North Country Trail Run - Marathon 2019

Once again I find myself unable to say enough about the great experience I had with the North Country Trail Run. This year was a trio of wonderful things that came together for my family and I. Of course the race itself was so well put on once more with an even enhanced experience from my first go-round in 2015. Then came the personal side of camping with the family and my 5-month old daughter's first chance to camp. Last but not least was the run itself which surprisingly turned out to be a PR for me. I'm still a bit in awe at how it all turned out.

Handling Time in a Busy, Busy World

[Originally published in the Monroe News on Friday, August 2, 2019]

How many of you readers out there would say you are feeling the effects of the time crunch?  Doesn’t it seem as though there are less hours and minutes in the day with each new day that passes?  There is rarely enough time to accomplish all the things we set out to do.

I’ll be the first to admit I’m a slave to my watch and to the clock.  I’d be like a lost puppy dog if someday I forgot my watch at home and had to navigate a day without knowing the time.  This is consistent with the rest of my personality which is an “always on the move” type.  Just ask my wife.  In recent days I’ve felt the time crunch as much as ever before.  Since March, my wife and I have been enjoying the blessing of our new baby daughter, as well as raising our three older boys.  Having gone almost ten years between babies we had nearly forgotten just how much time these little ones demand.  I’m also deeply committed to my ministry and work at Grace Lutheran which amounts to a bit more than a full-time job on a weekly basis.  As many of you know, Pastors do actually put in a few more hours every week than just showing up for Sunday service to preach.  I also work to balance responsibilities around the house and taking care of our cars.  I try to find time to be outside and play with my boys. I also made the somewhat crazy decision to train for another ultramarathon which is coming in September.  Some evenings as I find a split second to try and relax on the couch I wonder “what was I thinking?”

Alyeska Resort - North Face Trail

Alyeska Resort - North Face Trail
Trailhead Elevation: 3,923 ft.
Distance: 2.4 mi.
Elevation Loss: 2050 ft.
Start Time: 12:48pm
End Time: 1:36pm

Trip Report:
My brother David, my oldest son Luke and I set out from the slopeside building atop the Alyeska Tram to hike the north face trail back down to the main lodge. We had an hour to accomplish it before the rest of the group would meet us at the bottom riding the tram. The trail lists at roughly 2.4 miles so we figure we would have plenty of time if we moved well.

Chilkoot Trail Start

Chilkoot Trail Start
Historic Chilkoot Trail, Dyea Trailhead
Trailhead Elevation: 38 ft.
Distance: 2.46 mi. (my Forerunner 230)
Elevation Gain: 414 ft. (my GPS)
Start Time: 3:47pm
End Time: 5:15pm

Trip Report:
The Chilkoot trail trailhead has signage and primitive bathrooms and starts at the bridge over the Tarya River. We carried very little with us expecting a short hike and, being on a cruise, we simply didn't have any special gear along. I had a light backpack with a few basic snacks and a nalgene. The kids didn't carry anything. We set out along the trail figuring we'd do 1-2 miles round trip just to get a taste of the Chilkoot. I had honestly been expecting a little more open scenery with views of the river and the landscape ahead but we had almost none of this. We were in the thick of the coastal rainforest for the entire trek.

Mendenhall Glacier - Photo Point Trail + Nugget Falls Trail

Photo Point Trail + Nugget Falls Trail at Mendenhall Glacier
Tongass National Forest
Trailhead Elevation: 83 ft.
Distance: 2.10 mi. (my Forerunner 230)
Start Time: 9:31am
End Time: 10:18am

Trip Report:
We set out from the parking lot and followed the signs for the Photo Point Trail. Its no more than quarter mile walk down a paved path to a looped end of the trail. There was a nice viewing area of Mendenhall Glacier. It was evident how much the glacier had receded since we visited 20+ years ago. While we were there a ranger showed up and was showing off pictures from the 60s when the glacier was even bigger.