Fairbanks Snow Travelers

Compeaus to the Monderosa for lunch.

This is a really nice and easy run.

We'll ride down the Chena and Tanana Rivers to Nenana, have lunch at the Monderosa and then back to town.

Meet at Compeaus at 9:30 AM for a 10:00 departure

How many miles to the Monderosa and can we get gas in Nenana? Also I heard the riding in Peterville is excite and has anyone stayed at Kenny Creek Lodge down there. Our friends in Soldotna think Fairbanks is to far way, so we want to meet them half way.
Thanks and see you all Saturday. Fingers crossed for good weather.

The ride from FB to Nenana is about 50 to 60 miles one way. Yes on the gas in Nenana, unless they've closed the gas station on the highway :D

Petersville is always excellent riding, haven't been down there this year, but my buddies son says they have lots of snow........ Worth a trip. Do suggest you take a GPS if you don't know the country.

The wife bought me my 1st GSP after we got lost just past the lodge...... Was worth getting lost for the new GPS

Looking around for maps, I found on the ASSA web site were you can buy laminated maps with GPS coordinates on the back for Petersville. There are also laminated maps for Big Lake and Lake Louise that you can buy for $10. Pretty good deal so I can find my way back to bed after a long day of riding.

As a group, the Snow Travelers has always had a standing ride cancellation rule, which simple stated says “if the ambient temperature is minus 10 or colder at the airport, one hour before the ride is to start, the ride will be cancelled”. A very simple and intelligent rule to go by, however, neither my mother nor father would ever say I was simple and on occasion they would swear that I was anything but intelligent. Today’s ride may be considered as one of those time when dear o” mom and dad might be right.

We meet at Compeaus at 9:30 with a departure that was delayed until 10:30. Now this should helped, later in the morning = warming weather…. NOT. It was a cool 21 below when we left the parking area, but hey, it’ll warm up right. Humm, it sure didn’t fell like it, in fact I’m sure the farther down river we got the colder it got. As normal we made a few stops on the way down, the faster riders waiting for the slower. But seemed every time we stopped we just got colder.

Finally at 37.5 miles down the river, roughly 2/3’s of the way to our destination (The Monderosa), we just couldn’t take it any more. The temp was definitely getting colder the farther down river we got and we still had to consider the ride back, part of which would have been in the dark. No sunshine, no heat, even colder temps, no way. So return to town we did, and in record time I think. The thought of a warm building with hot coffee and a warm sandwich did it. So were sorry to say we missed the Monderosa’s famous Alaskan hamburgers, but we did get warm……

To those 15 souls who joined me on this expedition of frostbit, at temps of -51 below zero (wind chill = 15 below at 45 miles per hour), I dub you the FST “Chosen Frozen” for 2005. May the rest of your rides always be warmer…I know mine will…

Well my sammich at the Monderosa on Saturday was really good. I did get to chat with Vicky and Donna all afternoon by myself. )

Thanks for the update on the ride. "Better to try and fail then to never have tried at all".