It was time for an Alaska adventure anyway

The road less traveled indeed.

Two roads diverged in the woods, and I (sigh) I took the one less traveled.

But, after all, the SPOT worked. The unit sends a signal every 10 minutes.
That's why there's a diagonal from 4 to 5.  The actual trail is between 5
and 6. That's the Knik River where I was headed in the lower right.

For the past couple of days the weather has been so nice, I decided to get better acquainted with the SPOT Locater.  Two days in a  row, I fired it up and took a ride down to the river, hoping to document that little jaunt for some as yet unknown future reference.

Both days the thing didn't work.  I came home to a blank map that should have had several positions on it but didn't.  Every time I looked at it, given the flashing lights, it should have functioned.  And at home, positioned in the driveway it worked fine. 

Thinking always produces a new plan and sure enough one popped up today.  I decided carrying the unit in a buttoned up pocket might not let it receive or send a signal and I could not remember if had positioned the antenna facing in toward my body or outward. It had worked before from a backpack on the trail to the East Pole.

So, today, I strapped the SPOT to a backpack on the front rack of the four-wheeler facing upward toward the satellites. In addition I took the iPad carefully cushioned inside the backpack so I could check along the way if the unit was sending a signal and the computer was receiving it.

Knee deep in the big muddy.

Off I went down the driveway and down the road where I came to that divergence.  There's a long straight trail that goes directly west and another that I usually take that goes west and then south.  That trail was full of people on a sunny Sunday and as I looked down that long, straight one, it looked very passable At times I've encountered huge mud puddles on it, but as far as I could see there was no water on the trail so I headed down that trail less traveled.  For maybe half a mile hard-packed, dry dirt was what I ran over. Then came the first mud, almost dried up and easily passable. Beyond that the puddles grew increasingly wider, longer and deeper.  But nothing seemed insurmountable, at least until the last one, not the last one on the trail, but that last one I was going to try.

When I went into it, it felt like the four-wheeler fell off a cliff.  Before long water was over the wheels and mud flying everywhere where the wheels kicked it up.  I tried to get to the side for some traction but that didn't work.  Flashing through my mind as if in bright neon were the words "momentum is your friend."  No stopping,  that finishes it, just keep those wheels churning and no matter how few feet you gain it is better than stopping.  Maintain the momentum."

Then the water deepened.  Sitting on the machine it came up to my knees, my shoes were full but I still had a bit of that precious forward progress.  My mind went through quick inventory of all the equipment I carry on a trip to the East Pole.  Rope, the come-along winch, spare parts, heavy boots, rain gear, tools, ax, hand saw, none of which were on board during this short jaunt from the house, not even my cell phone.  The machine slowed to a crawl but I kept the throttle pegged and it slowly dragged itself toward the far shore.  In time a low part of the bank gave it purchase and gradually it rose out of the muck like some monster emerging from primordial ooze, flinging water and mud as it did.

Once out of the water, I stopped to take inventory, and dump the water out of my shoes.  I looked ahead down the trail and could see an even bigger lake out there.  Quick decision.  I could make it if I had to, but I don't have to, so, better part of valor, I turned around.  That was when I discovered some folks had pounded a trail through the woods around that puddle.  Of course that was the way to go.

Among other things remember to wear boots.

Shortly I came to a shady spot and stopped.  I brushed a bit of mud off the SPOT, but decided to wait until I could clean it with alcohol to prevent any water or mud from getting into the case.  I pulled out the iPad to see if the thing was tracking.  Guess what.  No 4G signal.  Life in Alaska.

Having decided that was enough adventure for one day I headed home.

On the way home I argued with Robert Frost.  Robert, sometimes there's a reason the road less traveled is better not taken. You can have an adventure in any way you choose but sometimes it is better to learn the lessons from other travelers and take the trail that gets you there.

Robert Frost -- The road not taken