onwards to anchorage.

after a few days in seattle, i took off for anchorage. i would have about 24 hours there before my family was to arrive.

a small trail in town with some salmon viewing spots

salmon!

hotels are basically unaffordable in anchorage in the summer, so i stayed at this more reasonable hostel. it was less than $100 a night and that made it a win!

beautiful flowers around anchorage

the resulting travel tip here-- don't wait to book a lace to stay in alaska in the summer.

the following day, i had breakfast at this highly rated restaurant (it was delicious) and then rented a bike to ride one of the local trails.

kodiak benedict: poached eggs, alaska king crab cakes,
toasted english muffin, housemade hollandaise, green onion  

the trail was 11 miles in each direction, and i thought, i can do that! remember, i had just managed a huge british bike ride a few months prior.

and i did.

it was quite beautiful.

but they neglected to share that this trail was not flat.

dear god, it was full of hills.

but for one reason or another, i went the whole way along the trail.

probably because i have a unique interest in finishing things.

after a few hours of wandering anchorage and meeting up with my family, i discovered the after effects of 22 plus miles of bike riding.

pain.

cramps.

and a desire to chop my legs off completely.

it was not my best moment.

after several ibuprofen, i found myself lying face down on the bathroom floor- because the ice cold tiles felt amazing and provided a small amount of relief.

i wish i had a picture of this for you.

but maybe it's best that i don't.

thankfully, the next day, my legs returned to a condition in which i could once again appreciate them.

#lessonlearned

we had a little bit of time that next day to see a little more of anchorage and then it was off to the cruise port! my sister even got to see a moose up close!

seward here we come!