. We soon crossed paths with the woman who was coming back uptrail.

I told her that the same thing could have happened to me. Pete said to me no, it probably would not. He’s right. I rode the entire Continental Divide trail and never once misplaced my bicycle. So how this woman managed to do this is beyond me.

It was a long hike back to the truck, but thankfully there was a slight downhill grade. The twelve mile hike did tire me out, which is a red flag of sorts. I have to keep doing this so that I get in better shape or else our upcoming long ride will not be as much fun as it might be.

Yes, I did miss being with the horses today. And if we do something different next week, I will feel the same way. That’s just the way it is and the way it is going to continue to be.

Next: 257. 9/15/18: Building rather than Burning Bridges

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