The harbor is filling up fast and the 500-2 rolled or floated into town a few days ago.  Oil Spill Response Training time is here again. 

Welcome to all the SERVS people who are in town for training. and of course all the other people involved.  Training for possible disaster is a good thing, but we all know that prevention of an oil spill is what we all want and hope for.

Training of fishing vessels for Oil Spill Response has other benefits too, over the years many fishing vessels have adopted better safety policies due to training and that is a great thing.  So, when you are training this year, think about where we are compared to where we were in 1989.  Have you learned things that have helped you and your vessel be more prepared and ready to respond to an oil spill or any other accident or problem?

The Cordova Bicycle Coalition met April 11th at the Cordova Center in the Education room to discuss biking and ways to promote biking in Cordova. 

One of the items discussed was the need for a bulletin board for people to share biking information.  Looking for a group ride?  Want to advertise a group ride?  Want to sell a bike?   Cordova Gear has a bulletin board that everyone is welcome to use to post biking information! 

New trail making, trail maps, group rides and the idea of a "ride of the month" with a route that could be available to anyone was discussed. 

It will be fun to see the activities, trails and events that the cooperation of the Cordova Bicycle Coalition can facilitate in Cordova.  

If you are interested in biking, learning more about bikes and biking watch for the next meeting of the Cordova Bicycle Coalition and join the group.

Cordova is a beautiful place and a place that can be downright snotty at times.  A recent saying around town goes like this "The weather in Cordova can be similar to an abusive relationship, just when you can't take anymore, it changes and becomes so beautiful and amazing that any negative thoughts you had just disappear. "  Perhaps the weather in Cordova can also be compared to child birth, the pain is completely forgotten once that beautiful bambino is in your arms.  When it gets nice out it is really stunning if you take a minute to look around you.   We are lucky that it is such a mixed bag of weather, it helps create a higher level of appreciation of place.  When the sun is shining after a long rainy session, just walk around town and it looks like everyone is on happy drugs, smiles and laughter everywhere.  Not one person complaining about the suns bright glare.

There are times when it is rainy and gray in town but there is an option to take a short 14 mile drive out to Sheridan Glacier past Merle K Mudhole Smith Airport & Alaska Airlines to the broken bridge at 32 mile.  You can get you into better weather out the road, so that is always an option.  In the summer you could take an airboat across the river and get a tour of the Million Dollar Bridge with Child's Glacier Tours.  Once you get to the end at 32 mile that's it for driving.  If you really want a longer roadtrip you can turn around and go out to the end of Whitshed road, if you still need to drive head back through town and out Orca Road.  It is not a long drive but is an amazingly beautiful drive if you stop to look around, if you are feeling like you want some exercise do the trip on a bike, (you can rent one at Cordova Gear) you'll be able to log in about 45 miles of paved road with lots of options for gravel riding. The road past the Cordova City Airport next to Eyak Lake can be an additional extension for your roadtrip, it is a gravel road and offers some great views of scenery and wildlife.  Be prepared though because the weather could play a part in the drive or ride.  So, we may not have a lot of road here in Cordova, but we do have some amazing scenery and things to do along the way.  So, NO ROAD ..... can be a good thing.  Cordovan's know how to have fun and can enjoy themselves almost anywhere so NO ROAD is no big deal!

Oh, and remember we do have the Alaska Marine Highway that crosses Prince William Sound, so we do have a highway, it just is not made of asphalt.   No matter what the weather is we still have a few options for fun and adventure with NO ROAD!

When I broke up with my boyfriend, the first thing I did, finally, was go for a hike by myself.  I had been meaning to do so for a long time.  When we were still together I found myself trapped in our relationship.  I could not do the one thing I wanted to. I finally decided to end the relationship and it was the best feeling ever.  While I was standing at the top of the mountain, I took a very long time to breathe and appreciate the beauty that is around me and I never felt more free.

Sheridan Glacier around 2004

If you have never tried to ride a fat bike, you might want to give them a try.  Where ever you ride, it seems like fun!  The bikes have great traction, and a fun bouncy feel to them.  Do you ever think about how much fun was to ride when you were little?  Well, that is how riding a fat bike feels!  you can rent one at Cordova Gear.

 We took a ride up and down the Copper Rive at 27 mile bridges and had a blast riding on all sorts of different terrain.  It is such a joy ride along the Copper River.  It is huge, and has so much water flowing it is hard to believe all the fish can swim up that strong current. along looking at dinner plate size brown bear tracks and huge moose tracks definitely make you look around a bit more carefully while traveling.  Seals eyes at water level watched as we passed the silently disappeared as if they were never there.

Taking a break and attempting to do a quick sketch while the real artist David Rosenthal does a quick sketch that will now doubt turn into an amazing oil painting.  If you have not seen his work you should take a look at the website antarcticpaintings.com

For a fun and amazing tour take a tour out to Childs Glacier and bring your bike along.  Riverside Inn Glacier Tours offers a wonderful historic tour of the Million Dollar Bridge and Childs Glacier.  Start out driving 37 miles out the Copper River Highway while having your morning coffee, you might see moose, porcupine, eagles, bear or even a wolf!  At the end of the road where the bridge there washed out six years ago you can board an airboat that is big enough to carry 6 people, 6 bikes and lots of gear and more.  Ride across the swift Copper River to the other side and either ride the 12 miles to the Childs Glacier campground or ride your bike.  The ride was very nice, we stopped along the way to look at the streams, and eagle and saw a few voles run across the road.  We did not see a bear, but did see some older scat.  The ride was very pleasant and took about an hour or so.  Once around the last curve in the road, there is a beautiful view of the bridge, getting nearer slowly creates an appreciation of just how big the river and the 1500 foot bridge is.  .  

After enjoying the view of both Childs and Miles glacier and the nice breeze on the bridge we continued on to the campground and picnic area about a 1/2 mile further down the road.  When we got there, a fire was going.  Our groceries were already there and we had a nice picnic!  After lunch, we rode across the bridge to a trail that leads to cell phone tower and an amazing view.  Jack led the hike and offered lot's of great information about the area, the bridge and the glaciers.  There is a lot to see and do and the day seemed short, next time we will make it an overnight trip!  If you need to rent bikes Cordova Gear has some great rental bikes!

  Learn more about Cordova and the surrounding areas by playing "Identify This"

This is the photo for the latest clue.  Use the link above to get information about the game!

We are looking for more voices to help out with trail reports, adventure reports and reviews of fun things to see and do around Cordova.  Many people want to get outside and they have questions about where to go and what it currently might be like in different areas, you can help by writing a trail report or a review!

Submit your review or report to:

[email protected]

Each month we will will pick two submissions to add to this site.   Writers of published submissions will receive a reward of a $10 gift certificate to use as cash at Cordova Gear, located at 104 W. Davis Avenue, Cordova, Alaska. Your name can be added or omitted as the author, just be sure to let us know what you prefer when you send us your submission.

The ride out Power Creek road is always interesting, you never know what you will get to see.  It might be bird, a bear, fish spewing or maybe you'll see a new or old friend.  Today we got to see some bright red salmon in the clear water.  It is a relaxing no pressure ride without too many ups and downs.  Passing the smalls cascades of water and the pools they create before dumping into the lake are nice to listen to and also create a cool area on a warm day.  The salmon berries are looking promising and a few were ripe enough to eat!  This solitary Merganser seemed happy having some quiet alone time!