Monday, July 15, 2013

Bikes, Bug, and Bats: A Summer Weekend at the Cabin

After our final walk though this weekend of our soon-to-be new condo, we drove to Talkeetna and headed out on mountain bikes to the family cabin.  Having panniers on our mountain bikes made the ride along the rutted four-wheeler trail through the woods manageable. The last part of the trail was completely overgrown as no one had been out there yet this summer, but with a little bush riding and walking we made it.

The mosquitoes in the woods were bad and we both got bit a lot, especially since I was wearing shorts and sandals.  Molly put on a head net but found was still hard to concentrate on biking because there were mosquitoes in her head net!  I blame at least one of my wipe outs on a mosquito biting my leg.

Luckily when we got to the cabin there was a strong breeze coming off the lake providing a great reprieve from the bugs.  The temperatures were in the upper 70s and the lake was so warm I went swimming four times.  I don't think I have ever spent so much time in the lake.

We have unfortunately been having a bat problem at the cabin.  Little brown bats have apparently been making themselves at home in the poles that form the roof on the cabin.  This time they have really made a mess and it time to take some drastic action.  We are currently debating the course forward but we may very well tear apart the roof from the top town to clean out these little critters and the mess they have made and then seal up poles so there is nowhere left to roost.  Either way we will need supplies and its always best to haul in building materials in the winter.  Whatever it takes, we will drive out the bats for good.

Molly ready to hit the trail

Biking on a easier part of the trail before the mosquitoes got bad

Row boat and the cabin

Swimming in the lake

View of Alaska Range from the trail

No comments:

Post a Comment