The Great Minneapolis, Mn To Denali National Park Alaska Snow Shoe Race. A Tall Tale !!! ( An Exaggeration Perhaps? )
From The
.Retired !!! Collecting Social Security and Medicare
” Man From The North Pole ” view from upstairs perch ,
Minneapolis 55407
a mile N of Lake Nokomis with different set of eyes. Before and after 5 mile EVERYDAY walk.
Former 336 pints(42 gallon) blood donor. Diagnosed 7/7/2008 with Chronic Lymphocyte Leukemia which was caught early, Whole blood from 5/1970-9/1997, then a double unit of platelets from 12/1997 every 2 weeks-delayed 7 times from eye surgeries. Give blood, save lives. Lost over 30 lbs by walking 5 vs. 3 miles EVERY DAY from 7/7/2010-now below 182.
There was plenty of elbow room as 5 million of us prepared to take off on the 1 st Minneapolis,Mn to Denali National Park, Alaska ” Great Snow Shoe Race” inside the 300,000 seat multi-purpose Minnesota Viking, Twins, Timberwolves. and Wild stadium with a retractable roof. Named the KOGKCGH after Why aren’t they in the Baseball Hall of Fame in Jim Kaat, Tony Oliva,Bud Grant( formerly on the 1950 Laker Championship team,footballs 1 st unofficial free agent as a a Phila. Eagle as he went to Winnipeg in the Canadian Football League as a player then coach for 4 Grey Cup titles . He ended with the Minnesota Vikings,) the late Hall of Famer in BELOVED Twins Harmon Killebrew,Twins/Angels, Hall of Famer Rod Carew and former NFL ref and Twins broadcaster Halsey Hall or simply the Initial Stadium or Big I. All 4 teams in the last 10 years since stadium was built won all their Pro Championships. The objective was to create a year round walking, hiking, cross country skiing, snowshoe trail without bikes/motorized vehicles one block wide or smaller where users are banned from electronic devices and could only use 500′ off the trail. Intended as well to parallel scenic roadways, the making of NEW pathways or shared with difficult ones.The race was inspired a few years ago after the ” Great Stavanger, Norway to Zermatt, Switzerland Snow Shoe Race. ” There, 2 million, 1 st ran up and back in winter on SNOW SHOES Pulpit Rock ,the 4.5 through boulders like Doris and I did in 2002 to the postage stamp like heliport pad where one could hardly stand up from the high winds looking down 1500′. The last 300 yards were up along a cliff with only a 15 ‘ wide path. This included crossing over ice on the North Sea as well as racing through cities and scaling the 500 steeple steps in Cologne, 768 steps in Ulm and 320 in Frankfurt that my wife have climbed in the past. The race would finish by the making of a trail outside of Zermatt which would be next to the cog railroad that would lead to an overlook of another famous mountain .where we saw at the end of the line in 2003.
What would we encounter along the way ? What obstacles ? How many would finish the race ?
The gun was sounded as loud as former Minnesota governor Jesse Ventura in one of his tirades against the media for meddling in his family private life as his son would hold parties at the Governor’s Mansion. Minneapolis was smart as they used the participants to knock down 4 miles of over developed condo buildings that were now completely vacant as a result of unexpected housing slump. Where was the 1 st stop some 50 miles away ? In the town of New Ulm, named after Ulm, Germany, home of the tallest steeple in Europe of 550 “. 768 steeple steps 30 ” wide as Doris and I climbed in December of 2004 and this past April as the town had built a replica. They raced like a slithering snake or sight of seeing over 300 freight cars being pulled by giant locomotives from a view point mesa in Western Montana. As we got to the 30 ‘ diameter top, we pulled out our parachutes and glided down with snow shoes like that of ski jumpers. The sky became SO DARK with the participants like that of thousands of starlings that attack my home made suet feeder when I put out tempting left over scraps mixed with bird seed.
We raced across Northern Nebraska to Carhenge modeled after Stonehenge in England but with old cars stood on end even holding vehicles vertical. But the stampede force of the 5 million snow shoers created a mile wide horseshoe some 7000′ deep as it stood out like Chimney Rock to the S., Devils Tower in E. Wyoming or the Eiffel Tower in Paris that we took the elevator to the top this past April. . It was then on to Colorado as we headed S to snow shoe over our recent new 39 th National Park of 58 like we did this past September at Great Sand Dunes where the sand felt like walking ON REAL SNOW . As a MUST the race had to go 10 miles past the visitor Ctr into Mesa Verde National Park and take in the overlook-stop-pause-as one of the most scenic vistas( was too cloudy to see on 1971 trek ) in all 50 state travels which we saw before Great Sand Dunes in September. .But this time it was clear and you ” could see forever ” !!! Then straight N to go over the Independence Pass of being our nation’s highest continuous roadway. On numerous occasions we have crossed in ice, snow, later avalanche after we had driven but clear like this past September on circle loop to Utah. The impact of the trail along side the road where the summit is less than 10 miles coming from the East side opened up numerous overlooks unlike that in Austria that are not seen from the road. Plus we managed to create a pedestrian friendly street right through the heavily car congested at 15 M.P.H. Aspen.
On West from Glenwood Springs where we made a 1 sr ever trail below the freeway that is doubled backed E and W on top of each other to preserve the once scenic Glenwood Canyon that we drove in 1977 with both daughter’s.. We did not stop again to re-visited 15 times Colorado National Monument outside of Grand Junction. As snow shoers dropped out of the race the snow shoes were formed like 30 ‘ stone markers as on the E side said Colorado, West side Utah off old U.S. Hwy # 6. We were going at a frantic pace as we headed S to Moab. Utah and Canyonlands and Arches National Parks that we have only hiked 9 times. This time we raced 40 miles to the S then 40 miles in to the Needles section of Canyonlands and made a better improved trail on snow shoes where Doris and I once became disorientated one summer at 110 * above zero as thousands of vultures flew over awaiting a tempting both part Scandinavian heritage meal as well as racing up adjacent Elephant Hill that takes one to the confluence of the Colorado and the Green . We have taken a jeep ride with former customer, later told that it was his 1 st as you rev. engine and last 400′ up sheer rock at 45 * angles, feeling like you are going to flip, now This past September it seemed impossible viewing on foot how ANYONE could navigate 4 ‘ ruts.
Then back up to I-70 and a bee line to Reno, Nevada over the ” lonliest highway in U.S. 50 that we have taken going W then E as we also pounded out a trail next to the Donner Pass. Here all were required to read how the Chinese built the ‘ toughest part of Transcontinental Railroad ” over the mountains yet were later denied U.S. citizenship in California The temperature was so COLD that instead of following California # 1 along coast, the Pacific Ocean was frozen solid along the edges like in years past Mississippi River between our Ford and Lake St. Bridges plus less dangerous as to not be hit by cars that could not maneuver the sharp curves. But plans are underway to build a parallel pedestrian walk way adjacent to the road. On to interior into Lassen Volcanic National Park where 100,000 told mates to take one step backwards since it has thermal hot spring pools like Yellowstone. No one was arrested since bodies could never be found as I constantly look over shoulder on hikes as adorable/angelic mate ” gets so tempted ” .to give a slight push.
Few had dropped out as we then headed to beginning of 1422 mile Alcan Hwy where most believe is unpaved, which is not true, as we drove 8811 miles in 20 days in 5/2004 .However we had to make a detour to head W to Skagway from Yellowknife, Yukon Territory to visit the site of Sgt. Preston of the Yukon museum and over another by our treks in trail to parallel old immigrant pass from Gold Rush days in 1800′s.. On radio in 1950′s program featuring him as well as dog King-motto-” always got his man ” like duBois who sold computer products over the phone from 1983-2009, ” duBois always got an answer as I tried to get it within 5 minutes.
We then headed from Delta Junction to Paxon across the unpaved Denali Hwy where 30 miles in we hit a wet spot and rolled over a 40 ‘ embankment 3 times. What a treat as I heard the sounds of angels, in a tunnel of light, and as I saw the white robed face of my maker with last words on 8/23/1995-” at least I got in my 50 th state.” .We paused to remember as we were upside down and squished like a pancake. Still have the cast from Doris broken wrist. Both of us have visited all 50 and 49 twice together while my mate has been in all 50 twice !!!
The race was on to the finish !! Who would win ? Did it really make any difference with the only prize being a 40′ snow shoe as required to put in yard as well as pride ? And then ALL of a SUDDEN !! We hit a whiteout like that in W. Ks in 1980′s but this one was 5 miles high by 5 miles wide by 5 miles deep like scenes of buffalo described in mid 1800′s . So severe in strength that it pushed over a million through the center of the earth to China, North and South Poles as well as to Bodo, Norway above the Arctic Circle. It was faster than us driving 132 M.P.H. on Autobahn this April , taking trains in Germany close to 200 M.P.H. or so fast like former Cleveland/White Sox “( 1908-1920) Shoeless Joe ” Jackson who had 158 stolen bases and 168 triples that he was so fast that he could run under Niagara Falls without getting wet. No one however died.. For fun, ask Scandinavians or those who have visited Norway to pronounce Bodo or roll lips Boo da-never have found correct pronunciation. We could finally see the mountain that we had taken a plane ride in 1999 by starting out on wheels and then landing with its skis on a glacier and then taking off on skis and landing on wheels.
Who were the winners as we entered the National Park ? The # 4,5 .and 6 were of course, Matt-Her and Horn so named for the Matterhorn in Switzerland. Is it obvious that the mountain in the park was not named after our 1/29/1843 born 25 President but instead the winners Mick. Ken and Lee.
Driven in all 50 states/49 twice since marriage of
angelic/adorable mate on 4/26/ 1969 ( 3 Alaska 1995/1999-drove 8811 miles in 20 days in May of 2004) (2 via Norway)(6 via Germany since 1999-total of 13 countries). 4/4-4/19/2011 ,flew into Paris for 3 nights then out of Frankfurt. Finally got a rental that could go 132 M.P.H. as well as re-climbing as in 12/2004, 530′ tallest steeple in Europe of 768 steeps 30 ‘ wide plus 9/14-9/25, 4044 mile trek back to only 9 th visit to S.E. Utah and adding # 39 of hiked in 58 of National Parks in S.E. Colorado. Wife has taken 8 tours since 1999-Israel/Egypt/Greece/Italy/Croatia, Danube River. Even both daughter’s to Italy-youngest on 2 others. Youngest and wife have had a FANTASTIC 11/2-11/14 to Israel and Petra, Jordan. Climbed all 800 steps…
Best place to stay in ALL TRAVELS !!!
# 1-found by mistake-Hotel Hilleprandt in Garmisch-Partenkirchen( www.hotel-hilleprandt.de or info@hotel-hilleprandt.de # 2( www.hotel-linde- rothenburg.de ) or info@hotel-linde-rothenburg.de .
Visit www.twinrocks.com or www.twinrockscafe.com in Bluff, Utah-owned by in-law family of former customer in Blanding, Utah. Shall re-return to Moab via S Colorado but head on a loop S via Grand Canyon( ever camp 50 ‘ from the rim ? ) for 10 th visit in 2014.
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