On the trail in Alaska

I love hiking. In Juneau there are many trails to go hiking on. Over the years I have been on most of them. Since I have been ill, I haven't been able to go on those hikes. I miss them so much. Now that the radio active meds are done with I am hopeful for a return of many things; catching up on this blog, cooking and hiking being at the top of the list. I have been warned that it will take awhile for the radiation to leave my body and that it could take a year to feel right again. My plan is to do what I can while working toward expanding what I can.
With that as my plan, I will share a couple of brief videos from the trail. The star of the video is SP. I started calling him SP, (for Skilled Protector), when I began discussing him with some online friends. I would tell them are many adventures of those wonderful hikes in the woods. I am not young. I am not in "shape" though I have a shape. These hikes, (which I now love and really do miss them), were fun filled adventures and I thought SP was protecting me. Most likely he was and really had no intention of killing me.
I remember hiking with my parents and brother. My mom would pack some food and we would go off into the forest preserves of Illinois. Those hikes were so fun. I had so many wonderful memories of those times. I also spent considerable time running the road and hiking on the hills around my Mamaw's house in a holler in East Kentucky. So when I moved here and SP said, "let's go hiking." I figured I was all prepared. Guess what?  Hiking in Illinois, as a child, in no way prepares you for hiking in Alaska as a upper 40 something adult. Do not be fooled by memories of sunshine and slightly hilly but mostly flat trails. That is not to be found here. Running the road, which was a dirt road, did come in handy as the trails here were mainly dirt and running wild through the hills of Knott County definitely paid off. After the first "summer" here, (which lasts a week or two in the July/August time frame for those who are interested), I started getting use to the trails and the rain. That is when I fell in love with hiking for a second time. My advice for those coming to hike in Juneau would be bring rain gear, definitely invest in waterproof hiking boots, dress in layers, use a walking stick or cane, and toss a couple of bells in your shoe laces. Yes they will make a slight jingle sound as you walk but that is way better than startling a bear. They can be territorial about their home and you are walking through their home. Make sure your camera battery is charged up because you will find plenty to photograph. For those who need/want easier hikes, we have those too. Brotherhood Bridge is a wonderful place to go if you have someone in a wheelchair. The Airport trail, which is behind the airport is another easy trail. Here is a picture of it:

And another shot from there as the sun was going down:

But most of the trails SP took me on were more like the one in this brief video: 

I tried to upload another video but was unable. I will add it on another day. I hope you enjoyed seeing a bit about our trails here. They really are wonderful. I have seen deer many times. Bears only a couple of times. An area to go for some great whale watching is St Theresa's Shrine. I love this place! There is a church there and trails along with areas to sit and enjoy the beauty. 

Thanks for stopping by! Enjoy the Super Bowl weekend!