By Jenny Neyman
Photos by Jenny Neyman, Redoubt Reporter. Justin Moore rides at Tsalteshi Trails with his dog, Ally.
Redoubt Reporter
The temperature was hovering in the lower 30s, cold enough to turn noses red and fingers numb if their bodies weren’t in motion. The sun was out, but not high enough to throw its direct warming rays through the mesh of trees onto the crunchy ground. Surrounded by woods, the wind was more heard than felt, though every once in a while a gust managed to bully through a break in the branches, pricking cheeks with an extra shiver of chilly air.
“Brrrr,” would have been the expected response this time of year, when people tend to cling to warm memories of summer more than embrace the cold of the coming winter. But something far more enthusiastic was heard Saturday at Tsalteshi Trails in Soldotna.
“Woohoo!” called Tony Oliver, as a group of mountain bikers started off on a ride from the Wolverine trailhead, across Kalifornsky Beach Road from the Soldotna Sports Center.
“This is a great time to ride,” said Justin Moore, of Soldotna, who’d put out the invitation to anyone interested Saturday.
He ended up with a group of six, including himself and wife, Orie. Some were more enthusiastic to be there than others.
“This is it. I’m done. This is my last bike ride,” said Steve Ford, as he begrudgingly unslung his bike from the back of his vehicle.
“You’ll warm right up,” Oliver told him.
“I mean, this is great! I’m so glad to be out here,” Ford said.
Once they got going, uphills provided an antidote to the chill, although dressing appropriately plays an important role in enjoying late-fall activities. This group was arrayed in a mix of windbreakers, polypropylene, fleece, neck gaiters, gloves and shoe covers.
Justin Moore checks a tire before going for a bike ride at Tsalteshi Trails on Saturday. Keeping tire pressure under the recommended psi is a good idea when the ground is frozen.
That’s the key to staying active outside this time of year — being prepared. When prepared for the colder temperatures, lengthening darkness and challenges that come with freezing terrain, there’s no reason not to still recreate outdoors. Leave the couch and blanket for when you return from a good fall workout.
“There are a lot of advantages to this time of year,” Moore said.
Hiking is still viable, with one added benefit being no more bugs.
“It’s beautiful. There’s stuff you couldn’t see before with the leaves on the trees. The views are wide open,” Moore said.
Canoeing and kayaking are still possible until lakes freeze up.
“The lakes are still open. As long as you don’t fall in, it’s wonderful,” Moore said. “We go in the spring when the ice goes out. It’s the same thing, temperaturewise, it’s just, mentally, we think it’s colder,” Moore said.
Trail biking, in particular, has been better recently than it was a few weeks ago before the temperature dipped down. Before the ground started to freeze, trails were still slick and muddy. But now they’ve firmed up and offer better traction, even sections that have been soft all summer.
“It’s actually less slick than it was when it was wet and muddy. Even the Goat trail (at Tsalteshi), it’s all sand, you know, so you can bike it more easily because it’s hard,” Moore said. “Personally, I hate to work out inside, staring at a wall or TV. And if you have a dog, it’s good to stay out and active. You can’t take your dog with you on a treadmill.”
Moore’s dog, Ally, can’t contain her excitement for the coming activity.
Moore’s 10-year-old yellow Lab, Ally, was with him as usual Saturday, and spent the first portion of the ride as she usually does, expending an excess of energy and excitement by bounding along next to Moore in shoulder-high leaps.
“She’s been doing this since I first got her,” Moore said. “Ever since she was little she just bonded to the bike,” Moore said. “The nice thing this time of year is the dog goes with me all the time and doesn’t get tired because she’s not overheating. You can run them forever in this weather.”
Creatures lacking an insulating fur coat need to put some extra thought into their clothing when heading outdoors this time of year. It’s important to dress in layers, with a wicking, noncotton base layer next to the skin so moisture evaporates away, an insulating layer outside to hold in heat, and a shell on the outside to repel precipitation and block wind. When biking in fall, gloves, face and neck protection are important, and Moore recommends neoprene shoe covers when biking, or at least big old wool socks to keep feet warm.
“Until you figure your clothing out, take a variety of things and layers so you can take them on and off so you can figure out what makes you warm,” Moore said. “Last week I noticed that my face and neck got really cold on the descents. On climbs, of course, the exertion keeps you warm, but on descents, wear some neck or face protectors and warm gloves, and shoe covers, because when you’re biking your toes don’t move much.”
Be wary of water supplies, too, especially in uninsulated bottles.
“Water bottles are going to start getting very, very cold,” Moore said. “Put in warm water when you start out. Otherwise it’s kind of a shock to take a drink and your water hurts.”
Darkness is starting earlier and ending later, too. But even that doesn’t mean trails are off-limits.
Orie Moore and Tom Oliver crest a hill at Tsalteshi Trails on Saturday. Now that the ground’s freezing, biking and hiking will be much less muddy activities. Summer and fall pursuits are still possible until snow flies.
“Get your headlamps ready. That extends your day by several hours. It’s really, really fun to ride the trials with a headlamp or a good, bright bike light. It’s kind of a weird dimension, it’s a little bit spooky, a little bit pretty. The only spot illuminated is in front of the tire. If you know the trails, it’s really, really fun,” Moore said. “And right now there’s a full moon, so it’s just gorgeous out in the evening.”
It’s not all moonlight, expansive views and snuggly fleece this time of year, though. There are some extra hazards to be wary of. First, of course, is the cold, so dress appropriately.
Second is the terrain. The ground is freezing and firming up, but that presents some challenges along with the benefits.
“The only negative now is that it’s hard. If you do fall, it’s going to hurt more. It’s not like falling in soft sand. This stuff could hurt you, so take it easier,” Moore said. “And it’s more chattery. Use less air pressure, for sure. It makes your bike so much more fun, like your own set of shocks, versus a super, high-pressure, bouncy bike tire. It’s not soft dirt now, it’s kind of a hardpack. You take more abuse so you want to use softer tires.”
Moore recommends keeping tire pressure well under the recommended psi rating this time of year. If a tire is rated for 65, try keeping it at 35 or 40, he said.
Also, be on the lookout for ice.
“Be prepared for half-frozen puddles that can tear tires,” he said. “There will be pockets of frozen water and pockets of half-frozen water. Where the sun is hitting it, it goes from ice in the shade to slush. And spots where sun is hitting, if it looks brown and moist, it might be real slick.”
Backcountry trails are still ridable until snow comes — and possibly even then with studded tires and some serious skill and determination. Oliver said he biked the Russian River trail to the Russian River Falls the weekend before, and Moore biked Resurrection Trail to Swan Lake on Oct. 17.
But be extra careful when heading into the backcountry, Moore said.
“The bottom line is take good equipment, check it and know how to fix it if you’re going to go way far back. And probably don’t go alone this time of year, because if you get in trouble, you’re going to be in trouble. It would be really easy to slip and break something, like an arm or a leg. It’s short days and cold nights and you’re biking hard, so you’re going to be sweaty, so you want to be a little more careful,” he said.
The Resurrection trip reminded him of the importance of that advice. His companion on the trail, Dante Petri, from Sterling, had a blowout on the sidewall of his rear tire.
“I don’t know how it happened, it was like a 4-inch slit on the side, so the tube wouldn’t stay in,” Moore said. “We used bailing wire, athletic tape and a variety of tire levers and sticks. We made it 10 miles and Dante road the rock gardens, he rode the ruts, I don’t know how he did it. I was like, ‘Don’t ride the bad stuff, just walk it,’ but he did it. It was crazy.
“It’s a good lesson, if you’re going to go way back this time of year, where you could get in trouble, take a spare tire. It’s not that much extra weight. I used to do it and quit. I’m going to start doing it more often.”
Moore said he’s been riding every day and plans to keep doing so until snow and ice force him to put his bike away, or at least switch to studded tires.
“Especially on pavement. I hurt myself once riding with no studs because I was cheating. I was too lazy to switch over and I really wrecked my knee,” he said. “So be careful. Studs are safe if you’re going to be on anything with any potential of ice.”
And once snow comes?
“It’ll be time to ski.”
The Tsalteshi Trails association is holding ski cross training for adults Mondays and Thursdays, meeting at Skyview High School. It’s for all levels of fitness and ski ability, so anyone wanting to get in better shape, tune up their ski technique or just get outside is welcome to join. For more information, visit www.tsalteshitrails.org.
“These are probably the highest-quality trails in the country,” Moore said. “Man, we are so lucky.”
