I must be in Alaska ...

because I'm running like a mad woman (70 miles in the last four days) and I've already felt two pretty sizable earthquakes.

Photos coming just as soon as I slow down long enough to post them, but in the meantime, here's a teaser ... some panoramics from last night's run from Ptarmigan up Blacktail in Chugiak.

Full moon, friends and freedom

Tonight was so awesome! I went with Ed, Karen and Kim ... three of my very favorite people ... to run the Bear Mountain Loop. With the full moon, crystal clear air and brisk 20 degree temperature, it was a PERFECT night to be out! Often we didn't even need our headlamp. From the top of Bear Mountain we could see from Anchorage to Wasilla, and beyond to the silhouette of the Talkeetnas.

Coming down there's a straight 1,000 foot drop off the mountainside, which funnels into a luge-type trail ... the trail grade, banking corners and overarching trees make it the perfect place to let loose ... and let loose I did. My feet thudded as fast as my heart as I caressed the hard packed snow, my headlamp casting just enough light to give me a few seconds warning of oncoming branches and rocks.

I told Ed, Karen and Kim that they must have orchestrated the evening to such perfection so that I would remember it vividly, and come back to Alaska before too long ...

An 'oh wow' night

Tonight was one of those "oh wow" nights. I joined my Monday running group on an excursion along the ridge between South Fork and Ship Creek. The skies were crystal clear as far as the eye could see ... and boy could we see. Mount Redoubt (the volcano that made headlines in March and April) puffed off some steam to the south. Denali jutted up to the north, making the rest of the Alaska Range seem so measly. Mount Harp stood stoic, bathed in soft sunlight. Symphony and Eagle lakes peeked out through a moraine and tundra valley bottom. And to top it all off, an iridescent orange sunset swept across Cook Inlet and the Anchorage cityscape far below. Alaska at its finest, and the reason I won't be gone for too, too long.

Lost Lake and laughter

Last weekend, I headed out with a group of fabulous women to run the absolutely stunning 17-mile Lost Lake trail. It was my virgin crossing, and I finally understood why all the rave. When you get up to the pass, it opens up into this expansive rolling alpine tundra, dotted by lakes and flanked by glaciers. The overcast sky showed us some mercy, and stopped raining long enough for us to make the trip. We ended our excursion with burritos, and then coffee in Seward. The best part of the day? Laughing! With such a fun group of ladies, there were times when I was literally crying because I was laughing so hard.





Here's the link to see the Lost Lake photos individually in a Web album.

amy

Happy on Harp

Another great Monday night run with the crew ... this one took us to the top of Harp ... the views in every direction were spectacular, and my cabin sat perched below.

A little yoga on the peak

Kim

Quite the view!

38 miles, baby!

On Friday a crew of us - Ed, Mike, Karen and I - ran Resurrection Pass on the Kenai Peninsula. At 38 miles, it was officially the longest run I've ever done. It was a perfect day to be out ... a nice cloud cover, beautiful wildflowers, an impeccable trail and a great crew! It took us 8 1/2 hours to complete the crossing. Afterward we delighted in hamburgers, milkshakes, lattes and every other delicious thing we could think of available between Hope (the town we finished in) and Anchorage.

Starting out .... we're an hour or two into the run at this point

Ed

A perfect trail on perfect terrain

Karen

Great views!

Puppy is all grins when it comes to Karen's battle wounds

At this bridge we started to taste the finish

Zippy and his mamma

A 30 second photo stop from a great vantage point

A fun crew

A couple miles from the end we found an old bar stool on the trail ... Karen helped herself to a seat

The big finish! Karen, Amy, Zippy and Puppy after 38 miles on the trail.

Ed and Mike coming in for a landing.

Zippy says I'm feeling a bit tired, I think I'll rest under a tree

In the car ride home ... Zippy is zapped.

Monday on Magnificent

On Monday we, the running crew, headed up toward Mount Magnificent ... another crystal clear day with views to boot. Zippy's best bud Bruno also joined the two hour-ish outing.

Eklutna run

Yesterday Zippy and I ran with a group of friends out to the toe of Eklutna Glacier and back ... a gorgeous day on a gorgeous trail. Deep blue permeated Eklutna Lake and fresh green carpeted the mountainsides. We covered 25 miles mas o menos. Needless to say, we both slept extremely well last night ... I didn't even have to wake up to let Zippy out to go to the bathroom.

The Zipmiester

Mike and a headless Ed

What a view

Zippy and his favorite pastime ... chewing sticks

Part of the crew

A tributary

Eklutna Lake ... we ran along the north shore

Karen

The view from inside Serenty Falls Hut

Janet and Beryl

Quite the view!

My Monday running group on Mile High Ridge. I live in the valley in the background ... middle left side of the photo. And on Thursday we did a three hour traverse over the mountains pictured slightly above and to the right of my head ... good times. We're headed out to Eklutna Lake tomorrow to go the distance.

Photo courtesy of Jane