Pedaling for the peak with Outdoor Recreation

  • Published
  • By Airman Christopher R. Morales
  • JBER Public Affairs
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska --  Sometimes you have to grab life by the handlebars and pedal to the peak. Some people need training wheels to start and others only need to be guided down the right trail.

The Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson Outdoor Recreation Center offers guided mountain-biking trips to both Kincaid Park and Hillside Trail this summer. The guides provide tips on the local wildlife and proper technique in all their activities.

Karl Lavtar and Dave Mazur are experienced mountain biking guides and are trained in outdoor and wilderness medical procedures as well as first aid.

Bears and moose are the biggest threats to mountain bikers in the Anchorage area, especially during the summer when it is ideal to be outside in Alaska.

"Moose are generally more aggressive than bears," Mazur said. "They are very territorial so we will try to move out of the moose's way if possible."

Luckily, the moose are used to us being around here and allow us in their bubble a little bit, but we will definitely be careful."

Bears are dealt with in a different manner.

"If we run into a bear, Karl and I have bear spray on our bikes," Mazur said. "Generally what we want to do when we see a bear is group up, stand our ground, and look bigger than the bear."

Other dangers to be mindful of are plants, and two plants in particular are common on Alaskan trails, Lavtar said.

Due to the difficulty of mountain biking, falling is sometimes inevitable for novices and so it is recommended to avoid these plants.

"We have cow parsnip; if you brush up against the big, wide leaves, it's not necessarily a big deal," Lavtar said. "But if you break the stem and the leaves, there's this milky white substance. You will blister if the white substance is hit by the sun's rays on your skin."

Another one is devil's club. Similar to cow parsnip, it has big leaves on it. "The underside has little thorns, while the stalk has millions of thorns. It's worse than raspberry bushes," said Lavtar.

"[Fat-tire] bikes are great for all conditions; you can ride in the winter and in the snow," Lavtar said. "It's a full-suspension bike, great for more downhill stuff."

The ORC provides fat-tire bikes for the guided trips only.

Both guides provide many general cycling tips for safety and performance.

"Remember to give space to the people in front of you on the trail," Mazur said.

"It is very important to look ahead of you, so you can see what's coming up next, like a turn or a berm."

When turning into corners Lavtar has some pointers.

"When going around corners, pick up that inside foot," Lavtar said. "If you have the pedal on the inside down, it could hit the ground, tripping the rider. And be hesitant on some turns because there might be a jump or somebody."

Mazur provides guidance for riding up and down hill.

"Try to be in the gear you want to be before getting to the hill," Mazur said. "

Remember to lean forward going uphill so you don't fall backward and same thing when going downhill, lean back.

"When going downhill, most of your weight is in the front, so use 80 percent front brake and 20 percent back. Don't just slam on the front brake because you will fall over, and if you use all your back brake it will lock up and you will just slide and be out of control."

One mountain biking trail available is called 'Middle Earth,' an intermediate trail in Kincaid Park in Anchorage.

It has a wide range of paths, and branches out into separate, more difficult trails.

"The first part of the trail will be narrow and have bumps, berms and roots; just get comfortable with it," Lavtar said. "There will be some hills and berms you can get just roll over or get some air; but be mindful of anyone in front of you and don't slam on the brakes when you land."

This trail is not only for mountain biking, because there is a lot of nature to observe.

"Since this is a two-way trail, when we have climbers, they usually have the right-of-way," Lavtar said. "If you want to take it a bit slower, you can ride in the back of the group. We are not racing, we just want a good time."

Like all outdoor trips hosted by the ORC, the goal is to have fun while being safe.

"Going through the outdoor rec for the mountain biking trip was fantastic," said Tech. Sgt. Angela Warren, noncommissioned officer in charge of plans with the 18th Logistic Readiness Squadron based at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan, who was here on temporary duty. "The trail ['Middle Earth'] was intense, but doable. The scenery was beautiful and we had great, patient guides. I will definitely do it again next time I'm in Alaska!"

The biking trips are available all season long through the ORC. Like most of the ORC's programs, anyone with base access can sign up and register. These trips are geared to all experience levels from beginner to expert.

For more information, contact JBER-Elmendorf Outdoor Recreation Center at 552-2023.