Kodiak Eco Challenge 2009-Team "Pushing Up Daisies"

The Eco Challenge is over and it was SO FUN! I never imagined it would be such a great time. The team I was on was absolutely amazing-the 3 guys were ambitious, humorous as well as concerned about team well-being. Being the only girl, they checked in frequently, asking "You ok, Z?".

The race began slightly past Kalsin Bay Inn on the trail to Summit Lake. We ran/hiked 3 miles back to Summit Lake overlook, then ran/hiked back along the river while holding innertubes and floatation devices. The plan was to have us inner tubes down the Olds River, but the water levels were too low.

We scampered along the riverbanks, crossing the river close to 20 various times. Once we got back to the road, we headed to the head of the Olds for a check point and ran the length of Kalsin beach where we got on our bikes. The ride to the American River was about 6 miles and included some major muscle cramping and having to ascend the dreaded Kalsin Bay Hill. But we did it and at the American River checkpoint Patrick was waiting with the kids-so fun to see them. They re-energized me. Up until that point the majority of the race had been drizzle or moderate rain and it was fun to see such bright-eyed bushy tailed faces.

The way the Eco-Challenge works is that at each check point you're given a different topo map location, which you have to find where the next check point is. The check points verify that we have all necessary safety gear, and that we're headed the right spot before they send us off. It was a very well organized system of volunteers along the way.

I didn't expect to have so much fun. I think I expected to be in a LOT more pain. There was such contagious excitement and energy--one couldn't help but want to run through the wilds to the next check point! We finished the course in 5 hours, 10 minutes and took 6th place out of 11th place (exactly in the middle!!).

I'm going to make my first imovie with footage I took- which I'll soon post!!

Zoya

One last ski video

Yup, it's another ski video. I swear this will be the last until next year! I fully realize it's time to get with the program and give up on last winter. It's summertime and I should start to do summertime activities. From now on it will be Community Archaeology, rafting, hiking and hunting. No more skiing - I swear!

Photo is an interesting type of panoramic taken by Bruce of me cooking dinner.

Patrick

Here's the link to the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcoKEHoU8K8

Also - at this minute Zoya is doing the Eco-Challenge. Go Zoya!

Eco Challenge Jitters

Wow. I have the eco challenge jitters. I am packed and ready for the race tomorrow. 6 AM check-in at Nemetz Gazebo, race starts at 8 AM. We get our compass points and find our first destination. Who knows what the terrain and trail will be-its all a big mystery until tomorrow morning. 6-12 hours it takes to finish the race in our team of 4.

Our team name is "Pushing up Daisies" and our team leader is Chris Dameron. He has somehow talked me back into doing the race 3 or 4 times. Several times this past week, I have backed out and he talks me back into the race. Very convincing arguments. For instance, I was up last night until 1 AM with a mom in labor so this morning I called and told him I wouldn't be doing the race and the back up (Bree) would do it. Plus, its raining outside. Weather was less than pleasing. He once again talked me back into it.

"Zoya, you want to do this race, right?" he asked.

"yes. I'm just worried that if I"m tired and its been raining then the biking will be hard and I might fall down on the bike...." I replied."

"Don't worry. We're there as a team. If you have to walk with the bike, no problem. Last year I walked with two bikes for part of the race. Its not a big deal." He reinforced.

Hmmm.....pretty convincing arguments. And I knew that if I didn't do the race, I would be way bummed and so curious about what it was like. And my team mates have such a great sense of humor and easy going--how could I say no.

So here I am, camel back filled with water, bike in the back of the truck, snacks, powerbars--ready to go. Just excited and wondering how the heck I got convinced to do this. But so curious about tomorrows adventure!!!!!!!!!

Off to bed now....

Zoya

Karluk Lake Revisited

The last few days I have been working on a video documenting our recent Karluk Lake archaeological survey. As part of the process I have been going through all of the stills that we took. I have been finding quite a few gems that were overlooked the first time through. Here are a few that Aubrey Morrison took.

Top photo is of me flyfishing for dinner at the mouth of Thumb Creek on Karluk Lake. The next photo is of Aubrey's dinner (fish and nettles). The third photo is of a red fox. These things are practically tame. Finally the bottom photo is of Rose Kinsley and I running the Thumb Creek rapids after completing our survey of Thumb lake in the big red innova inflatable canoe. Patrick

Mojitos on the Deck

Patrick recently planted a mint plant by the house--something I"ve been wanting for a long time. Patrick picked the first "batch" of mint the other night and made me a home made mojito. The fresh mint was just wonderful! What a difference from store bought mint. I remember a HUGE mint patch at the house I grew up in--and I"m hoping ours gets just as big.... :)

Zoya

More Copters & Snow

I took so many pictures on the heli-camping trip that I just had to post a few more. Tom Walters of Maritime Helicopters flew us up to the top of Center Mountain - and for 2 days of skiing our helicopter bill will be a lot less, per person, than two days of lift tickets at a ski resort in the lower 48. Go figure.

Photos: We had a full load - 5 in back and big Steve W up front with the pilot Tom. Helicopters float along and do not seem constrained by direction. Weird feeling. Second photo is of Tom taking off after dropping us off. He did a 'hot landing' (never turned the helicopter off), and as always it was very exciting. Snow bits and dirt flying with the load roar of the rotor overhead - I had 'Apocalypse Now' flashbacks running through my head. Third photo is of Bruce, Steve and Mike enjoying the sunset at midnight. Fourth photo is of Mike and Bruce at the bottom of the first run on the way home (about 1400 feet lower than where we started). Bottom photo is of everyone hiking back home carrying their skiis after we could ski no further. Patrick

Camping & Skiing on Center Mountain

On Saturday I took a helicopter ride with Mike M, Bruce, Lisa and Gregg and Steve up to the top of Center Mountain to go skiing and camp for the night. Yesterday we skiied and hiked back to town. The great thing about helicopter camping is that you can bring extra food on the trip and have fresh legs for skiing. It seems like cheating a bit - but then again you do have to walk home.

The weather was spectacular with virtually no wind and a glorious fog covering the sea and lowlands down below. At one point Sunday morning even Old Womens and Pilar Mountain disappeared beneath the blanket of fog and all we could see of town was the windmills poking up through the fog. I wondered what it would have been like up on the top of one of the windmills with nothing but a sea of white down below.

Photos: Lisa enjoys the sun setting over distant Shelikof Straits. Mike looks over towards Crown Mountain soon after our arrival. The snow is still great and we got in one run that had a 1,750 foot drop in elevation. Third photo is of our camp and kitchen at sunset. We all slept under 'Megalight' tarp tents. Fourth photo is a panoramic towards Kizhuyak Bay when we were almost halfway back to town (but still on skiis!). Finally the bottom photo is of Mike and Bruce enjoying lunch and the fog show while on the way home. Patrick

Dog Days of Summer & Eco Challenge

We've had a gorgeous streak of weather-temps in the 60's and 70's and the air is warm. This hardly ever happens to Kodiak--Mill Bay Beach has been full of 20-30 people swimming in the water and playing on the beach every evening. (Roxy keeps escaping from the house and going to the beach to eat hot dogs and leftover food ...we have to go retrieve her frequently. And if Roxy is heading there for food the bears ought to be following soon!). The other afternoon when I got home, the kids and I went down to the beach and just stood in the water for close to half an hour. It felt great!

Recently I have been training for the Kodiak Eco-Challenge. It is on July 18th and I am VERY excited about it. I was asked to be on a team last weekend at a party. At first I thought, "No, I can't do that" but then after 2 or so minutes of convincing from a friend, I thought "Ok! I can do this!". There is chance I won't be able to do the race (a doula client is due that week), but I have a back-up person and I figure that no matter what, the training and conditioning will be good for me!!

Yesterday for training I went speed walking up Old Womans mountain then went back to work and did 1/2 hour on the spinning bike. Felt great to do the combination of exercise. As I was headed down old womans, I thought, "I wonder how getting on a bike will feel on my legs?" but it felt great.

Our team name is "Pushing up Daisies" and the group is easygoing and fun. The fact that I only have 2 weeks to train is good--because its not like i'll be stressing about the training for months and months. Details swarm through my head regarding race day preps...what will I bring, drink, eat, wear...long sleeve or short sleeve? I have the same anticipation that I have before doing the Tour of Anchorage ski races, although this time training seems more serious because I'm on a team. I'm used to doing long races but never with a team-and training takes on a new edge. I don't want to let down my team. We all have to stay together on race day. The race consists of hiking, biking, possible boating, a bit of running...and we don't know what is to come until the day of the race.

Patrick probably can't wait for race day to come and go, as every day I say, "honey, I"m so excited for the race!!". He understands my excitement for the race, with all the races he does. It gives him something to train for in the thick of winter.

Photos are from the past week....Stuey's first sparkler...Nora playing "Airplane" on my feet....Meghan and I at the Pillar Wind Mills last weekend...good times this summer....

Zoya

Our Erskine Ski Video

Here's another panoramic view from Bruce and I's ski on Sunday. It's a view towards Anton Larsen Bay from the top of our second run. That's Barometer in the distance and Buskin Lake with the City of Kodiak in the far distance on the right. I also just posted a youtube video of our ski, and if you are interested you can find it at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aToA6OK7Kyk

Patrick

My Personal EcoChallenge

Lately, at our house the Kodiak Eco-Challenge has been a big topic of discussion. Zoya had considered participating in the event that takes place in two weeks. Yesterday Bruce and I did our own personal eco-challenge. While our event lacked other competitors, food stations, and a few disciplines like swimming, running and rafting it was still pretty darn grueling. Our challenge started at the base of Barometer by the airport and ended near the golf course via Erskine Mountain. The goal of the trip was to ski off the top of Erskine and we did 2 nice ski runs. Still a lot of snow up there. What made our eco-challnge so tough was the added challenges of bushwhacking through brush WHILE WEARING SKI BOOTS AND CARRYING SKIS OVER MY SHOULDER.

I forgot my extra tuft boots to hike in. Uh-Oh.

Oh well, how bad can it be hiking in ski boots - I do it every day when I climb Pyramid? The answer is really bad. By the end of the trip my arches were killing me and the extra effort required to pull the ski boots, buckles opening and catching on grass and salmonberry, through the brush fried my leg muscles. At the finish Bruce and I were cramping up so badly that we had a hard time taking off our boots and even getting into the car. At home I had a few full body cramps that had me on the floor arching in pain while the dogs licked my face and the kids stared. Zoya was only semi-empathetic. "You did this to yourself, honey" she stated.

Photos:
-Top - where's the snow? This is the start of our trip climbing up through the brush to the alpine.
-Second photo is of me when we've reached the alpine on the crest of the Barometer-Erskine ridge with Anton Larsen Bay and Pyramid in the background.
-Third photo is of Bruce at the top of Erskine mountain with fog shrouding Viekoda Bay in the distance. The white dots on the green mountain behind Bruce are mountain goats.
-Fourth photo is of Bruce in the Erskine bowl at the start of skin up prior to our second run.
-Finally the botom picture is the view back towards Buskin Lake and town near the top of our final climb and ski run. From here it was all downhill back to the golf course in more ways than one. That green stuff down there near the lake is Hell.

Patrick

Barbecues & Picnics

The past two days have been sun-filled and full of good times with friends. Two nights ago, Meghan, Bruce and their out of town friend came over for a BBQ...Mike Pfeffer brought fresh king salmon and we made sashimi and sushi with it, as well as grilling some. I"ve never been into raw fish, but this fish melted in my mouth it was so good! So smooth and very mellow flavor. I was amazed. It didn't have an ounce of fishy flavor to it. Mike pulled out the pin bones with pliers and we sliced it into thin slices. Just wonderful dipped into soy sauce.

Yesterday we started the day at Karen and Jeremy's beach...the kids ran naked in the ocean-the water was so calm and clear. Not a bit of wind. In the evening we had a barbeque-grill, friends and fireworks! Dustin and Shannon brought fireworks which was a first for us. Patrick and I have never done fireworks on the 4th and it was really fun. Dustin brought enough explosives to provide good times for over an hour! There were big fireworks, little ones, sparklers. I forgot how fun fireworks are!! The dogs hid out in the kids bedroom-I think the noises were too much for them. At 11 pm as I went to bed, I saw a haze of smoke lingering over Mill Bay. Mill Bay Beach was full of fireworks enthusiasts yesterday evening.

This morning Patrick is on a big ski adventure with Bruce. I look forward to seeing pictures and hearing about it later-it is such a gorgeous day for such a trek!

Zoya

More Homer

Our trip to Homer was amazingly smooth...I've discovered that traveling with two toddlers is much easier than traveling with a baby and a toddler. The kids took direction well and were fascinated by everything new. The boat, arrival to homer, and the new sights and sounds were all a big adventure to them. Stuey said, "whoa, big truck, mommy" about 200 times during the 3 days. He LOVES airplanes and trucks of all sorts and was sure to comment on all things motorized.
Cathy, Mike and myself took the kids for pizza then to the beach on the Homer Spit. Stuey went straight for the surf and it was only a matter of minutes before pants were coming off and he was wading into the ocean. Good times were had as the surf came crashing into everyone's legs!! Brrr...the water was cold! Zoya

Homer Trip

Last weekend the kids and I ventured to Homer on the ferry to see Cathy and Mike. Everything about the ferry ride was such an advenuture to them. Taking the car on the car elevator, going up and elevator to the cabins, checking out our cabin...picking out their bunk. It took them a while to calm down for bed, but once the boat left the dock, the rocking of the boat put them instantly out. In the morning when we awoke, it was rough seas. Not terribly rough, but rough enough for Nora to get quite sea sick. She stared out the window with a little cup over her mouth..occasionally getting sick into it. Once the rough seas passed, her appetite quickly returned and we went to the cafeteria fora breakfast treat of apple jacks!! Stuey complied with BOTh doses of dramamine (Nora only agreed to the first dose) and didn't have any sea sickness at all. He did sympathy coughing into a cup--laughing and mimicking Nora's actions. I'm sure that didn't help matters for poor Nora!

Zoya

My Dig Afognak Experience

I just got back last night from Dig Afognak - I had a great time! This year I stretched my skills a bit and helped teach the kids about subsistence. I usually just do history, geology and archaeology, so it was a complete change to show kids how to gather and prepare seaweed and limpets etc. I showed the kids how to make seaweed salad and deep fried chips, and fried and steamed nettles. Actually, to be completely honest, I showed them how to do the gathering - I only prepared the seaweed salad. Gayla P did most of the cooking and did a great job with all the various, often fairly weird, subsistence foods.

Photos: With the top photo I tried to revisit my 1996 photo of the housepit excavation - see our last post. I think the trees have grown a bit! The next photo is of Paul K from old harbor standing at the beach before breakfast. Every morning Paul and I would sit at the beach with our first cup of coffee and look for jumpers, seals and anything else that might be going on. The third photo is of the kids tide-pooling for subsistence foods. Mostly gathering seaweed, limpets, periwinkles, and chitons. The bottom 2 photos are both views across Afognak Bay towards the old Village of Afognak and Afognak Mountain. Patrick