Living in Alaska - Life in the Last Frontier

Yesterday, I got out of bed with Steve at 3:50am when the alarm went off. I had a second alarm set for 6:30am, but decided to pour myself a huge mug of coffee and start my day anyway.

Steve left a little after 4am, to make his way down the Sterling Hwy to Soldotna for his fishing trip, and I leashed up Sedona and took her for a walk. There’s nothing like a peaceful morning walk, when you’re most likely the only one awake.

It was cloudy and sprinkling a little bit of rain, but I saw a smudge of blue sky peeking through off in the distance. I hoped it was a sign that we’d have a beautiful day - and it was!

I left the camper at 8:30am, and headed in the wrong direction. I thought I knew where Alaska Horsemen was located, but obviously my brain wasn’t working too well. A quick phone call got me turned around and headed in the right direction before I went too far out of my way.

When I arrived, I was given an “outback” coat and a cowboy hat to wear. (Remember that I haven’t ridden a horse in a very long time - and even then, it was level trail riding through pastures, etc.) I wondered about the hat and long coat, especially since the sun had come out and things were starting to warm up pretty good. I was wearing a thin wool shirt and a fleece vest already and the last thing I wanted was to be overheated.

I took a look around the yard at the different horses we’d be taking out. There were several really big horses, and I knew if I was given one of those, I’d need a step stool to get up in the saddle! (There was one)

Soon, the rest of the guests who were riding that morning arrived. One couple was celebrating the guy’s 35th birthday and were from Eagle River, AK. The other couple were from Texas originally (and experienced riders who grew up on a ranch with many horses), and had moved to Anchorage this past January. All four were quite friendly, and I didn’t feel like the “5th wheel” for too long.

Our trail guide (Melanie) was new to Alaska and AK Horsemen, but not new to riding. Like many young people in AK, she came up to work this summer, while taking a break from her college studies. She was quite friendly, and took her time, so that those of us with *pokey* horses (ME!) could catch up.

OK.. so I’m going to repeat myself here and remind you that I haven’t ridden a horse in a long, long time! I do NOT consider myself an experienced rider, although I suppose I am when compared to someone who has never sat in a saddle. The website said that there were several trail options, and I’m going to assume that some are not as rigorous as others. All I know is that the trail we took was no easy walk in the park.

The trail almost immediately winded its way up the hillside, along deeply rutted, root-strewn, rocky, and sometimes very steep inclines. Going uphill wasn’t as hard as going downhill. Going uphill meant standing up in the stirrups and keeping my body as upright as possible. This wasn’t too difficult, but Winchester (my beautiful and very huge horse), wasn’t quite sure whether he should take the hill slowly or in a trot. When he chose trot, my nether regions got a good pounding against the saddle. Not too bad the first or second time, but after two hours of occasional pounding, a little soreness creeps in.

Going downhill was terrifying at times. Seriously. Steep hills, with ruts, holes, rocks, tree stumps, mud, and whatever other challenge mother nature could throw in. So steep that at times I felt like I was going to be thrown over Winchester’s head. When he lost his footing and would jump down a few feet, I could feel an adrenaline rush of fear. I didn’t care much for the steep downhill portions of the trail, and I think next time I’d prefer a more sedate ride. Bear in mind that the other “experienced” riders loved it, but if you’re a little intimidated by big animals and rough terrain, you might want to choose the easier ride.

With that being said… what a spectacular view of Kenai Lake when we reached the top! Breathtaking! We saw Dall sheep on the mountainside too. When we reached the top, we dismounted and took in the scenery for a little while. It was nice to get my ‘land legs’ back again, after being in the saddle for about an hour. We chatted with one another, had our pictures taken at the overlook and on our horses, and talked about the other wonderful things there are to see and do in Alaska.

On the way back to the stables (repeating the rigorous ride in reverse), Winchester lost his footing on a downhill portion of the trail, and before he could fully recover, he slammed sideways into a tree. My leg was between him and the tree, and my knee took the brunt of the blow. That hurt a bit. I now have a souvenir from the ride - a bruised kneecap.

Earlier I mentioned the long coat and hat, and the wisdom of wearing the outfit. I am so thankful for both items! Both kept tree branches and leaves from scratching us as we made our way through the forest, and when the wind blew, leftover raindrops fell off the trees and onto us. I stayed nice and warm and dry.

After our ride, we enjoyed lunch by a campfire. We cooked our own hot dogs over the fire, and then did some gold panning while soaking in the sunshine. It was a beautiful morning, and we still had the rafting trip to do!

Photos from the “Saddle” portion of my day:

Next, we were off to Alaska River Adventures for a float down the Kenai River. The folks at AK Horsemen told us to look for George when we got over there, as he has a ponytail. When I walked into the office, I recognized George immediately. “You must be George”, I said. To which he replied, “And you’re Susan”. I thought that perhaps the folks at AK Horsemen described us to George so he’d know to keep an eye out for us, but I was wrong. It seems George saw my blog from the other day, in which I wrote about my upcoming Saddle/Paddle adventure, and recognized me from my photo on my website.

Those of you who have been reading me for a long time, know that it’s not unusual for me to be recognized while out and about. I’ve run into readers in just about every city/town in AK who stumbled upon my journal and have been following my adventures in Alaska. At first, it was a little odd to have *strangers* approach me and ask if I’m Susan. But now I take it in stride, and enjoy making new acquaintances and talking about this great state. But yesterday was the first time someone’s told me they read my blog from the day before and recognized me. This new format has really put my journaling ‘out there’.

(By the way, if you’re reading this George, I want to thank you - and your guide Matt - for a lovely time on the river)

We were suited up in waterproof boots, rubber coveralls, a rain jacket, and a life vest. With the blazing sun, it didn’t take long for all of us to become a little overheated. The guides who suited us up assured us that we would be happy for all these layers once we got out on the water. They sure were right! Once we were out on open water, the wind really brought a chilly edge with it, despite the warm sun shining brightly on us.

We traveled 14 miles downriver, and went through several areas of small rapids which sent a little water splashing up on the folks sitting in the front of the raft. I had my camera around my neck, but had a large ziploc baggie pulled over it to protect it from any water. I really didn’t take too many photos, as the sun was just too bright and everything was very washed out.

It was a lovely way to spend the afternoon, although my sore backside protested occasionally. I was thankful that I put on wool socks that morning, as my feet were chilled from sitting in the cold water that was in the bottom of the raft. The water in the Kenai Lake and river is about 40 degrees, so it’s not a river you want to go overboard in. Again, I was happy for my wool shirt and fleece vest.

We floated past the combat fishermen along the banks. We didn’t see anyone pull in a fish, although there were some areas that were covered in fish guts and looked like an open buffet for the seagulls. We passed a family of Meganser ducks paddling furiously across the river. When they got all the way to the other side, the fishermen over on that shore scared them and they turned around and paddled all the way back. I snapped a picture of them, but it’s not the best quality as the raft was moving up and down on the swells, and I didn’t have a long lens.

All in all, I’d give this combo excursion of riding and rafting two thumbs up. I had a great time, although I sure wish Steve had shared it with me. He got home to the camper only 15 minutes after me - again empty handed. He was rained on for most of the morning in Kenai, and was quite jealous of the gorgeous weather we had here in Cooper Landing.

Here are some photos from the “Paddle” portion of my day:

Today is a free day. Steve slept in and just woke about 10 minutes ago (nearly 11am). We’re going to have a light breakfast here, and perhaps take a drive to Cooper Lake. It’s drizzling right now, which makes for some good lighting (I hope the rain stops though). I’m in search of a perfect field of lupine with a mountainous backdrop. Perhaps I’ll find it today.

Michele: The weatherman is predicting sunshine in these parts while you’re visiting, and it’s been very warm in the Fairbanks area (high 70s). Let’s hope he’s right about the weather - so your visit will be perfect! Only 2 more days! Woo Hoo!

Until next time…