Bikes and Moose

Day 2 of Alaskan Adventures with Joey

After traveling all day and doing the hike the previous evening we were pretty pooped, so we slept in to about 10. With a quick bagel for breakfast in the morning, we walked down to the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail to check it out and walk over to Earthquake Park.

Sandhill Crane hanging out on the tidal zone

In 1964 a 9.2 earthquake devastated south central Alaska. 75 homes that sat on Bootlegger cove clay cliffs in Cook Inlet were destroyed in a landslide. Apparently Earthquake Park used to contain the debris from these homes, but has since filled in with trees and other vegetation. Later, we drove over to hike in Kincaid Park. Big mistake. It was fairly nice, and is one of the largest mountain biking and motocross tracks in the country (at least I think it is), which doubles as a cross-country skiing trail in the winter time.

Oh really?

But it may also have contained the highest density of mosquitoes in all of Anchorage. We were bit often and they really loved Joey. Poor guy had so many bites on his forehead... Sorry babe. After that fiasco, we went to dinner at Mamma O's Seafood. The only place in Anchorage where you can eat fish and chips with some udon if you so desire. It was pretty good, and decently priced for seafood.

Old VW Bug in Kincaid Park

Joey found a place where we could rent bicycles for a pretty good deal. If you rent after 5:30, you get the bikes for $16 a person and can return them at closing at 10pm or the next morning before 9am. It is called Downtown Bicycle Rental for those that may find themselves in Anchorage in the future. This trip was also the first time either one of us saw a moose and a moose calf! We spotted some people looking at something on the trail as we were riding by and when we stopped to ask them, we saw a female moose. They kept calling it a male, but whatever. She moved a bit and then we noticed she had a calf. They weren't too close so we were not worried but far enough that pictures weren't great. 

Our mighty steeds

We continued our ride and got out on some coastal bluffs at Point Woronzof and watched some planes fly right over head for a little while.

Semi-crappy photo of Downtown Anchorage from Point Woronzof

People on the beach below

Then we made it all the way to Kincaid Park on the trail; but we didn't stop or walk around inside the park since we learned our lesson earlier. When we passed the spot with the moose and calf on the way back they had moved quite a bit and created some excellent opportunities for picture taking! They didn't seem to care that we were there, and we weren't a threat so they kept moving and got really close. It was a nice end to a long, 18 mile bike ride.

Chowing down

Checking on baby

Getting a drink

I'm slowly getting these out. I have been pretty busy up here and it is only going to be busier as the days progress. So stay tuned!