It never ceases to amaze me what lengths Alaskans will go to find recreation – climb it, ski it, bike it, or find whatever means necessary, people in this state are rarely deterred by adverse conditions when it comes to enjoying the outdoors. Despite the “winter storm” that delivered copious amounts of rain followed by a few inches of snow, then topped off with more continuous rain and some of the worst driving conditions I’ve ever experienced, we had nearly 50 hearty souls take part in the Eagle River Nature Center’s Icy River Rampage fat bike race today. It was a wet, slushy mess out on the river with several inches of overflow on top of the ice, but it wasn’t the least bit mundane.
Extreme conditions also make for extreme photography, long as you can keep your gear relatively dry. The most challenging aspect of shooting the race today, aside from the flat light, was keeping my camera lenses clear of water drops and fog, which ended up costing me a few shots.
