Monashka Bay Hike - Check.

Cheety checking out Monashka Bay

A few weeks ago, we went on a hike to an area I hadn't been to yet called Monashka Bay.  Hubby hiked the mountain part of the area a month or so ago as part of a challenge he was doing called Seven Summits, but it was my first time there.

It's about a 40 minute drive north of the base, and it was another unforgettable hiking day.  The weather wasn't ideal, but one of the things we decided pretty early on after our move was that it was time to reevaluate our definition of good weather. 

We settled on, "If it's not raining, it's good weather."  That sounds a little sad when I reread it, but if you stay inside when it's a little misty or overcast out in Kodiak, you'll never leave the house.  Also kind of sad when I reread it.  What are ya going to do, right?  This is our weather reality, just like 80% humidity in October was a reality in Key West.  (which isn't that much fun, either)  I've actually started to acclimate to the cooler temperatures.  It was 65 degrees in the house the other day and I didn't even need a fleece.  Go me. 

Of course, you know I had to see if I could find any information out on the interwebs about the origin of the name Monashka, but all I came across was that it's Russian in origin.  (I also didn't look very hard)  Not really a huge shock considering the Russian factor is a bit high in these parts. (Kodiak was settled by Russians before the U.S bought it in 1867)  So that translates to lots of Russian Orthodox churches, street names like Shelikof and Melnitsa, and hotels like the Russian River Lodge.  Not to mention museums and festivals celebrating the Russian heritage of Kodiak.  Aaaaand now the history portion of this post is over.  Hey, at least you know you might learn something new when you read my ramblings, right?  This was the trail head at the start of our hike:

Hubby & the pug dog with the ever-present, vibrant green moss in the forests

 
I really can't say enough about how much I love the hiking here.  It's so unique and fun to get out and explore all these new places.  I don't think I'll ever get over how gorgeous it can be.

I'm always awed by how fat the moss can get on the tree branches.  Unbelievable.

Even though it was misty and overcast out that day, it was still a beautiful and memorable hike.  I love that there are so many other mountains, beaches, hikes, and experiences we'll get to undertake for the first time while we're here.  It's no doubt one of the best things about getting to live in a new place.  Especially a place like Kodiak.  Unique doesn't even begin to cover it.

But, I do have to be honest, I miss my old life.  We've only been here for four months, but it feels like much, much longer than that.  Whenever I have those fleeting thoughts, I remind myself of all of the one-of-a-kind things we'll get to experience while we have the privilege of living here.  I also have to remind myself that four months is still early on in the whole "let's get adjusted" game.  I try to tweak those less than positive thoughts whenever they creep in by reminding myself how exceptional it is that we get to be here.



 And it certainly doesn't hurt to have a day like our Monashka hike - where we get outside, get some exercise and fresh air, and lay eyes on some of the most unforgettable natural landscapes I've ever seen.  Makes it easy to focus on all the raw beauty we're surrounded by instead of what I miss.

The hubby laughed at me when I told him I thought it would be fun to go for a swim at the little beach on the far side of the picture below.  I mean, he does have a point about how cold the water will be - even in the middle of summer, but it looks like a fun little alcove to play in.  Maybe we'll just go for a wade into the water instead of a swim!  I don't know if I'll ever get quite that acclimated!

I was loving the swirls of green in the water here & how obscured the top of the mountain was by the low clouds.

That little beach looks nice and private, and I'm a sucker for the black sand.  Monashka Bay also seemed like it might be a good spot to go kayaking.  More fun things to look forward to doing in this new home that doesn't quite feel like home yet.  I'll get there.  In the meantime, I'll celebrate not having to bundle up in fuzzy blankets and fleece jackets when the temps dip below sixty-eight degrees.  It's the little things, really.

Ta-ta for now.

Anton Who?

A few weeks ago we took a drive to an area of Kodiak called Anton Larsen Bay, which is about a half an hour drive from the base.  And because I always veer toward the nerdy side, I feel compelled to let you know that Anton Larsen was a Norwegian explorer and immigrant who settled in Kodiak in 1887, and married a creole Alutiiq Alaskan native named Olga Naumaf.  Their descendents still live in the area, which I thought was kind of interesting. 

A lot of the mountains around here are named after people who settled the area, too.  I'm sure I'm not the only person who wonders about where things like street and town names originate - or in the case here, mountains - but I'm probably in the minority with actually looking the info. up to find out.  Like I said, I veer toward the nerdy side.  Okay, you can come back to me now.  No more forced Kodiak history lessons. 

Point A is our house, and point B is the trail head at Anton Larsen Bay

The drive down Anton Larsen Bay Road is mostly an unpaved, winding route through the mountains and wilderness.  It's not exactly a well maintained road, so it's a little on the rough side.  Some of the pot holes look like they could swallow you up if you're not paying attention, but the payoff once you make it to the bay is worth the bumps and creative swerving around the rugged "road."  Four wheel drive is a good idea for this trip.

Once we made it out to the bay, one of the first things we saw was a sea otter. - Just chilling out in the water, doing his otter-y backstroke.  He was adorable, and I was so glad I had my binoculars to get a better look at him.  The zoom lens on my camera is a little rinky-dink, so there's no way I would have been able to grab a picture of him because of how far away we were, but the otter sighting was a little peek into what an incredible day we had ahead of us.  I've said it before, but I'm telling you, it's like the God damn Discovery Channel living up here.

Most of Kodiak Island is considered a coastal temperate rainforest, which basically translates to having the most unbelievably mossy forest floors I've ever seen in person.  I've written about the mossy forests here before, and this hike was another incredible experience exploring them.

I swear I can still hear the ripples of that water. - I love how the moss spills over the side of the bank into the river 

It's hard to even describe it.  It's one of those experiences you have to see and smell and hear in person.  The air is so crisp and has this subtle and pleasant earthy quality to it.  And other than the sounds of the birds cheeping, it's so quiet and still.  It all adds up to be truly extraordinary.  I know I sound a little dramatic, but it really is something to see.  It's like being in another world.  All that and it's only a walk in the woods.

Look at all that green!

When you step on to that mossy blanket of green, it's so spongy and deep - you sink at least a few inches in to it.  It's like nature's version of a fluffy shag carpet.  Minus the 70's disco.  I remember the first time we stepped in to one of these mossy areas.  No exaggeration, my mouth fell open in disbelief as I looked around.  Because the moss not only covers the floor, but it crawls its way up the trees and any other surface that touches the ground. - Rocks, fallen branches, tree stumps, everything.  It's otherworldly.  

We were hiking along the trail next to a little river when we came upon this tree.  It was higher up along the trail, and we had to scramble up the root system to get up to the top where the trail kept going.  We kind of had to use the tree roots as a natural staircase.  A very crooked and asymmetrical staircase.

It was on the steep side climbing up the roots, but the view at the top was remarkable because it was right on the edge.  Once we were at the top, we were looking almost straight down the side of the incline, and the river was a good 30-40 feet below.  It was a little unnerving if you even thought for one second about losing your footing.  Which of course I thought about as soon as I saw how far up we climbed.  I did that a few times during our hike that day!  Some parts of the trail were so narrow that you were just teetering along the side of a substantial drop off as you made your way along.  No guard rails here!  It definitely made me say wow to myself more than once during the day.  Okay, it made me say, "wow" and "watch your freaking step, Peg!"

Cheety getting his hike on.  I think he would try and climb a tree if he thought he could do it

Just a little thirst quencher

And of course, Cheety the adventure dog had no qualms whatsoever climbing up tree roots & rocks, charging up the hills and down into the river for a dip and a drink.

He absolutely loves going hiking with us.  He's so alert when we're out on the trail. - He cocks his little head to the side and listens to all the birds and wildlife, I'm sure thinking about how he would chase them if he could see them!
  
I swear, he was meant to be a cold weather mountain dog! 

Another unbelievable tree we saw - I'm loving this picture!

I was worried about him not being able to swim as much up here as he was used to doing in Florida, but he seems to like the hiking just as much.  And of course, I can't wait to see his reaction to seeing snow for the first time.

Just when I think we've seen the most beautiful, scenic parts of Kodiak, we explore an area that we haven't been to yet and I prove myself wrong again.

And almost every time we venture out to somewhere new, I'm totally awed by the natural landscape.

I think this quote that I couldn't find an author for sums it up perfectly:   "The human spirit needs places where nature has not been rearranged by the hand of man."

Amen!  Although, I wouldn't oppose a guard rail or two on the "oh shit" parts of the trail.

Ta-ta for now.

"Like a God Damn Postcard..."

I can't tell you how many times those words have come out of the hubby's mouth since we've ventured into the great white north.  Although, it's pretty green here these days.  I've been meaning to share the hike we took on my birthday a few weeks ago. - It might be the most scenic one we've been on yet.  (And I think my favorite so far)

Peeking out from one of the trails - It almost looks fake

The birthday hike of choice was at Fort Abercrombie, which is part of the Alaska State Parks system, and is also on the National Register of Historic Places.  It has 182 acres of land with some of the most well-developed trails in Kodiak.  Not to mention stunning views.  Oh yeah, it also has the historic ruins of a WWII coastal defense installation, but that part isn't nearly as beautiful or interesting to me.  Sorry, history buffs. 

Guns and the Hubby & Pug dog at Miller Point

 We only stayed for a few hours, so we didn't even make a dent in exploring all the trails the park has to offer. - But we did get a chance to stroll around Miller Point, which overlooks the northern Pacific.  It was such a clear day, so the view didn't disappoint.   We also hiked along two of the trails:  Moss Trail, and the Lake Gertrude Trail.  I would definitely do both again.  

Moss trail was...mossy.  Aptly named, apparently.  It's unbelievable how the moss coats the entire floor of the forest, and then crawls its way up the trees, covering almost everything in its path.  Anything that falls on the ground is completely overtaken by the moss, and then over time is transformed into some sort of hybrid moss/tree/natural specimen that you just can't help standing in front of, gawking at.  Magical is a little much, but I'm telling you...magical!

Moss Trail

I read that there are over 110 different varieties of moss in Kodiak.  Just based on the diversity in color, I believe it!  So many shades of green. - And the way it feels under your shoes;  so spongy and soft.

 

Part of the Lake Gertrude Trail

For about four seconds, I thought about taking off my socks and trusty New Balance to see how it felt on my bare feet.  And my immediate next thought was eww, bugs.  Followed by hmmm, it's a little chilly for no shoes.  Still though - that springy, soft texture just begs you to give it a try.  Maybe next time.



The Lake Gertrude trail was a memorable one.  Fort Abercrombie is described as diverse, and I can't say I disagree.  So much beauty.  We saw vibrant, flowering green lily pads in the lake, towering Sitka Spruce trees, and a gorgeous beach with beautiful mountain views.

Cheety's second-ever Alaskan swim.

It was so peaceful

I had to add Fort Abercrombie to my list of places to share with any brave visitors who make the trek all the way up here to come and see us.  No doubt one of the must-do's in Kodiak.  Since we only just got here, I know we'll be adding a lot more to that list.  Don't worry, I'll keep you in the loop. - Even when the green is no more and it really becomes the great white north...and I possibly start buying hot cocoa and Baileys in bulk.

Ta-ta for now.