out of Anchorage

low clouds hanging over the hillside homes of Anchorage

my 1st look of the Cook Inlet as I go south

stoked I saw the Alaska Railway on the move

great views along the water

saw the train again, this time closer to the water.

I left at 9:30 and started getting a bit tired about here

tried to sleep, but the road noise was substantial, got up @ 11:30 & had band practice

not sure what this is, but it's what black bears eat

saw a handful of mini falls on my morning ride

the bike path provided local education

learned a bit about the ring of fire

the view from the visitors center

I realized something over night, & put this press release out

still haven't seen a whale....

no shortage of ornately carved doors etc

took a break at this lakeside bench

had to turn around to get this pic... well worth it...

struck out at this bakery but love the name

I came around a bend and could see a volcano

made some road tacos and chilled with the volcano view

Anchor Point is the furthest WEST you can drive on the US highway system

and they have a new NATURAL FOODS store that is awesome!

dedication

So I'm in Anchorage.... hadn't really found my people. But I did locate a local sangha that meets on Monday nights, so I figured I'd stay in town til Tues morning so I could check it out...   6:26pm arrives and I'm waiting outside the Zen Center for someone else to show up. I start getting nervous. The website looked updated, but who knows, maybe they aren't active. So I call the phone number on the site, and Leon answers and apologetically tells me that the sangha is meeting tonight at his house for a meditation garden dedication ceremony and he invites me over. It's less than a mile away, so I hop on the bike and boogie on over.

Leon says a few words before the ribbon cutting

Leon's wife, Lynn gets the honors

rad chain from the gutters to ROCK cluster feature

you know I sat on that bench!

twisted feature in the center

the crowd files in

completed the circuit, then a poem, then a few words

then Leon made everybody organic vegan smoothies

this was on their fridge - look at Leon's smile up above... so true

mangos!

blend it up

serve it up

FLASH - master of the universe was on hand

Leon let me take some kale & chard from his raised beds

It sure wasn't what I was planning on, but I sure am glad I stuck around and ended up meeting Leon & crowd.

anchorage

got out early on the bike the 1st morning in ANCHORAGE

and found a well stocked LITTLE FREE LIBRARY

I watched the film in KS, so I figure I should read the book

rode across town to check the 2nd little free library in town

love the moose on the exterior. I like Barbara & haven't read this one, so!

hung out @ the Organic Oasis & tried the Hula burger

before

 The last time I shaved was at the Shambhala Mountain Center back on July 2nd. I didn't think about shaving until I was in Alberta, and at the time I thought it would be appropriate to go Grizzly Adams until I got out of Alaska. Well, I couldn't hack it and shaved while in Anchorage.

after

the Cook Inlet with downtown Anchorage on the top right

rode out to Earthquake Park to get a little education

1964 things changed

big landslide

and tsunamis went out and clobbered Seward & Valdez

rad neighborhood sign

went to the University to see a storyteller

got some good vittles at The Natural Pantry