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withabackpackandcamera · 4 years

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September 21st, 2020

Day 8: The Day We Spent 9 Hours Hiking To and From The Mother Of All Glaciers

After Cynthia finished her interview this morning, we quickly drove into town to grab to-go breakfast from a restaurant we had found on Yelp before driving to the trailhead for our hike to the Harding Icefield. Unfortunately, once we arrived, we realized that they were already closed up for the season. Instead, we had to drop by Safeway to grab some food. I grabbed two donuts and milk from the bakery and Cynthia went with her Starbucks ham and cheese croissant sandwich to make things quick and easy.

We finished our breakfast while making our way out to Kenai Fjords National Park, which was a short drive away. While driving down the road to get to the park’s parking lot, I saw a park ranger car parked on the side of the road as I drove into the park. And when I saw him start moving when I passed him, I knew I was not going the right speed. Because I didn’t notice how fast I was driving and that the speed limit had dropped significantly out of nowhere, I was pulled over. Ugh, how I hate police lights turning on right behind me. So I stopped and was questioned about the situation. I was truthful about the situation with the ranger (always the right decision) and because of that, I was let go with a light warning, thank goodness. I’ll definitely be monitoring the speed limit a little closer in these towns and national parks now.

By the time we arrived at the trailhead, it was around 11am or so. What we had in store for today was the Harding Icefield Trail hike, a well-trekked and difficult hike of 8 to 10 miles roundtrip that climbed over 3800ft in elevation within a segment of 4 miles or so. It was a pretty steep hike that led to the Harding Icefield, a large field of ice that gave rise to many glaciers in the area. Our start was a bit later than I wanted but there was still plenty of time to get to the top and back down. The weather wasn’t great at the start. It was a bit drizzly and very cloudy. But those conditions were better than it being too hot as we’d have to carry our layers instead of wearing them, which is probably way more annoying.

At first, the hike took us along a dirt path to the actual trailhead before starting upwards through the wet trees. There, in the mugginess, we ran into a ton of flies or midges that were super annoying to deal with while hiking. Because it was low season, and maybe because of the weather, the trail was very quiet. There weren’t that many cars in the parking lot when we arrived this morning, and there weren’t many people that we ran into while hiking initially as everyone was far ahead of us. It’s always nice when it’s quiet while hiking. Anyhow, we slowly hiked our way up, step by step, incline after incline. During some parts, the hike kind of reminded me of an easier version of the Day 2 ascent I had to do on the Inca Trail, where I had to ascend 1000m step by step over a few hours because there were only steps and no good stopping point to rest. Good thing this hike wasn’t even close to that in difficulty or both me and Cynthia wouldn’t have made it.

As we climbed, the rain continued to come down steadily, to the point that we needed to keep our rain jackets on or we’d get soaked little by little. We took a lot of breaks throughout the hike, mostly because Cynthia wasn’t used to such strenuous hikes and this was probably the most difficult hike she’s ever done. So we took our time and made sure she was comfortable moving forward before continuing on. And she did fine with those breaks.

Once we reached the Marmot Meadows, we were about 1.5 miles into the hike. At that point, our surroundings became more open with less trees and the trail became more of a steady climb upwards toward the cliffs and ridges. This segment of the hike was just beautiful because of the fabulous open views that it provided us as we hiked up. From the trail, we could see the mountains and valleys behind us, the fall colors below us, the Exit Glacier and the beginnings of the Harding Icefield right across the way, as well as the rays of sunlight beaming through the little breaks in the clouds in the distance. It was just beautiful! So beautiful that we spent a ton of time there taking photo after photo. It was so hard to resist taking out my camera every few feet to capture a new scene.

As we slowly made our way up, the temperature around us dropped to (probably) the high 30s, low 40s as the Harding Icefield became more and more visible in front of us. Good thing that at this point, the wind hadn’t picked up too much or we’d be freezing. It was around this point that people behind us started to pass us and people in front of us started to descend past us. No worries, we weren’t in a huge race to get to the top for any reason whatsoever. The nice thing, though, about having folks descend past us is that we could ask them about the route ahead, if there were any animal sightings, how long until we got to the end of the trail, etc. One group that was descending told us that they had spotted a small black bear in the distance earlier this morning on their ascent but that it was gone by the time they started making their way down. They saw a black bear! We were excited about the possibility of spotting a bear from afar as well but ended up striking out and not seeing any bear the entire hike. Sadness

But luckily, we did have more gorgeous views as we made our way up. By this point, the glacier seemed like a stone’s throw away.. Actually, it was probably a little further away than that. We slowly climbed and photographed and rested, and before we knew it, we had reached the next section of the hike: the area that people call “Mars” or the martian-like rocky landscape right before the end of the trail. Because we were near the top of a mountain, this area was particularly rocky with very nondescript trails leading through the black, rocky landscape. Fortunately, we had received some advice from other hikers regarding how we should be careful with the trails, how far we should hike, and how long it would take. And after what seemed like way longer than we expected, we eventually spotted the emergency shelter at the very top of a hill that marked a soft endpoint to the hike and slowly climbed our way up and down until we reached it. When we finally reached the shelter, we peered inside and found that many previous visitors to the shelter had written or engraved their names into the wooden walls of the cabin or the cabin door frame. So, we too left a memento of our visit before trekking further out toward the Harding Icefield.

It took a little while to figure out which unmarked path would take us to the edge of the rocky area and closer to the expansive Harding Icefield but eventually, we found one of the right paths and walked down toward the glacier. We hiked to the end of the path to a viewpoint of the glacier but didn’t see anything marking it as the end of the trail. There, we enjoyed the views of the ice field and took photos and videos before finding a nice, comfortable spot on the ground to enjoy our packed lunch, which included the rest of my sourdough sandwich from the other day for me and another Starbucks ham and cheese croissant for Cynthia with some chips and clementines to enjoy as well. And man was the food yummy after a long hike up to the ice field.

As we sat there and ate lunch, we also took a moment to enjoy the views of the ice field as the heavy clouds blew in and out, covering the glacier from time to time while also letting sunlight slip through from time to time. It wasn’t long (probably 30 minutes or so) before the wind picked up and Cynthia became very cold. So we ate our food quickly and started our descent.

Despite the hike being an in-and-out trail, the views that we enjoyed on the way down seemed drastically different from the views that we enjoyed on the way up. That’s probably because we were primarily facing different directions on the way up and on the way down, thus giving us different scenes to view each way. Having such a beautiful panoramic view to enjoy on the way down made the descent much more enjoyable (besides the fact that we were now effortlessly descending and not ascending). It also made for a lot of photo stops of course, which made the descent take much longer than we thought it’d take. With those photo stops essentially being the only stops we had, we slowly made our way down the mountainside. By this time in the afternoon, the clouds were starting to thin out and clear up, allowing us to watch as the sun started to set in the sky. And as the clouds cleared up, so did the rain, leaving a gorgeous scene that photos likely won’t do justice for.

After all that stopping, we finally started to pick up the pace as we made it back to treeline level and eventually made it all the way down. After timing the hike (which totaled about 9h15m), it took us roughly 5 hours to make it to the top and about 3.5 hours to make our way down from the top with all of the stops both ways. What an amazing hike with amazing views, amazing scenery, an amazing endpoint, and really nice fellow hikers that we interacted with! And great, dramatic weather! We definitely lucked out today!

As we drove out of the park, we made a stop at the Kenai Fjord National Park entrance sign for a quick photo before driving back home to our cabin as the darkness set in. The rest of the night was very restful, which was much needed after the long day out. Instead of driving out and finding a restaurant for dinner, we just ate the rest of our leftovers from yesterday which were surprisingly good one day later despite it all being fried foods that got somewhat mushy in the fridge. After dinner, we each enjoyed a nice cup of hot chocolate in our cabin (originally we were planning to sit on the deck outside but because it was so damp and buggy outside, we decided to drink our hot chocolate inside instead) while finishing what we had left of The Avengers: Infinity War. Once that was over, it was time to clean up and get ready for bed. Whew, what a day!

5 Things I Learned/Observed Today:

1. For entry into a lot of national parks, you usually have to pay a fee. Luckily, with Kenai Fjords National Park, you don’t. It’s always great to save money.

2. Harding Icefield is very large and its surrounding areas are very cold. And the icefield is more than 700 square miles in area! That’s just ridiculous!

3. Despite what Alaskans say, bears and moose are not very easy to spot on a two week trip to Alaska. You have to be in the right spot at the right time or super lucky.

4. In Seward and the surrounding areas, beware of speed traps and police and park rangers just chilling in their cars on the side of the road waiting for speedsters like you and me. Sometimes the speed limits change very quickly and all of a sudden and you don’t notice until it’s too late. Always be wary of the speed limit because they can definitely catch you speeding because that’s probably what you normally do on country rounds in rural areas.

5. Grizzly bears have large shoulder humps and are much more dangerous than black bears. Those are two characteristics that separate the two. Also, based on the signs about bear precautions, if a black bear attacks you, fight back. If a brown bear (i.e. grizzly bear) attacks you, the first thing you should do is play dead and not fight back. That alone tells you a lot about the difference between black and brown bears.

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bbaba-yagaa · 5 years

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Who You Are Now

A/N: This is the last request that I received for the March challenge and one again, it was requested by my friend Ele! the promts were “Embrace” and “shut up and kiss me”. This is my very first TC&TF fic and it really drove me nuts while writing it.

Summary: This fic takes place after TC&TF book 3 and follows Dom and Sei as the deal with an unforeseen issue.

Parings: Dom x Sei

Rating: T?

Word count: 3,160

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters! I'm only borrowing them.

**********

The steady, distinctive footfall of a horse's hooves against soft earth are the only sound that Dominic Hunter registers as he and his trusty steed near their destination. His mind has been clouded with troublesome thoughts the entire length of his journey from Stormholt back to his new home in the Blackspine mountains. The festival held for the anniversary of Queen Kenna's wedding had gone off without a hitch. He had more than his fill of music, good company and of course the food and ale only available at his old stomping grounds. But his visit and it's events seem to have had a strange unexplainable effect on him. Three days into the journey, Dom finally finds himself on the narrow, winding trail that leads deep into the heart of the mountain range. Off in the distance, nestled against a vast mountainside, rooftops of several quaint cottages come into view and Dom's heart begins to pound furiously; threatening to burst from his chest. He has no idea how to reveal his troubles to Sei but given their past history, she probably already knew somehow that something was amiss. The woman of his affection is no fool and she certainly doesn't tolerate them either: even if they are devilishly handsome. He chuckles slightly and a smile tugs at the corners of his mouth at that last thought.

Villagers respectfully greet Dom while he passes them by on his way to meet with Sei's grandfather, Anu Rhuka. The blue eyed fire wielder hopes to speak with his master before having to face his lover, but much to his dismay, the elder of the tribe herself appears, as if out of thin air, on the path before him.

Sei's harsh, stoic gaze has softened ever so slightly since the successful liberation of the five kingdoms, six including the newly designated fire tribe. The only person who took great notice of this was of course Dom, who constantly badgered her when she would deny what he knew to be a fact. But in this particular moment, her icy gaze of old is on full display in light of her lover's sudden anxiety.

“How was the festival Dom?” Sei’s tone is neutral despite the fact that he nearly falls off his horse at the mere sight of his mate.

“I-it was fine! Yeah! Everyone was asking about you. I told them you had important elderly duties to attend to.” Dom chuckles slightly at his own joke as he brings the horse to a halt.

“Fine? Then why do I sense unease in you? Was Kenna unable to enter the spirit world?” Sei's eyes stay fixed on Dominic as he hastily dismounts his horse while avoiding eye contact.

The blue eyed man begrudgingly meets the harsh gaze of his mate as he takes a deep breath and begins to tell his story. “Of course she was able to enter it and those waiting for her there said their goodbyes and made peace. It lifted a huge weight off her shoulders; I could sense it. No, I felt it.”

“The two of you never fail to impress me. I've never heard of anyone outside the fire tribe lineage entering that plane. Impressive indeed. But this weight that was lifted; is this the reason you're riding a horse like a lowlander?” Sei's expression softens slightly; perhaps sensing her own unnecessary severity.

Dominic had fully expected his troubles to be revealed rather quickly but he had no time at all to prepare his explanation. “No! I-I uh… wanted to take my time and enjoy the scenery. The land between here and Stormholt is breathtaking. Last time we made that journey I didn't get to really take in the beauty of-”

“Dom, I have no interest in idle chatter. You can transform into a dragon and fly. Nothing is more breathtaking or exhilarating than soaring through the sky thousands of feet above the earth. What's the real reason you spent three days on horseback?”

“Alright! You got me.” The blonde haired man sighs in resignation and pauses for a moment before explaining himself. “I can't transform. As soon as I realized it, I entered the spirit world to see if there were answers for me there. Obviously, I had no luck with that so I rode back on a horse. Nobody has ever talked about this type of thing happening to a fire user so I was nervous to tell you.”

Sei nods and runs a hand absentmindedly through the fox fur collar draped across her shoulders while pondering Dominic's words. After a few tense moments of silence, the dark haired woman shoots her lover a small smile and places a firm hand on his shoulder. “It sounds like your center has shifted. This is an extremely rare occurrence but it is not unheard of. Come, take a walk with me.”

“Hey wait where are we going? And what do you mean my center shifted?” Dominic follows after Sei as she begins to cross a small bridge over the sparkling brook that runs through the village and valley beyond.

“To rediscover your center, Dom. I think I know just how to do so. Now hurry; you know I am not a patient teacher.” The elder of the fire tribe steps off the small wooden structure, walks into a clear area before lifting her hands as she is consumed by mauve flames. The extended arms stretch and morph into leathery red and grey wings, tipped with lethal talons as the rest of her body grows to massive proportions. When she has fully achieved her dragon form, Sei turns back to Dom and gestures for him climb on her back.

“Just had to rub it in didn't you?” The blue eyed man shakes his head while climbing aboard. He settles in and takes hold of a pair of horns protruding from Sei's neck. “So where are we going?”

“For a ride.” With these words, the fire elder flaps her wings, propelling them both into the sky. She rapidly gains altitude as Dom clings tightly to her serpentine neck. For several minutes she soars gracefully over the blackspine mountains.

Dom leans forward and yells out to Sei over the roaring wind. “You know, this isn't like you. I mean just going for a nice peaceful flight like this. What's gotten into you?”

An incredulous snort escapes the maw of the fire elder. “We aren't up here to sight see. We are going to help you rediscover your center.” Once again, Sei flaps her powerful wings and propels the two of them up into the sea of clouds above. When they break through the billowing mist, an eerie silence falls between them.

After what seems like an eternity, Dom breaks the silence. “Um, Sei? How are we going to rediscover my center all the way up here? Shouldn't I be sitting in lava?”

“That didn't work before; so why would it work now?” Sei doesn't glance back at Dom is she speaks; her attention is fully fixed on navigating the sky ahead.

“Well, I don't know I was just saying. So what's the plan?”

“You said it yourself. When Kenna entered the spirit world and received her closure, you felt a significant shift. You told me the key to your center originally was the queen herself. The two of you will always share a special bond but it sounds as though your lives aren't connected as they once were. I believe it's time for you to embrace who you truly are.”

The wind whips savagely through Dom's hair while he silently digests Sei's words. He shakes his head in attempt to rid himself of troublesome thoughts. “And who am I?”

“That's what we are here to find out. Consider this a trial by fire. Or rather, by fall.” With these words, Sei folds her wings and pitches into a barrel roll that casts the unsuspecting man into the void. After the ejected passenger disappears into the sea of clouds below, Sei straightens out and once again settles into an elegant glide.

As Dom plummets, screaming at the top of his lungs, he struggles to decipher the meaning of the fire elder's cryptic words. This proves to be an impossible task, as his thoughts keep returning to the same question, ‘Why did I need to be dropped out of the sky?’. The earth below and the rate of his descent is more than enough encouragement for the blonde man to figure things out quickly. He closes his eyes and wills away the wind roaring around him.

*********

When the world around him falls silent, Dom slowly opens his eyes and finds himself on an ethereal path that extends beyond the horizon. Familiar, soothing hues of blue and millions of stars welcome him once again to the spirit world. A thick veil of fog blankets the ground and curls silently around Dom's legs as he begins to make his way down the winding path. His pace quickens when the usual inhabitants of his subconscious fail to appear as they had during previous visits to this surreal plane of existence.

His growing anxiety causes his brow to furrow in frustration and Dom breaks into a full sprint down the path into the crippling unknown. “Margaret? Rose?!” Desperation hangs in the words that escape his lips while echoing across the void. The pleas die out, unanswered in the crushing abyss, much to Dom's dismay. For what seems like an eternity, he races across the vast, desolate plane until his blue eyes begin to blur with tears. Exhaustion finally overtakes him as he collapses to his knees defeatedly.

As he wallows in agony, a single, horrid thought pries at Dom's subconscious while struggling to catch his breath. Would Sei actually allow him to die in the real world? Surely she would catch him before he hit the ground. But there had a reason for this insane ‘trial’. Frustrated and defeated, Dom tosses back his head and shouts into the sky. “What am I missing here?!”

As the words leave his lips, a pair of silhouettes materialize in the distance and their sudden appearance draws Dom's full and undivided attention. A glimmer of hope ignites within the fire wielder’s chest as the pair approaches him rapidly. With renewed strength, he pulls himself to his feet and makes toward the unknown entities. Minutes seem like hours as the three venture wordlessly towards each other. When he can finally make out their faces, Dom's heart skips a beat and his jaw drops in disbelief. He'd only seen their faces once before; illustrated within the pages of an historic text Raydan had discovered within the great library of Ennan. Disbelief causes him to rub his eyes in an attempt to dispel what he believes to be an illusion. The three of them come to a halt mere paces away from each other and Dom, in a rare moment, is lost for words.

“Yes, it's really us son.” Arden Alcantar, a former noble of Fydorian royalty and Dom’s father, breaks the silence first. Beside him, beaming brightly at her fully grown child, is Idara of the blackspine’s fire tribe.

“B-but how? You guys have never appeared to me before. Why now?” Dom’s words are fumbled and he struggles to form them with his bone dry mouth.

“You didn't need us before, Dominic. But we have been here, watching over you as you grew into the man that you are now.” Idara pauses briefly to steel herself; her amber colored eyes brimmed with overwhelming joy. “Your father and I couldn't be more proud of what you have become.”

Overcome with emotion, Dom throws both arms over each of his long lost parents and shares a tearful, emotional embrace with them. Tears of happiness stream down everyone's faces and after what seems to them a brief moment, they separate and dry their faces.

“I'd love to stay here with you guys and catch up but I'm-.”

“Falling from the sky. We know dear, that's why we are here. To ask you the question.” Idara takes her son's hand and squeezes it reassuringly.

“Alright, so what's the question?”

Arden drapes an arm over Dom's shoulder and hugs him affectionately. “What are you, son? Or if you prefer it worded this way: who are you?”

Dom scratches his head in frustration and groans in annoyance. “Why does everything here involve a riddle? I hate riddles. I'm me, and I always have been!”

“But are you a lowlander?” Idara questions her son while giving her husband's shoulder a playful squeeze and a bright smile as Arden rolls his eyes at her. “Or are you a fire wielder?”

“That's easy, I'm a fire w-” Dom stops short as the answer, suddenly extremely obvious to him, presents itself. “I'm neither. No, wait it's actually a bit of both. I have the ability to control fire like you, mom, but I was raised at Stormholt in the lowlands where dad was born and raised. Now that the wars are over, I'm a kind of bridge between the two and the times of discrimination between those who have very different ways of looking at life are finally beginning to fade.”

Arden and Idara both beam proudly at their son as they nod in unison. Together, they step forward and once again envelop Dom in a warm embrace.

“Yes! You've got it son! Now we better let you get back before things get…” Arden trails off as he steps away from his son once again.

“Messy. Before things get messy.” Idara’s statement is playful in nature, but the sarcastic tone doesn't keep a horrified expression from spreading across her husband's face.

“Dear was that really necessary?”

“Oh come on! He will be fine and I'm only teasing him. You know that right Dominic?”

“Yeah, I know mom. Now I know where I got my sense of humor from.” Dom chuckles softly as his parents begin to back away from him and begin to fade into the ethereal mist of the spirit world. “Wait! Will I see you guys again?”

“Of course dear! You know how to find us.” The emotional, dark haired woman brushes a bittersweet tear from her eye before waving goodbye to her son.

“I love you mom and dad. Thank you, for everything. I wish…”

*******

Dom snaps back to reality and realizes he's about to crash face first into the unforgiving earth below. Instinctively, he throws his hands forward in a vain and illogical move to protect himself. Screaming with what he believes is his last breath, Dom closes his eyes and awaits the comforting darkness. But through his tightly clenched eyes, the fire wielder catches a glimpse of blue flames flickering to life around his arms. Instantly his eyes snap open, just in time to witness his outstretched limbs morphing into familiar wings. Dom's heart begins to race and he bursts into hysterical, joyous laughter as his body twists and contorts until he once again becomes a winged beast of the sky.

“Yes! It worked!” Just a few moments shy of meeting his demise, Dom rotates his now gargantuan body around and flaps his powerful wings, propelling himself skyward once again. In the exhilarating moment that he launches himself toward the heavens, a familiar grey and red mass manages to narrowly avoid a collision with him.

“Hey, watch where you're flying!” The words yelled after Dom by Sei are barely registered by the former as the triumphant blue dragon continues his rapid ascension.

When he breaks though the sea of clouds high above the earth, the ecstatic serpent settles into a majestic glide while catching his breath. As the sun begins to set, it ignites a magnificent myriad of colors amidst the misty air around him and Dom's mind is finally at ease. The sound of wings beating the air interrupts the tranquility as Sei joins her lover amongst the heavens. The two over them glide silently together for what seems to be an eternity before Dom clears his throat and speaks up.

“So… you were really going to let me die huh?” The blue skinned dragon casts a sideways glance at his partner.

“No I was not. Did you not see me right there behind you? You nearly ran into me. You just happened to figure it out at the last possible moment which is very typical for you. But I knew you'd be fine. I have much faith in you Dom.” Sei's fanged maw twists upward into a sly grin as her companion shakes his head in disbelief.

“You sure have a funny way of showing affection Sei, but I guess I'm a glutton for punishment. Now how about we actually do something fun for once?” Dom casts a mischievous look at his suspicious partner before angling downward into an aggressive nose dive.

The red and grey dragon follows suit and joins Dom as he plummets once again toward the earth below. The two of them fold their wings and engage in a contest of velocity; each of them refusing to back down as they near the ground at breakneck speeds. When the earth looms threateningly close, the two dragons open their wings in perfect synchronization and use the momentum to soar skyward once again. Upon reaching the peak of the resulting glide, the two serpents meet midair, collapse their wings and lock talons together before angling downward into a dizzying spin. Blue and amber reptilian eyes lock in a battle of wits as the collective mass of blue, red and grey plummets back to earth. When the two of them sense the ground once again looming close, their talons release and the dragons separate before gracefully gliding apart. The two of them break their momentum before coming in for a safe landing. After transforming back into their human forms in a shower of purple and blue sparks, Dom takes Sei into his arms. The elder fire wielder, who normally scoffs at this kind of display, melts into her lover's chest contentedly.

“Are you sure you're ready for this kind of commitment Dominic Hunter?” Sei releases her lover and gives him a demure, questioning look.

Both confused and still dizzy from the rush of adrenaline, Dom raises an inquisitive eyebrow at Sei. “Wait, commitment?”

“That was the aerial courtship dance of the winged serpent. It is performed when two fire wielders have selected their life long mates. Did you not know?” Sei's stoic, impatient gaze batters Dom as he fumbles for words while rubbing the side of his neck.

“Well I- I mean yeah I-” The blonde haired man is interrupted as Sei grabs the collar of his tunic abruptly.

“You talk too much, Dom. Shut up and kiss me.” She roughly pulls their faces together and the two share a long and passionate kiss as the air around them shimmers from the heat of the fire wielders’ embrace.

#tc&tf #dom x sei #march challenge #choices fanfic #dom hunter #sei rhuka

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anniejan77 · 5 years

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Surprise! I am back. After a long interval of workaholism, I am finally taking a little time-out to show all one of my, somewhat, recent adventures in Iran. It was not long ago that my husband and I, along with friends and family, took our unforgettable road trip to Badab-e Soort.

The natural terraces of Badap-e Soort, photo by me: Antonia Mosqueda

Yes, the famous Badap-e Surt (Persian: باداب سورت‎). If you have not heard of the location: it’s a natural site of Northern Iran in Mazandaran Province. The site, on a mountainside, is made up of a range of travertine terrace formations. The travertine terraces are one of the most attractive features there; they were created over thousands of years due to flowing water from two mineral hot springs that cooled and deposited carbonate minerals on the mountainside. The smell of sulfur is strong but brings about a beautiful array of colors and geological diversity to the natural site.

Now, to get to this particular site, it may be quite a ride but an enjoyable one if you like natural scenery…

Some scenery along the way.

When you arrive at the village of Orost, an experienced man sits, selling healthy liters of Zereshk juice (Good for the heart). Buy a bottle of juice and ask him to point you to the direction of Badap-e Soort: he will do just that, gladly. If you follow his directions correctly, there will be a few men with tractors waiting for tourists; they accept a small fee to give you the bumpiest, most terrifying, and wildest tractor ride of your life. When I took these photos, below, I did not know what my body was in for 🙂 One might prefer to hike up the mountain than experience this ride, but if you’re a thrill seeker and enjoy being tossed around in the back of a rickety old tractor that rides dangerously close to the edge, this might be just for you.

rbthdr

fptbty

sdr

Once you get to your ultimate destination, a friendly family waits there, offering tea and ash soup. Have the tour first, knowledgeable men will tell you as much as they can about the site; and they show you the main springs, indicating the ones you can and cannot drink from.

Taking in all the beauty of Badap-e Surt.

Below are photos of a small spring that you can drink from…

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According to some, one of the springs offer healing properties. It’s worth it to try. When we arrived the water was lower than usual and needed a good rain: however, that might have changed by now since Iran has had so much rain in recent months. I would recommend a trip there soon. I have heard from friends and family that went there as recent as this month and said many improvements have been made and the rain has had a positive impact on the site.

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Don’t drink from here, but admire the beauty and the beauty the spring water creates…

Badap-e Soort: photo by: Antonia Mosqueda

Maybe this is how the larger terraces looked thousands of years ago, in that case, they have a ways to go before they become as huge as the others.

Water trickled down the terraces and formed these small features that glistened as you could hear the spring water trickle down. The springs not only give this mountainside it’s color but the shapes that make it so unique.

After the short lecture and tour, offered by a kind man after buying some tea or soup: enjoy the site. Do not walk on certain terraces though: this weakens the formation, and do not pollute or stay after dark. Follow the rules, they are there to preserve this naturally gorgeous site.

Three colossal terraces opposite of several on one side. Mohammad gives us an idea of how large they are.

Probably the most attractive feature of the site are these terraces that change color depending on time of day and position of sun.

The pictures above were taken at different times of day, from different angles. After, taking in all that beauty, we eagerly ran to the old tractor for another crazy ride. Going down was just as fun, possibly a little smoother!

Photo of the old tractor: Antonia Mosqueda

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sdr

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fptbty

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All in all, it was an excellent and exciting trip, another reason to spend and get closer to friends and family like all other road, hiking, and camping trips. Hope you enjoy my little picture story and feel inspired to see Badab-e Soort or even Iran!

Knocking out that bucket list…one step at a time!Badab-e Soort Surprise! I am back. After a long interval of workaholism, I am finally taking a little time-out to show all one of my, somewhat, recent adventures in Iran.

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001pandamonium · 5 years

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Day 7: Sheeps and Horses and Cows and Deer, Oh My!

Friday we took to the open roads again and venturing off towards our first stop: Glenfinnan. About halfway to our destination, we became famished, so rushed to find a quick pub to jump into for some lunch. We found one that seemed to have a decent menu and both decided that a nice, juicy burger would hit the spot. Although the menu indicated that it would be a beef burger, I can only think to describe this meat substance as a “spam-like meat impersonator”. The texture was awful and when Taylor cut into his burger, the patty held it’s shape in a very grotesque and unnatural way. Suffice it to say, we did not stay to eat. Instead, we ran into a local Tescos and grabbed some snacky snacks and cereal. We then hopped back in the car and continued our journey. As we delved deeper into the woods, the roads became narrower and more windy. I know that my nervousness about the speed, visibility, and conditions stressed Taylor out quite a bit and for that, I do sincerely apologize. Nonetheless, the scenery was gorgeous! There were times I totally forgot to take pictures because I was just too busy living in the moment. (Hopefully my poor memory won’t regret that later in life!) We arrived at our first destination: The Glenfinnan Viaduct. For all of my Harry Potter fan family, you will recognize this as the Hogwarts Express Railroad. Unfortunately, the actual Hogwarts Express train was closed for the winter, but we were still able to walk up through the forest to view the viaduct, which was just as exciting for me! Once we had our fill, we jumped back into our ride and headed through the Highlands to our next stop: Loch Ness. The roads took us past probably hundreds of farms, with what felt like thousands of sheeps grazing idly. (And yes, every time we passed sheep we had to yell “Sheeps!” like we were 5.) We met a horse and his mini horse companion up in the mountains, who were not thrilled with us in the slightest. And we saw real Highland cows sunbathing near lakes. I am sad to report that we did not see any sign of old Bessie, the Loch Ness Monster, though. After driving around the lake, we visited Urquhart Castle, which sits on one of the cliffs near Loch Ness. Dating back to the 13th century, this castle played a part in the Scottish Wars for Independence and is one of the largest castles in the area. After exploring the historic site, we decided to make our way back to Edinburgh. We got caught in a snowstorm on the way back, but only for a short while. One of the things I remember most from this drive was that at one point, I looked up at the mountain to my left and saw hundreds of giant red deer grazing on the steep mountainside. With huge antlers that must’ve been at least 3 feet wide, it was a truly incredible sight and I’m sad that I was not able to get a picture of it in time. We finally made it back to Edinburgh well past dark and decided to drop the car off at the rental place before grabbing dinner. Hungry after our long excursion, I found a place quick on Google. When I first walked in, the bar was so packed I couldn’t even get over the threshold and there were about 15 guys behind me waiting to get in. Feeling a little disappointed, we almost left before spotting a door to the rear of the pub that led to the restaurant upstairs. Our hopes lifting, we went up the stairs to find an extremely outdated, quiet, kind of ugly looking place. If I’m being honest, if we were here in the States, I wouldn’t have eaten there. But alas, we were starving and tired so we decided to sit down anyway. And let me tell you, we do not regret it! It turned out to be one of the better meals that we had in Scotland. I started off with some Scotch Broth while Taylor enjoyed his fried chicken, and for my entree I had a “casserole” that was really more like stew while Taylor ate a chicken sandwich. Full and happy, we walked back home and climbed right into bed. What a great day!

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vannahfanfics · 2 years

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Before you read, here’s the previous chapter. New? Start from the beginning!

Shouyou’s Delivery Service

Ao3

Chapter 3: Flying High

“I’m sorry, young man, but it’s against company policy to lease rooms to minors. Where are your parents? Is there a way to contact them?”

Shouyou frowned, gripping the handle of his broom tightly. The hotel attendant looked empathetic and concerned, but this was the third one who had denied him a room. He had no idea that the city had so many rules! He didn’t want anyone to get in trouble, though, so like the two times before, he politely dipped his head.

“Don’t worry about it, ma’am. I’ll figure something out. Thank you and have a good day!”

The receptionist stood up on her tip-toes to watch Shouyou and Tobio leave, her eyebrows knitted in concern. As soon as the fancy automatic doors shut behind him, Shouyou released a frustrated sigh.

“At this rate, we’ll have to sleep on a park bench! I had no idea that being a warlock on your own was so hard,” he pouted. “Even if a hotel would let us stay, I’m sure it would be really expensive, too…”

“See? I told you, we should listen to the police officer,” Tobio said with a sniff. “We should find a smaller town to set up in.”

“No!” Shouyou refused with an adamant shake of his head. “I want to stay in this city! We’ll figure it out, Tobio.”

“If you insist,” his familiar just sighed.

Resolute, Shouyou began marching down the sidewalk to find another hotel. The hotel was built on a hill, abutting a road that traveled up the mountainside toward the residential areas. Shouyou was sure it provided a nice view of the ocean. At the very least, he and Tobio could take a nice break to admire the scenery. It put a spring in Shouyou’s step, making him skip up the hill with enthusiasm.

“Wow! Tobio, you can smell the salt on the breeze!” Shouyou cried in delight when they reached the crest of the hill. The curve of the road was lined with a nice brickwork wall, long faded from the salty sea spray. It was the perfect height for Shouyou to have a clear view of the land falling away into a bluff, where the ocean waves crashed against the rocks below. As the water threw up white frothy foam high up onto the jagged rock, Shouyou inhaled in awe. “Wow!”

“What? It’s just water.” In his cat form, Tobio walked along the wall, his black tail held high. He squinted down at the sea below, then sat down to begin grooming his fur, completely disinterested.

“Come on, Tobio. Are you really not impressed at all?”

Tobio looked once more down at the frothing waves, and then said, “Well, it is very big, and probably has a lot of big fish, then.” He licked his jaw with a small mrrow! Shouyou had never been sure if it was because he transformed into a cat or just a personality trait, but Tobio loved fish.

“When we find a place to stay, I’ll find a fish market so we can get some nice, ocean-caught fish! The kind we’ve never had before!” Shouyou promised. Tobio purred at that, walking up to rub his head affectionately against Shouyou’s shoulder. The warlock pet his familiar, scratching between his ears, and spent several minutes just enjoying the wind and waves rolling in from the sea. Right as he was about to announce that they should resume their search, there was a loud bang from behind them.

Shouyou whipped around to see a blond-haired man storming out of the nearby dumpling shop, his eyes scrunched and searching around the street while a cane swung from his hand.

“Crazy old coot. This is the third time this week! Oi! Mister Oshu! Ya left yer damn cane again!” the man shouted. He was tall, his wild blond hair held back by a black hairband. He looked kind of scary, but could he really be that scary if he was trying to return a cane to an old man? Holding his broom with Tobio sitting on his shoulder, Shouyou cautiously approached the dumpling store owner.

“Excuse me…” Shouyou asked quietly, but the man’s shouting drowned it out. He swallowed, and then shouted again over the man’s yells, “Excuse me!”

“Eh? What? Oh, it’s a kid,” the man said, turning around to blink at Shouyou.

“Is there a problem, mister?”

“Ah, a regular customer just left his cane in my shop,” the man shrugged, spinning it around in his hand. “He can’t hear for shit, so even though he prolly didn’t get far, he can’t hear me yellin’. I’d better get after ‘im before he falls and breaks his hip. I’ll have to close the shop though,” he grumbled while running his free hand over his hair. Shouyou brightened, perking up at an opportunity to help someone in need.

“Don’t worry, sir! I’ll deliver it for you!”

“Eh? But—”

Ignoring his protests, Shouyou took the cane and hopped on his broom. The dumpling store owner exclaimed in wonder as Shouyou floated up, then coasted through the air back down the street.

It wasn’t hard to find the old man. He trundled along a short way down the road, humming to himself as he munched on a meat bun he had bought to-go. He let out a surprised cry, bits of meat and dough flying from his mouth, when Shouyou touched down in front of him.

“Hello, sir! Sorry to startle you!” Shouyou smiled and presented the cane. “You left your cane at the dumpling shop, and the owner asked me to deliver it for you. Here you go!”

“Oh, why, thank you, sonny!” the old man said, gratefully taking the cane. He leaned down on it with a grateful sigh. “Ol’ Keishin’s dumplin’s always put a pep in my step, so I didn’t even realize I’d walked off without it!” he chortled. “Say, are you one o’ them warlocks? Ye must be, ridin’ around on that broom o’ yours!”

“That’s right, sir!” Shouyou confirmed with a nod, then looked at Tobio, who was sitting calmly on his shoulder. “And this is my familiar, Tobio!”

Tobio transformed to give the old man a polite bow. The old man’s eyes widened, and then he laughed jovially.

“Well, isn’t that just dandy!”

“We’re here to set up shop in town. Once everything gets settled, please stop by!” Shouyou and Tobio both bowed to the old man again. “Now, I had better get back to the dumpling shop owner to let him know that your cane was delivered safely.” As Shouyou went to get back on his broom, the elderly man stepped forward, hurriedly waving a hand.

“Oh, wait, wait! Please take this and buy yourself somethin’. Gotta tip the delivery boy!” he joked, handing Shouyou a few yen bills. Tobio, who had transformed back into a cat to perch on the tip of Shouyou’s broom, sniffed the crisp bills curiously.

“Wow, thanks, mister! That sure is nice of you!” Shouyou grinned. It was a lot of money, too! He could probably buy something really good! With one last wave of parting, Shouyou rose up, and the man turned to watch him fly back up the hill with a look of pure delight.

When Shouyou returned, the man was still standing outside the dumpling shop.

“Well, I’ll be! You’re a warlock,” he announced when Shouyou landed. Tobio hopped off the broom and transformed, and the man raised an eyebrow. “And I guess this must be your familiar.”

“That’s right, sir! We’re here to set up shop in town,” Shouyou explained. He then held out the cash the old man had given him. “We’ve been walking around town all morning, and we’re quite starving. We’d like to buy something.”

The man squinted at the money, then reached out to close Shouyou’s fingers back over it.

“Save it. I’m not about to make somebody who did me a favor pay for a meal. You’ve earned it. Come on in.” The man spun on his heel and opened the door for Shouyou, who flounced right on in with a sunny smile.

“Wow! See, Tobio? I told you we would find some nice city people!”

“Sorry, kid,” the man laughed, stepping in behind him. “I’m from the boonies, too. Oi, Ittetsu! Get a load o’ this squirt!”

There was the sound of shuffling from the kitchen, and then a bespectacled man with warm brown eyes and brown hair walked out from underneath the curtain over the door, holding a tray of steaming dumplings and miso soup in his other hand.

“Oh? We haven’t seen them around here before,” Ittetsu smiled, walking over to deliver the food to a pair of very curious customers before walking to the entrance, wiping his hands on his apron. “Did you return Mr. Oshu’s cane?”

“Actually, this guy did,” Keishin hummed, clapping both of Shouyou’s shoulders with his hand. “He’s a warlock! Flew right down the hill on his broom! Saved me the trouble of having to go after the old coot, so I promised the kids a meal.”

“Well, that sounds just fine to me,” Ittetsu said. Standing between them, Shouyou just smiled giddily. He rather liked these two men! They seemed so nice; it was a pleasant change from the not-so-friendly welcome he and Tobio had received. Keishin used his grip on Shouyou’s shoulder to steer him to a table in the corner, and Ittetsu tucked the curtain in the top of the door so he could continue on with the conversation while he cooked up something nice for them.

“So, what brings you to the city?” Keishin asked as he walked back behind the counter with the cash register so he could grab two ice-cold soda pops from the refrigerator there.

“I’m on my coming-of-age journey!” he answered. Keishin grunted, then used a bottle opener to pop the caps off the bottles. Shouyou gratefully took it as soon as Keishin set it down; he’d worked up quite a thirst with all the walking around, and soda pop was a rare treat out in his faraway little village. As soon as the cold, crisp, fuzzy concoction hit his tongue, he let out a satisfied hum. Even cautious Tobio was eagerly gulping it down. Chuckling, Keishin opened them two more and set them on the table.

“Coming-of-age journey?” Ittetsu said. “That sure sounds exciting!”

“It is a very important event for a witch or warlock,” Tobio said, licking the soda from his lips, “but I don’t think we’ll be able to stay here. We can’t find a hotel.”

“Tobiooooo!” Shouyou whined. “We can’t give up yet!”

“The hotels here are way too expensive for squirts like you to afford,” Keishin huffed. He walked out to start bussing the table nearby, piling the dirty dishes in one hand while cleaning off the wood with another. “You’ll find plenty of customers here, but it’s hard to start a business and get it off the ground, especially if ya don’t got a roof over yer head.”

“Hey, Keishin,” Ittetsu said, poking his head out of the door. “What about our spare room?” Keishin straightened up, balancing the dishes against his chest while rubbing his chin thoughtfully with the other. His gaze slowly trailed down to Shouyou, who put on his best puppy dog eyes. Shouyou elbowed Tobio when he realized that he was blank-faced, and the ravenet let out a hiss before putting on the faintest hint of a pout.

“Welllllll,” Keishin pretended to debate, but he couldn’t stop the grin from pulling onto his lips, “We haven’t had any luck renting it out, so I don’t see why not. What about it, you two? We live in an apartment upstairs and have a spare room. We’ll give ya room and board as long as you help out in the shop.”

“We’ll do it!” Both of them exclaimed in unison.

“Then it’s settled!” Ittetsu cried, walking out to set a plate of steaming hot gyoza down in front of them. “Now that you’ve solved your problem, enjoy a nice lunch on us! Just in case you didn’t catch it, I’m the co-owner, Ittetsu Takeda, and this is the owner, Keishin Udai.”

“I’m Shouyou Hinata!” Shouyou announced, his words slurred by his cheekfuls of food, “and this is my familiar, Tobio. We’re very grateful to you!”

“It’s no problem,” Ittetsu smiled. Keishin had walked off into the kitchen. Ittetsu glanced back at him, then leaned in to whisper to the two boys with a grin, “Keishin might look grumpy, but he’s actually a big softie. You probably remind him a lot of when he moved here to start his dumpling business. He wasn’t much older than you!”

“Really?”

“Oi! Are you talkin’ about me?” Keishin shouted, and Ittetsu just winked at Shouyou and Tobio. Ittetsu walked back into the kitchen to placate the blushing and scowling Keishin. Shouyou shoved another one of the dumplings in his mouth, then grinned broadly at Tobio.

“Isn’t this great? We really lucked out! I told you that we were meant to come here!” he said, kicking his feet happily under the table. Though he had been a bit standoffish thus far, Tobio smiled softly at him this time.

“It seems so. It’s a relief.”

“Yep!” Shouyou beamed, dipping one of the gyoza in the tangy sauce and piling it in with the others stuffed in his cheeks. “We’re just one step closer! Next thing you know, we’ll be flying high, Tobio!”

And as he ate the delicious food with his best friend, Shouyou’s spirits were flying high, too. It looked like his coming-of-age journey was going to be a success after all!

Enjoy this story? Here’s the next chapter! Please consider perusing my Table of Contents.

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bernardhiking · 4 years

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Harding Icefield Trail

Date of hike: August 20, 2020

Country: USA

Region: Alaska

Trailhead: Exit Glacier Nature Center, near Seward, AK

Hike Destination: Harding Icefield Overlook

Distance: 9 miles (13.5 km), out and back trail

Overall elevation gain: 3,400 ft. (ca. 1,100 m.)

Difficulty: Intermediate

Seward, which is situated on the Kenai Peninsula of Alaska, gets 40% more days without sunshine per year (232) than does Boston (where we currently reside). Thus, while sunny days cannot be taken for granted anywhere in the US, except maybe in Las Vegas, they can even be less taken for granted on the Kenai Peninsula (or anywhere else in Alaska, for that matter). That’s why we were truly grateful and highly excited when we woke up to a bright sunny day for what was planned to be the highlight, hiking-wise, of our 12-day tour of Alaska.

We stayed at the Seward Windsong Lodge, located next to Resurrection River, and from there it is just a 15 minutes drive to reach the Exit Glacier Nature Center, inside Kenai Fjords National Park. To approach the visitor center is to get an object lesson in the intricacies of climate change. Roadside signs with years on them show how far the glacier used to reach in former times.

Based on analysis of vegetation age and various geographic markers, scientists determined that the glacier reached its furthest expansion at the end of the “Mini Ice Age,” around 1815. Since then, Exit Glacier has retreated a staggering 2 kilometers up the valley, living up to its name as a glacier on the way out. When we passed the first placard with the oldest date on it, I took it for a joke because we were surrounded by lush forest; but 200 years ago, we’d have been faced with a mass of shimmering, compressed ice at this very spot. Since the onset of the Industrial Revolution, the Glacier has retreated at a rate of 13 meters per year on average. This is a good indication that glacial retreat is not only a function of man-made greenhouse gas emission (which were minimal in 1815), but that human activity compounds large-scale climactic factors and that both work together to fuel the melting of glaciers. As far as I know, the question of what proportion of climate change is due to natural cycles and what is due to human activity remains a point of contention.

The trail up to the Harding Icefield is very popular, and for good reasons: Starting at a short distance from Seward, it is a hike of moderate difficulty and reasonable length (9 miles), offering huge rewards of grand sub-arctic mountainscapes. It is a good idea to arrive at the trailhead early, especially on a splendid day like we experienced it, although due to Covid-19, far fewer tourists than usual were in Alaska at the time. No cruise ships were docking in Seward all season, and the complicated travel restrictions and testing requirements have generally raised the bar on travelers arriving from far away places. Somebody told us that because of Covid-19, 1 million fewer people were in Alaska right now than a year ago. To put this figure in perspective, the entire resident population of the state is only 740,000. The tourism industry and all depending on it are clearly smarting from this situation, although Alaskans are picking up some of the slack by coming out in greater numbers than usual to see their own land. But it is one of the ironies of an otherwise baneful global pandemic that pristine natural attractions are rendered more pristine by the absence of hordes of tourists.

We started out on the trail at 8:45 am, full of vigor and anticipation. We must have been among the very early birds since we didn't encounter anybody until close to noon, when some hikers who had overnighted somewhere in the backcountry were heading back our way. The trail is very well maintained and ascends at a pleasant rate, although some tall steps are encountered in the steepest sections. The first hour was spent mainly in alder, cottonwood, and spruce forest, which then gave way to shorter, stunted vegetation higher up, allowing a first glimpses of Exit Glacier, a gigantic river of ice lumbering down the mountainside, literally frozen in time.

Exit Glacier is one of 38 glaciers spilling out from the Harding Icefield which entirely covers central Kenai Peninsula at a surface area of over 700 square miles (or roughly the size of the island of Maui).

One of the great advantages of heading out early on this hike, besides enjoying an uncrowded trail, is that the light is much more favorable to bringing out the sculpted features of the landscape, exposing the blue ice shimmering from deep clefts in the glacier, while photogenic tendrils of vapor slide over the mountaintops in the background enhancing the dramatic effect. Once the sun moves further south and then swings west in the later afternoon, the light turns flat and blinding, as the viewer looks more or less directly into the glare over the glacier, and this takes a toll on the color spectrum and dimensional nuances of the scenery.

After one hour of steady climbing, we reached the first overlook where we got a close look at the plunging Exit Glacier. We had a brief sit-down here and drank some water. Then, we tackled the steepest portion of the trail, as it switch-backs up and around a bluff, while the vegetation goes from brush to tundra. Looking back down to that first lookout, we realized that it had meanwhile been populated by fellow hikers who had come in our wake.

After taking this photo with a tele lens, we deftly continued upward, calling out “oyeee! oyeee!” as a warning to potential bears. Telling the beasts that you are in their neighborhood is the best defense against unpleasant encounters with them, as they are usually shy and eager to avoid contact with humans. But when they are surprised or crowded, they can quickly and viciously turn on people. Like most hikers in Alaska, we also carried bear spray, but on a test of this device--discharging the can before we flew home--we found it to be of dubious efficacy, as the cloud of pepper gas was easily dissipated, with a reach of only about 5 meters. It seemed a puny way of defending oneself against an outraged 600 pound animal. Carrying the bear spray does more to calm the hiker’s nerves than it offers real protection in case of an emergency... hence the noise-making as the first and most important line of defense.

As it turned out, on this hike we did not encounter any bear (though another party following after us did, at fairly close range). We also did not spot other large wildlife and had to make do with a couple of marmots and grasshoppers. We did not mind, of course, since the scenery offered all the visual gratification that we could hope for. I'll never forget the moment when we crested a bluff and stepped out unto the ridge that looks down upon the majestic glacier, as it swings around in a broad curve, exposing a dramatic backdrop of icy expanse and serrated mountain tops.

It was as good an instance of the sublime feeling of awe in nature as can be had. The vastness of the scene was overpowering, and we were glad to sample it in solitude. Because the glacier is so enormously thick--measuring up to one mile in depth--the peaks are almost entirely submerged, which creates a unique landscape type, only available in the far north (as well as the Antarctic, of course). It is hard to imagine that all of this splendor could one day be melted away, but in the far future, we might be looking into a valley instead of a plain brimming with endless amounts of ice and snow.

The next portion of the trail, up to the ultimate turn-around point, goes from tundra to rocky terrain to black scree that resembles the surface of an uninhabited planet. This was my favorite stretch of the trail, with the huge expanse of the Harding Icefield gradually coming more clearly into view, as the trail climbs higher and higher above the glacier, while the vegetation becomes more and more sparse yet luminous. The dwarf fireweed were lovely to behold, and in some places they formed bright patches that attracted the eye in this austere landscape.

Even the mosses were extraordinary here, eking out a living in forbidding conditions, brightly lining the border of small ponds along the way.

The trail passes a small emergency shelter shortly before it reaches the end. When we peeked inside the shelter, there was nothing but four windowless walls and a bare floor. Not a stick of furniture or a stove to be seen. “Spartan” is probably an overstatement for this establishment. But for mountaineers in distress, the shelter can make the difference between life and death.

It is hard to imagine the violent storms that tear through this region in the winter, or the bone-chilling cold and relentless darkness that will hold sway here in a few months' time. But right now, we were basking in gorgeous summer sunshine, with temperatures in the mid-60s, and with excellent visibility—better conditions cannot be imagined for a hike in this mountain wilderness. The contrast with what it could be like here in other circumstances is almost unreal.

Soon after the emergency shelter, the path, which follows an old moraine, emerges on a small bluff, all rock and stone with no vegetation.

Here, we sought a nice secluded spot to the side of the trail and sat down for a leisurely lunch picnic, pondering the vastness of the vista and feeling comparatively small. In the bluish distance of the Harding Icefield, a row of grey conical mountain tops pierced the mile-thick ice pack like newspaper hats bobbing on a milky ocean.

On the way down, we met increasing numbers of hikers going up, including a gaggle of teenagers equipped only with water bottles who were asking how far it was to the end of the trail. It was 3 pm, and they did not give the impression of having the grit to sprint all the way up to the end of the trail, although coming this far without going to the final overlook seems a bit like a letdown. This really is a popular hike, and I can only imagine how busy it would be without Covid. At 9 miles round-trip (13.5 km), with 3,400 feet (roughly 1,100 meters) elevation gain, it is a substantial hike, but nowhere exposed, technical, or uninteresting. There is no better way, in my mind, to spend a sunny day in Alaska than going up to the viewpoint at the end of the Harding Icefield track.

We returned to the visitor center at around 4:30 pm, quite tired but not worn out and certainly in very high spirits. There was not much room for our spirits to go higher, even after popping a couple cans of cold Alaskan beer in celebration of a perfect day.

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glacierview-blog · 7 years

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“And now, Harry, let us step out in to the night and pursue that flighty temptress, adventure.”

I have not written, I suppose, because it has felt like I have been transposed to the ephemeral land of the fairies or Celtic otherworld written about in tales of old, accented by the movement of time being altered in the mists. Every morning, the fog. Every evening, the chilled air. In deep night, more pages of my book turned. Each day, the plains blanketed by spring rains. Time, only punctuated by a difference in lodging guests, the food one stirs, or the dough being turned over in our hands. The sun, which never sets in my mind, has played trickster to the weeks, and without the lushness and splendor the greenery having burst forth, it would seem that time has barely moved at all. Days are inhabited on the same land as all the weeks before, but each day still feels to be somewhere new, owing to the sky this difference of scenery. It is always up to something, always descending upon us, cloaking the mountains, altering the line of treescapes, releasing sudden torrents of ice, or around 9pm each evening, showering golden rays down on our freshly planted garden. This morning, stepping over gravel towards the lodge, alone I looked at this great white covering and up and up and up I was startled to see a single slit in the sky, recognizing the white and black peak of a mountain behind it and remembering the shape of the range cloaked from view.

A few weeks ago, Brian and I took a 6 wheeler off-roading for the first time. I drove, and he sat behind me, refusing to hold on to me tight enough at pivotal parts of the journey and causing me much anxiety. There are trails behind the RV which lead up to the highway, across the highway and then behind a large gravel opening to the abandoned remains of the former Glenn highway. It runs parallel to the new Glenn Highway, but is seated higher and snugger to the mountainside and looks over it when the trees break enough to allow a view. The road moves from gravel to pavement, to dirt and winds and dips where rockslides or earthquakes have morphed the earth. Sometimes, you would have to go very steeply and abruptly down and immediately steeply back up, where a puddle of mysterious depths laid at the bottom. These divots were so abrupt that I didn’t think we would make them back up, and we almost tipped over a few different times. These are also the places Brian inexplicably didn’t instinctual hold on to me, causing me to yell precautions over the engine. We rode around this winding thoroughfare up and up and into the clouds which were forming ahead of the rains, and disappearing our views. This caused a great fog to surround us, and we pierced the silence with our revving motor, hopefully scarring away moose and bear. There were so many huge piles of fresh droppings, leaving us evidence of the ample wildlife calling this abandoned road home. The air was so chilled and my face, shoulders, and fingers so numb from pushing the accelerator that we almost turned back. We made it to the end of the former highway in to a clearing, where we stopped and sipped the most delicious and warm chamomile tea from our canister. It brought new life to my chilled bones, and hopping back on, we crossed the highway and descended on to a new path that lead us over a dirt road and through sprawling woodlands. The puddles formed pools of murky brown and we traversed the path far enough to come upon an RV sitting at the edge of a lake. Past that we rode to the opening of another, larger lake, where I saw my first live river otter and was so overjoyed by this I almost cried from the sight alone. This ride, this scenery, going in to the clouds, the chilly air and the astounding views and feel of the great abandoned highway is a memory I will always hold dear.

The next day or so, we went for a walk behind the lodge in one of the sprawling trails. These trails, beautiful as they are, creep me out. I just never feel that I am quite alone there, and I never am. With Brian coaxing me further down than we had gone before, we came to a rickety man made “bridge” of felled trees leading over a wetland. Crossing this we walked over bright green moss which sunk down in to sopping earth and wet our feet. We walked deeper and deeper until the trail was thin and less trodden and everything greeted our arrival with quiet, and stillness. Even the whispers of the wind seemed to pause and watch us. I was creeeeped out. Brian held my hand and we walked further in. Soon after this however we came upon what I recognized to be the clawed, or gnawed distal end of a femur laying in the middle of the path. It was huge and what I guessed to probably belong to a moose. This was my breaking point. I just wanted out of there and we sprinted back up the path, past all the huge footprints, and droppings, and into the clearing behind the lodge. Looking back, this instinct and action of running was the stupidest thing we could have done if a bear was around, because I have since learned that this triggers their prey instinct and compels them to chase after you.

Since we found the gnawed off femur, there have been a few sightings of bears on the property. The first was a grizzly bear, and the second a very fat black bear that has riffled through property and stole food. Everyone poking fun at my expense with my cautioning against bears has slowly quieted with each new development. At first it was “we haven’t seen a bear on this property in 13 years,” and “you can cook in your RV all day long, and wash in it with scented soaps” to “you should be fine as long as you’re not cooking in your RV, take my bear spray.” The Black Bear will have to be killed - as the saying goes “A fed bear is a dead bear.” The Grizzly was spotted at the end of the neighbors landing strip which is on our property. It refused to be scared off and we had to let the wedding guests know that it was present. Being Alaskans, they got married in the backyard on the large field anyway, just a throw away from where it was openly protecting its fresh kill. The Black Bear was recognized by the tracks he left behind and the ruin he made of the food and tent. Yesterday, in anchorage, a teenager running an annual race was mauled to death by a black bear. He had just enough time to text his mother and tell her he was being pursued. She immediately notified the proper authorities, and though the park rangers pursued, it was too late. The bear was since shot in the face, but escaped, injured, in to the woods. Heartbreaking. Being here longer, my fright of the bears has turned in to a cautioned awareness. Before, when I felt like no one believed me, it seemed like I needed to be scared. Now that there is undeniable evidence of multiple bears on the property, and everyone else is also on alert, I don’t feel that I need to carry the burden of caution alone and the fear has been able to turn in to something more constructive. They are just becoming part of the landscape. If I have to encounter one in the wild, or fend one off from our RV, it’s just part of what being here means.

There have been rifts between the front of the house staff, we jokingly refer to it as being on the struggle bus. Speaking of buses, they have moved this large abandoned bus that has “Majestic Valley” on it over to the yard surrounding Fireweed, the staff house. They have cleaned it out and decorated it with Christmas lights and now it’s a place to hang out without intruding on the peace and quiet of lodge guests. The other night, we had a fire across from it, where a pit had stayed unused since last fall. The entire staff sat around it and listened to music, played with frizbees, and the little dog Jinger, and drank beer with the bus, helicopter, and mountains as the backdrop. It was very cozy and a good time was had by all, even by those of us that didn’t shotgun PBR, or periodically leave to see if the Black Beer had come back.

I am still very much enjoying my time here, and will try to write more.

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paperplanesfromfinland-blog · 5 years

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Eight Days in China

So – I visited mainland China during the semester break! Right at the start of 2019.

My way took me from Hong Kong through Shenzhen to Guilin, Zhangjiajie, Guangzhou and eventually back to Hong Kong.

I was terrified of the first train trip. Not because it was on the brand-new high-speed train but because I was traveling alone to this city in China, my sim card working-not-working and trusting to meet my friend at the end point station. I don’t really know why I was so stressed. I just was. Everything went fine. I found my friend and we found our hostel.

The man who sat next to me in the train during this first part of the journey made me feel uncomfortable at first. He was big, dressed as what I can only describe as street-posh, he wouldn’t stop moving on the seat and around the train and he was loud. He had one of those weird prepped meals you put some kind of liquid in and the resulting steam escaping the lid makes you weary of explosion. And he was clearly surprised to see me in the dominantly Chinese populated train. But, by the end of my journey I was actually pretty happy with my sitting companion lottery. As large as his persona seemed he was also very considerate towards the other occupants of our train carriage, me included, even if that showcased in a loud and restless manner. We hunted together for the electricity outlets of the train and when I got off at my stop, I was granted a friendly smile from behind a cigarette.

Guilin itself in early January was rainy and miserable. Even so my eyes were glued to the train window the moment Shenzhen was left behind and I was basically starstruck the moment the first mountains came to view. We visited amazing pagodas and reed flute caves. Guilin was the first step for freezing rain and dream-like sceneries as cliché as it sounds.

The real dream was Zhangjiajie. It was also the stage of my body’s betrayal since the humid zero degrees felt as biting as minus twenty at home. Hong Kong had grilled and melted me into thinking this was anything out of ordinary.

There was a bit of snow on the ground in the city. Going up the mountains in the forest park everything was covered by snow and most of all ice. We could pick out ice from the trees in the shape of the leaves, shake the branches to make them sing and I got to see my travel partner’s reaction to the snow. She was a lot more respectful and wearier towards it than I was. She is not used to that amount of snow and I haven’t felt the need for carefulness like that as long as I can remember. We both got to be excited like small children, she discovering something new and me getting an old play mate back.

We ended up buying snow grips for our shoes. I was reluctant at first not seeing them as necessary, too proud to bow to the ice. I still think I would have been okay without them but my goodness did they make the travel easier.

You would think that the frozen mountain sides were the most dangerous part of the trip to Zhangjiajie. Nope. It turned out to be walking on a tiny street between two buildings. Reconstruction of sorts was going on in the top floor of one of them and a thick log the length of my shin fell down from one of the construction workers, somehow only hitting my hip and leg. It doesn’t sound that dramatic, but less than ten centimeters to the right and it would have landed straight at the back of my head and probably done some real damage. Me and my friend both jumped in fright. I stared at the log for a moment not really understanding what just happened while my friend seemed a lot more shaken and worried. I don’t really know weather this makes me lucky or unlucky.

The mountains hid a lot of beautiful things and one of the treasures we stumbled upon on the frozen staircases on our way down the mountainside were two Germans. Of course it would be Germans, they are everywhere. In any case, we made friends in an unexpected place and ventured down the mountain together. We had dinner together later in the village and hiked the next day together. A few weeks later we met up again in Hong Kong. World seems small in precious moments like that.

Our hostel in Zhangjiajie looked great at first glance. It was freezing. There was a crack between the door and the frame and the heater could do very little to battle that. It was the first time I saw a heated mattress and it was our only salvation.

My friend’s parents took us for dinner several times for which I am very, very grateful. They made me feel welcomed and I probably weirded them out a bit on few instances. In a funny way, its fine. They took us to have duck and fish, I got exited over straw mushrooms (which is still one of the most amazing things I encountered in China). One of the restaurants had concrete walls, floors and ceilings. It was just as cold as outside so we got a pot with embers under our table to warm us up, the heat getting trapped under the table cloth. It’s probably common there, I wouldn’t know but it was so cool. My father would have liked it. Also, when my friend’s father saw my travel adapter, he looked at it like it was an unseen creature of some sort. The expression he directed at me when I explained what it is was pretty amazing. To be fair the adapter is ugly and huge.

The last night I got to spend at my friend’s relatives’ place. There was a bike in the kitchen, home-cooked breakfast, chickens and rats in the garden. We shared a mattress on the floor of the concrete house in the area littered by other concrete homes, fields of flowers and strawberries. We were in Guangzhou but not in the heart of the city. My friend took me for a walk around the area and the fields and it felt precious to be welcomed to some of her childhood memories there, no matter how few and conflicted they were. We walked on a sand road between two strawberry fields and a few scooters and bikes went by. I got stared at again but somehow it felt more surprised than curious. Like they acknowledged I had ended up at the place too but instead of intrusive curiosity it felt like a shrug.

Returning to Hong Kong was an exhausted delight I felt already at the border control. I loved the trip but I am to some extent a “home mouse” as it is said in Finnish. It means I enjoy spending time at home, need it to recharge. That’s what Hong Kong was, and in Hong Kong, Kowloon, the 12 square meters of a room in 17th floor of which half was mine. On many occasions I felt China was lovely, lively – I want to say comfortable and understandable but the meanings of those words do not quite catch the meanings I am after. It felt like I could be happy there. Yet while feeling that I felt more connected to Finland, like I could live happily in China for quite a while, if I knew I was to eventually return specifically to the dark and cold winter nights of my homeland.

When I returned to Hong Kong my new roommate had already moved in. There was surprise and…quite clear disappointment on her face when she stood in the doorway and looked at me. It was because I was not Chinese as she had hoped as I learned soon after. From the note I left saying I was in china she had made conclusions and was excited to get to practice her Putonghua. I got to practice my English instead.

China had been loud, large, stressful, mesmerizingly beautiful and interesting and friendly in ways I was not used to. It was spitting in trains, avoiding scooters left and right, getting a lot of attention just for existing there. It was cup noodles, language difficulties, runny noses, friendship and living in a moment. Out of all the places I visited and am yet to write about China became my favourite place even though it was easily the hardest one too as an experience for the language and culture differences.

Differences, never barriers.

For language is a tool like scooters and law systems. It can make life easier or harder. I have faced greater differences with English speakers than with the train dude in china. There’s more to connection than words and fluency, is one thing I have learned again and again. I still have to keep learning it.

#aliens in China

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solomonmaxx · 6 years

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Marathon+2 in the Mountains

Hiking the Appalachian Trail - June 13, 2015

4:30am, our earliest wake up time yet. Today we will be hiking 28.2 miles from Newfound Gap to Cosby Campground, and my mom’s work colleague will be joining us. Our car is already waiting for us at Cosby Campground because my parents drove it there yesterday. We don’t want to waste any time this morning getting on the trail.

5:30am. We are meeting my mom’s work colleague to park our car and ride with her and her husband up to the top of the mountain. By parking our car closer into town, we will save time this evening getting home, since we will not have to drive all the way back into the mountains. There is just a little bit of light in the sky at this point. Because it is early in the summer, the days are still getting longer, which is great for this hike because we will probably be hiking until dusk. As we are driving into the mountains, my eyes want to close and go back to sleep, but I am keeping them open and trying to stay with the conversations of the car ride.

We have come upon an overlook, and it just so happened that the sun is making its way just above some mountaintops in the distance. So, of course, we have to stop and take a picture.

It’s 7:15am, and we are off on the Appalachian Trail, starting at Newfound Gap. When we got to the Newfound Gap parking lot, we took a couple of “before” pictures and made a bathroom pit stop before embarking on our journey.

The first part of the trail is familiar to me because I have hiked part of it before on a trip to Mt. LeConte. This time, however, I am headed much further. The views this morning are already spectacular. We can see off into the mountain range stretching into the distance. Back in the valley, the temperatures today are supposed to get up into the 90s, but up here in the mountains, we should only get up to the lower 70s.

The adults are hitting it off and flexing their “Chatty Cathy” muscles, talking though a diverse array of conversations. I take the lead and end up far enough ahead in the distance that I am almost walking alone but can still hear the murmur of conversation behind me.

I have not walked alone in the mountains in a while, but I am glad that I get to today because I have so much on my mind. Being in the open air and getting my heart rate up always brings me to a state of thought where I can think through the chaos that is my creative and really make thoughtful decisions.

I keep getting almost exactly 30 seconds ahead of the rest. My pace is slightly faster, so I end up stopping to wait for them to catch up. Each time I stop, I find myself looking around. The scenery keeps changing each time I stop. From ridge-line panorama views and rocky terrain to lush enclosed forest and muddy pathways, we seem to be encountering it all. I am just glad that I am stopping, because on longer hikes, I tend to get in the zone and pay more attention to my feet than what is around me. Naturally, I am trying to make sure not to trip, but when I look down, I sometimes miss the view ahead of me. I have been working on it though and am getting better at enjoying the view while hiking without tripping.

I have to admit, this is my first hike to Charlies Bunion, and luckily it is a clear day. When we reached the rock face side of the mountain ridge that is Charlies Bunion, we had a spectacular view. My dad and I even climbed to the top of a rock to get a better view. But since we have much more ground to cover, we cannot stay long.

We had stopped a few times for very quick water breaks, but it is now verging on noon – time for lunch. On the menu we have salmon wraps, trail mix, and oatmeal cookies. It does not take us long to prepare our food and eat. Plus, it is best that we not sit for too long because we do not want our legs to stove up.

We had already passed Pecks Corner before lunch, and now as we are a little ways past Tricorner Knob, maybe even a little bit passed Mount Guyot, my mom’s friend and I have decided to separate from my parents to pick up the pace and do a little side trail called Snake Den Ridge Trail.

My mom’s friend is trying to hike all 900 miles of trails in the Smokey Mountains (extreme kudos to her), and she has not done Snake Den yet. The trail is only 0.7 off of the AT, and then 0.7 back. So it's only 1.4 extra miles altogether. We are probably hiking a three mile an hour pace, distancing ourselves from my parents in hopes that we complete the 1.4 miles by the time they get to the Snake Den Ridge trail-head.

I have not hiked this fast since my brother and I were kids and we would race ahead of my parents, showing off our speed. Today, I am not as in shape as I was back then, but I am still focusing on my stride technique and breath control. We are booking it, and time is flying faster as our conversation develops.

Along the way we passed an air pad, where helicopters can land, and plane ruins from a plane that crashed into the mountain side. We did not stay long at either site though because we were on a mission, and now that we are at the bottom of Snake Den Ridge Trail, our pace seems to have paid off. We can make it back up the 0.7 miles in 15 minutes, and hopefully my parents will be at the top waiting for us.

Sure enough, they are at the top. We are taking a short break to adjust our shoes, rehydrate, and rally before we start the last five miles downhill.

These days we are not particularly fond of downhill hiking. With the steeper grade of the trails and the length of the downhill stretches themselves, downhill hiking just tears up our legs. I would rather hike uphill than down any day, just because it is becoming increasingly more strenuous on my knees and ankles to hike for a prolonged period of time down a mountainside.

Nonetheless, we have to do it. The downhill stretch is all that stands between us and the car. Of course there are a few comments like “Are we done yet?” an “Why did we do this?” For the most part, however, we are remaining pretty positive and optimistic as we head down.

The sun is setting out beyond our range of sight. As it slowly creeps down the sky, rays of sun shine through the trees, and the forest takes on a new persona. We really have not hiked at dusk yet this year, so it is pretty cool to see the forest dim as we race to the end of our hike and hopefully beat the darkness.

It’s 8:45pm, 14 hours after we started, and we are within sight of the car. I never thought I would be so happy to see our car, but I am. I know there is food in there, that I will soon have my boots off, and that there are comfy seats. At the beginning of the day, I did not think that 28.2 miles would actually take all day, but now that night has almost fallen upon us, the reality that we have hiked all day is truly setting in. The last five miles were gruesome, but overall, I cannot complain. The weather held out for us all day. We did not run out of food or water. No one got hurt. And we all seem to have had a great time.

Now only 4 miles of the AT in the GSM left to hike!

Over and out,

Lo Main

#hiking #mountains #views #trees #m&m #greatsmokymountains #hiking journal #lomain #appalachian trail #solomonmaxx #lifetothemaxx #early morning #late evening #marathon

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writinguphill · 7 years

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THE FRENCH ALPS: 3 days. 9 climbs.

On a trip where metres climbed was only topped by Office quotes, it seems fitting that this post be riddled with them. So...

The Alps. You’ve got D'huez, Glandon, Sarenne, you know, there’s Croix de Fer, Télégraphe.. and because they are all nearby - Galibier.

With so many renowned climbs to choose from, route planning online can be fairly overwhelming, so I’ve broken it down into the 3 rides we did, taking in 9 lovely climbs over 3 epic days.

Let’s, rock.

Day 1: Duez, Sarenne, Oulles, Ornon (100km, 3300m)

This was a great first day in the saddle, heading straight up the infamous Alp D’huez then looping back round to take on 2 lesser-known climbs to the west, both of which were superb. In fact, if you were to ask me to name my favourite climb of the day I probably wouldn’t say Alp D’Huez - I’d go Sarenne Oulles Ornon…

Here’s a bit about each:

Alp D'huez (11.9km, 9% avg)

For such a renowned climb, I have to say it was a little underwhelming. There are 21 switchbacks, sure, but it’s a fairly main road with no real views to speak of, and summiting in a ski resort meant it lacked any real sense of achievement at the top. That being said, it’s a named climb and a bloody big bugger - so it has to be done.

Kicking up to 10% right from the off, D’huez immediately reminds you why you’re in the Alps. It remains at this gradient for the first 2km then flattens to around 8%, making it very tempting to push on - but just be cautious not to go into the red too early as there’s still a good 10km of fairly consistent ramp to go.

The switchback markers help to break the climb up into short segments, so you can just get into a nice rhythm and tick it off one bend at a time.

That’s all there is to say about it really.

Alp D’huez. It’s rubbish. Next.

Col du Sarenne, Ouest (3km, 7% avg)

Once you leave the D’huez resort the landscape opens up and the views are spectacular. We followed the road round to climb the shorter side of Col du Sarenne - not as steep as D’huez, I don’t think, but pleasant enough to spin up.

Once you summit Sarenne, the 20km descent begins - and it’s fast (50mph plus, 50mph tops).

It’s also quite technical, with a bumpy road surface and some seriously tight switchbacks, so we just took it steady and enjoyed the sweet sweet Alpine views.

Then it’s back along the valley through Bourg D’Oisans and onto number two.

Oulles (5.8km, 10% avg)

If you want a really good climb - Oulles. In the heat of the day, its 15% sections came close to breaking us, but it’s definitely worth the burn.

On seeing this sign you swing a right and start the ascent, up a narrow tree-lined road which snakes gloriously up the mountainside.

We didn’t pass a soul on the way up, and other than the panting and effing and jeffing, it was absolute bliss. There’s even a freshwater fountain at the summit to dunk your head and replenish the gallon of sweat you just left on the road. RESOLVE.

After wetting our heads we headed back down the super-fast descent, doing our best to avoid the stray pines scattered on the corners.

Terrifying innit, slipping of the old back wheel.

Col de Ornon (6km, 6% avg)

After the beautiful Oulles descent, you arrive back at the sign and turn right to begin the longer, slightly flatter climb up to Ornon.

It’s not as picturesque as Oulles, and the straight-ish road (with a shitty headwind) made it a bit of a slog - but the road surface is great and there’s a lovely café at the top where you can sit in the sun and enjoy an ice-cold glass bottle of coke. Then it’s just the rapid descent back down to base. And beer.

And that’s…

via GIPHY

Day 2: Croix de fer, Télégraphe, Galibier (170km, 5200m)

5200m climbing? That is a lot.

This was a serious day in the saddle, taking on three infamous mountain passes in what was very much Stage 17 of this year’s TDF.

We were up at the crack of Dawn, riding the first 18km flat section in the shadow of the mountains we were about to scale. It was bloody cold - mine shrivelled - but the flat gave us a good chance to get the legs warm before the climbing began.

Col de la Croix de Fer (24.3km, 5% avg)

Starting out on steep silent roads, covered by pine trees and with the morning mist still hanging low, Croix de Fer was atmospheric AF - and from start to finish, undoubtedly the most beautiful climb I’ve done.

It’s long, but descents at 7km and 18km break it up nicely into 3 sections. This does of course mean the 5% average gradient is deceptively low, and along with some 10% stretches, it’s probably closer to averaging 7% on the up bits. More honest.

Each of the 3 uphill sections feel properly different too, as the landscape and scenery transform completely for each one. After that first forest section, everything opens up and takes you through valleys and past lakes and dams…

The third section then opens out even more, to reveal sprawling terrain and big magnificent mountains. A.K.A.

When you reach the Croix de Fer (the Iron Cross), you celebrate, nail a coffee and wrap up for the seriously fast descent down to Saint Jean De Maurienne. Too bloody fast sometimes.

Then it’s 15km of flat along to Saint Michel De Maurienne, where we found an ace boulangerie to load up before starting climb number two. Might be Télégraphe actually.

Col du Télégraphe (12km, 7% avg)

As far as pure climbing goes, Télégraphe is up there with the best. The smooth road, switchbacks and steady gradient make it easy to get into a rhythm, and before you know it you’re at the top having forgotten to take any shots whatsoever.

I just got this one at the summit.

Get one of you as well.

After a coffee and a toilet, another knuckle-numbing 5km descent leads to the final climb of the day - and the toughest. Galibier.

Galibier (13.4km, 8% avg)

Unlike Télégraphe, which winds up through forest, Galibier sits above the tree line, giving it a more open moonscape - not dissimilar to Ventoux. And while nowhere near as long as any of the Ventoux ascents, the climb is just as tough.

The first few kms ease things in nicely, alternating between steeper parts and flatter sections. But then with about 8km to go, you glance right to see an absolute shit of a ramp, and a mile-marker signals that things are about to change to an average of 9%.

A sweeping righthand hairpin takes you onto this steep straight section - the road covered with Tour daubings - and you just look up there, at it.

From there till the summit, things don’t let up, and the final few kms ramp to 10% to really make you question your life decisions.

But I mean just look at it.

The air gets noticeably thinner as you near the top, so actually the toughest bit for me wasn’t the 12% gradients, or the lack of water. No. It was when a little northern bloke, hardly spoke a word of English, kept coming up behind me and chuntering Office quotes in my ear.

But just one last push up to the top and you are literally on top of the world, at some 2645m. Then it’s 50km of the most epic descent of your life back to base. And more beers.

Look quite young there.

Day 3: Maronne + Auris (46km, 1800m)

Painful innit, chafing of the old testicles, which is why day 3 was such a short one. Just two lovely climbs to round off the trip before we headed to the airport.

Maronne (7.6km, 7%)

I didn’t think Oulles could be topped, but the climb up to the little ski station of Maronne came close.

To reach it, we headed back up the first 5 steep switchbacks of D’huez, then down a short descent to the base of the climb. It starts off fairly steady - between 4-7% - then steepens to 11% as you weave through the sweet-smelling pine forest.

After about 5km, you reach L’Artmentier le Haut and take the left up to Maronne, where for the the next 3km you climb through the forest in absolute silence, with nothing but the crunch of pines under your wheels. Bliss. Apart from the 12% pain in the bollards.

Then it’s back down to L’Artmentier le Haut and a left, along to the final climb of the weekend. Straight up the Auris.

Auris (9km, 6% ish)

Riding along the narrow road and through tunnels carved in the mountainside, the views up Auris are something else. It’s a great climb to round things off, with steady gradients and a couple of descents along the way to break it up.

We were joined by an old boy towards the top who effortlessly rotated with us for the final stretch. Seeing seniors cycling has to be one of my favourite things about the sport - and that’s [hopefully] something we’ve all got to look forward to.

The top (albeit in a car park) provides one of the most picturesque views of the trip, and a perfect spot to reflect on just how fucking sweet cycling is.

And finally, it’s back down to Bourg along a couple of straight sections that’ll be sure to have your front wheel wobbling.

Descend fast. Die old.

Recommendations:

Accommodation

Bourg D’Oisans - The perfect base to tackle The Alps. It’s a proper little French town with plenty of pizza and beer, and sits right at the foot of the D’huez ascent. We got a great Airbnb just a 5 minute ride from the town centre. That’s where I’d be.

Bike hire

We hired our carbon Giant TCRs from Bleach Xtreme Sports, which is in the town centre. Good bikes and bloody good blokes.

Kit

We went in August so the weather was glorious, but as always with the mountains you need a good few removable layers for the early starts and the descents. Arm warmers, gilet and sunnies are essential. Always the same.

Eating

All of the climbs are essentially baron til the top, where you’ll find small cafés to refuel. There are towns in most of the valleys but don’t rely on shops being open in France during the afternoon - lazy - so pack enough to see you through. Can’t take chances.

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cuscojourneys · 7 years

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INCA TRAIL TO MACHU PICCHU 2 DAYS / 1 NIGHT

Inca Trail to Machu Picchu 2 days / 1 night, The well preserved final stretch of the Inca Trail starting at Chachabamba (km 104) on the railroad, up to Wiñaywayna and a stunning descent to Machu Picchu, hiking into the citadel through Intipunku, the door of the Sun. Night at a hostal, return to Cusco next day after guided visit of Machu Picchu.

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Check Availability Here

It is strongly recommended to book your Inca Trail at least 4 months in advance as permits can quickly sell out.

Useful Information

Starting Altitude – 2100m / 6900ft.

Highest Altitude – 2730m / 8,792ft.

Walking Distance – 10km / 6.3 miles

Accomodation – 3 Star Hotel

Overall Difficulty – Easy to Moderate

ITINERARY Pre-trek briefing:

You will have thorough briefing with your guide 1 or 2 days before your Short Inca Trail.

Your guide will meet you at your hotel and you can take this opportunity to ask questions and make any final preparations.

Day 1: Cusco – Chachabamba – Wiñay Wayna – Machu Picchu – Aguas Calientes

We will pick you up from your Cusco hotel early in the morning (about 5:00am) and then drive to the train station in Ollantaytambo and take the train to Kilometer (Km) 104, which takes about three hours. Km 104 is an unscheduled train stop so you will probably feel a twinge of satisfaction that the train is stopping especially for you – and by knowing you are about to see things that no one else will get to! At Km 104 we will get off the train and pass the Inca Trail checkpoint where we will see our first archaeological center called Chachabamba (2,170 m / 7,170 ft).

These ruins were one of the last shelters that the Incas used before they reached Machu Picchu. This site was also used as a religious and administrative center, and features several buildings. Then, we will gradually ascend for about 2-3 hours climbing Inca stone steps while our guide points out different flora and fauna along the trail.

We will then pass a tall waterfall before arriving at the archaeological site called Wiñay Wayna at (2,650 m / 8,700 ft), which is named after an orchid and means Forever Young in Quechua. We will climb to the top of the ruins and enjoy lunch with an incredible view of Wiñay Wayna and the Sacred Valley. This large site sits on a mountainside and features experimental terraces that the Incas used to grow different crops. We will visit an important temple with 7 windows that was dedicated to the rainbow as well as observe the amazing engineering of water channels that still function today.

Once we finish our tour here, we will continue our hike for about 1 ½ hours on a part of the Inca Trail which is relatively flat, with small ascents and descents along the way. At about 5:00 pm we will reach the Sun Gate (2,720 m / 8,920 ft) which is called Intipunku in Quechua. This is where we will have our first view of Machu Picchu and from there we will head down to the ruins to take the bus down to Aguas Calientes. Upon arrival to Aguas Calientes you will check in to your hotel. The natural hot springs in town are an unbeatable way to spend a late afternoon/early evening if time is available before dinner. Dinner will be at Ayllu.

Meals: Box Lunch / Dinner

Accommodations: Hotel

Maximum altitude: 2,720 m / 8,920 ft

Minimum Altitude: 2,040 m / 6,691 ft

Distance to walk: 9.3 miles/15 km

Approximate walking time: 5-6 hours

Day 2: MACHU PICCHU – CUSCO.

You will have breakfast at your hotel and then we will take a very early bus (5:30 am) along the winding road to Machu Picchu to see the sunrise. Once there you will be given a 2 hour walking tour of the site. If you have elected to climb Huayna Picchu mountain (the price for this is not included in your tour price) you will begin the hike at 10 AM. If you are not climbing the mountain you will have free time to explore Machu Picchu before you return to Aguas Calientes by bus. Upon arrival in Aguas Calientes you will board the expedition train to Ollantaytambo. From Ollantaytambo you will travel by private van to Cusco and we will drop you off at your hotel. Arrival time in Cusco depends on the time of your train ticket.

Meals: Breakfast

Maximum altitude: 2,040 m/ 6,691 ft

Minimum altitude: 2,440 m/ 8,052 ft

Notes:

(1) Visit to Huayna Picchu: For Huayna Picchu mountain requires to be booked long time in advance however we charge additional $ 75.00 and then we’ll guarantee your entrance for Huayna Picchu as well (This new State law began since the 18th of July, 2011). (2) Tips for porters, cooks and guides are always welcome. The porters are also very grateful for a small donation, for example clothes or school equipment for their children.

Include

Short Inca Trail to Machu Picchu and Machu Picchu Trek

Trek briefing with your guide.

Professional Kondor guide (on trek)

Second tour guide for groups of 9+

Short Inca Trail permit and entrance fees to Machu Picchu.

Private transport and professional driver (round trip from your hotel to train station). You will be picked up directly from your hotel around 4 AM (unless you are staying in Ollantaytambo before the trek), and brought to the train station to head to KM 104.

Train Service to Machu Picchu round trip (Expedition Tourist Train). Short Inca Trail to Machu Picchu and Machu Picchu Trek

2 bus tickets Machu Picchu – Aguas Calientes – Machu Picchu.

All entrance tickets to the Short Inca Trail to Machu Picchu and Machu Picchu Trek.

1 night in a Hotel based on sharing a room; either double, matrimonial or triple depending on availability. Hotel brand rooms all include private bathrooms with hot showers and Wi-Fi.

Meals as indicated (1 Box Lunch, 1 Dinner, 1 Breakfast). (We can provide a vegetarian box-lunch if you let us know in advance.)

Oxygen tank & First aid kit

All local taxes

Not Included:

Lunch on the second day.

Tips for your guide and staff are much appreciates.

RENTALS: Because there is no camping on this trek, the only possible needs would be an extra porter or walking sticks. The items are listed below:

Porter up to 7kg: $65 US Walking Sticks (Pair): $10 US

PORTERS: Because this is just a one day hike without camping, porters are not used on the hike. Your daypack should include anything you need for the evening and next day at Machu Picchu and it is your responsibility to carry yourself. If you prefer to include a porter, this is not a problem and can be arranged for a fee based on how much you need him to carry. This must be arranged at the time of your booking since he will also need a permit.

OPTIONAL SERVICES:

Hotels

This trek includes 1 night in a hotel in Aguas Calientes, the town below Machu Picchu. We include hotel, typically at Machupicchu (or similar) if available. Your booked hotel will be listed on your confirmed invoice. Upgrades are always possible.

Trains

The package includes the EXPEDITION train service, but if you want, you can do an upgrade and the difference increment. Also you can stay an extra night at Aguas Calientes without any additional charge, but for this option you need to inform us in advanced to coordinate if not then you’ll have a penalty for changing the date.

The train to the trailhead as well as back from Aguas Calientes are included in your trek and both the Expedition class train. This can be upgraded on your way home to the Vistadome train for $65 per person. Once you arrive to the train station, you will be brought back to your hotel in Cusco. Your roundtrip bus ticket from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu is also included.

WHAT YOU NEED TO TAKE:

Original Passport

ISIC card (if you are a student and want to qualify for the discount)

Water

Walking boots

Waterproof jacket / rain poncho

T-shirts

Comfortable Trousers

Sun hat

Sun cream (factor 35 or higher)

Insect repellant

Toiletries and hand sanitiser

Personal medication

Camera and film

Torch with spare batteries

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