Opening dates have changed over the years. forever it was 9-1 thru 9-30, then 8 20 thru 9-20, then 8-20 thru 9-25. Some Game units areas different dates. Need a lawyer sometimes. Trying to get an "Old timer only " moose hunt from Sept 25 thru 30. Rode 50.3 miles yesterday. Felt good, new saddle & "thud buster" seat post is nice. About ready to tackle a 80 to 100 mile ride. Figuring out a route & rest stop, & carry enough food & water.
You are doing great Dave. On my rides of 80-100 miles I never figured in rest stops except for one where I planned on stopping for something to eat, which I usually carried with me but not always. Sometimes I'd also cheat and stop for an ice cream cone. Also I would always have to stop somewhere to replenish the water supply. I usually go with a camelbak bladder, 100 oz so it lasts a while. But one time I got caught short. Got some bad water and tried two other places and same thing. Toughed it out until passing a gas station. Stopped and bought a couple red bulls. That turned out to be a wise move as it got me home quicker and I had lots of energy left over. When first doing any long rides like that I always recommend to not push it. Take your time and enjoy the ride. You are not in training for a race....yet.
Yea, Enjoying the ride is the most important. We're just under 14 hours of sun now, so any long rides will have to bee soon. Am training to ride the Hatcher Pass Epic next year. 90 miles up , over & thru Hatcher Pass. A ride, not a race. Great scenery. Ride is in mid Aug, over with this year. But don't need a bunch of riders for me to give it a go. Want to ride it from my driveway the first time. May try it after moose season if the road is still open. Road closes for winter. 1st part from Palmer is up hill to the summit & 22 miles of the road is dirt . (2 miles from the top & 20 down the other side.) http://www.frontiersman.com/sports/...cle_f76987d4-21f9-11e4-af72-001a4bcf887a.html
Dave I was going to ask when you thought you would start burning up there, but I read you think you'll need a fire in the mornings soon? I know out west in some of the higher elevations they start to get snowfall in late August, is that true where you are?
Good question. We typically see "Termination Dust" on the mt peaks by the end of Aug - 1st week of Sept. Could happen any time now. We usually get frost on the garden by the 1st week of Sept. (To be 38° Friday night, frost is close behind.) Here in the low land of the Mat Valley, we usually have snow on the ground by Halloween Have had shoulder fires as early as late Aug & as late as the 1st of Oct. Has been a warm record breaking Summer after a warm, hardly no snow, Winter & an early Spring. Long range climate forecast for us is to be warmer than the norm with El Nino~ First fire ? : When the wife says it's time for a fire, I'll start a fire. Today she was on the back deck , in the sun, at 70° with a hooded sweatshirt on. I convinced here this week that baking warms the house, we ate 3 loaves of zuchinni bread & got 9 loaves in the freezer this week First fire probably in a few weeks.
Sounds like my wife! 70 and she'll almost always have a hoodie on, and I've even seen her with one on at 80. She gets it from her dad, who is even colder than she is. It's a bit frustrating, really....
That sounds like a great ride Dave. Enjoy it. Take warm clothing too! I'd also take along several Power Bars (love the chocolate) and/or Cliff Bars and eat one per hour or more during the trip. Amazing how much that can help.
