May 20 - June 2 - PedalPushin 2024 - CycleBlaze

May 20, 2024 to June 2, 2024

May 20 - June 2

Really meant to do an entry last week, but summer is on in Alaska and we simply have a lot to do in a short time so this one will have to be a 2 week entry.

We have been enjoying lots of sunny weather and nice Alaskan riding.  The temperatures have been climbing into the 70 degree temperature zone which is about perfect.  And when combined with our 20 hours of sun above the horizon which really means 22 hours of good light, cycling can happen about any time of day.

Biggest project so far this summer was tree removal. Cottonwoods … yuck … kind of like snow in the summer. We removed the first 5 ourselves but had to call in the professionals for the big one … trunk diameter a little over 3.5 feet.
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Not a lot of cycling pictures, but seeing this tree go finally … over 30 years of growth, was a really, really good thing.

Today's ride: 447 miles (719 km)
Total: 4,611 miles (7,421 km)

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Eva WaltersJust wondering what the problem is with cottonwood trees?
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3 months ago
Larry MitchellTo Eva WaltersProbably the biggest issue is when they shed their seed pods mid-late June for about 2-3 weeks. The other big issue we deal with it is our ground remains frozen a short distance underground so the root systems don’t go down but rather outward. By doing so, the cottonwoods tend to grab all the available water and any other trees, grass, etc. slowly starve. Most cottonwoods only last for about 10-12 years before they also rot from the inside out which causes issues with downed trees, power lines, and when close enough, house damage.
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3 months ago
Eva WaltersThank you, Larry, for the explanation. I can see why you need to control the cottonwoods in your area. We live in the southern interior of British Columbia near a lake with many cottonwood trees around. Since there is usually plenty of water and the ground doesn't freeze deeply, they don't seem to cause problems here.
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3 months ago