Advice to would be AK barefoot runners

So... I was in Alaska for three weeks and have to admit that I did not maintain my usual 3 to 4 runs per week. Partly (a) because I was visiting so had alternative priorities.  Partly (b) because the bits of AK I visited are not particularly barefoot friendly.

In Anchorage the sidewalks are not swept and are strewn with small, sharp stones. In Delta Junction the grass is dry and spiky and one bit ended up as a splinter in my foot. During my stay in AK it was very hot (over 90 degF) and this restricted me to running during the only cool period - first thing in the morning, but there were not many of them (see (a) above). The climate is dry and there is much alluvial dirt around -together this dries out one's skin and worsened the cracks in the soles of my feet, necessitating the frequent application of moisturiser cream.  I offer these facts as advice to would be AK barefoot runners coming from fairer climes.

Short run, barefoot, 2.8 miles, near Delta Junction

My fourth and last run was, perhaps, the most adventurous being in the AK outback. The photo is from Bing maps which, regrettably, has to be opened in Internet Explorer as the "Import track" feature is not displayed in Chrome. The track was imported from a realtime GPS track using Orux on my Android smart phone. The GPS positioning accuracy is very poor in places - I wonder why?

Now back home I have done the forest route (about 5 miles) twice this weekend and greatly appreciated the soft Irish climate (overcast, drizzle) and soft grass. Floreat Ireland! (at least for barefoot running). After her argument with a car before I left for AK, I am glad to report that the dog is back running.

Ober Creek

Coal mine road, Delta Junction, AK

Coal mine road is a rough track that branches off the Richardson Highway some 15 to 20 miles south of Delta Junction and roughly follows Ober Creek.  Most of it is accessible only by foot or ATV. We camped at the cabin at Coal mine #5 lake, fished in the lake and scorched in the sun.  We four-wheeled to the coal mine at the southern end of the road where we found a geocache in an abandoned digging machine. The link says the coal mine was operative up to 1960 and supplied only local needs.

Track from our cabin (at top) to the coal mine: map courtesy Bing

According to here there is silver and gold placer deposits in the area but we didn't find any. But the wild flowers and the backdrop of the Alaska Range are stunning.

The remains of the coal mine

Fishing on the lake

One of the many lakes with the Delta river in the background

Artic lupines and white Mountain Avens flowers

The Alaska Range

Fording the Ober Creek

Coal digging machine inners