Newbie from Alaska
 

Just wanted to say hi from Alaska. I've been hanging out on here for a bit, and I finally decided to join. I currently have a Specialized Stumpjumper hardtail, and a Kona Unit 2-9 that I just finished building. I've been riding for about 4 years. I ride year round up here including a few rides as cold as -30f. My wife and I would like to get into touring and road cycling in the next couple years, and we have small children that we pull with us on a regular basis. Thats all for now.



JP

Very cool! I don't think I need to send you to the Winter Cycling forum, except to ask you to contribute whatever good advice and tips you may have :D .

Where were you planning on doing your touring?

Welcome to BF, and feel free to PM me with any questions :) !

East Hill
Forum Moderator

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Welcome to BF JP!!

Riding year round in Alaska sounds incredible. I don't ride in +30F - at least not yet! And cycling with kids is always a great thing! My son's 4 and just started cycling this year. How old are yours?

I'm not a winter cycling master or anything. There are guys up here that have been doing it for years and years. This last winter a group of guys did about 660 miles of the iditarod trail (sled dog race) in the middle of the winter almost fully self supported. Those are the guys that are hard core. I also have a couple of friends that commute year round up here. I'd like to start moving in that direction, but at -40 it is difficult to build up the desire to get on the bike. We use equipment that works really well for the type of snow conditions we have in fairbanks, but I think that gear would change depending on where you're at.


My daughters are two, and almost four. My four year old does pretty good on her little hot rock, and the two year old is getting a bike soon. We would like to tour in Alaska, and I've been wanting to ride from portland to crescent city sometime. We are researching equipment right now, but I just had a major surgery that put any tours off for a bit. I may ride down to Mt Mckinley from fairbanks late this fall, but thats probably it for this year.


JP

Portland to Crescent City is a beautiful stretch (once you get out of Portland proper)--you will enjoy that once you recover sufficiently from your surgery.

East Hill

Thanks for all of the replies. I'm looking forward to spending some time on here, and getting to know more about the cycling world. I've been riding basically alone for the last four years so I don't know that much about the sport, and thats why I'm here.



JP

There is a small but steady flow of bike tourists going up and down the AlCan highway. If you sign on at www.warmshowers.org you could have some of them visiting you.