James P Bennett
@akjpb.bsky.social
An ordinary old guy trying not to have an ordinary life. Non-motorized outdoor things. Mediocre writer. Locavore. Alaska. Grandfather. 🚵♂️🥾⛷️⛰️🏕️🌊
A Few Choice Words
https://substack.com/@akjpb
A Few Choice Words
https://substack.com/@akjpb
I missed the Aurora last night and clouds are already rolling in, promising to obscure another spectacular solar storm show tonight. I did have a darn nice sunrise, as viewed from my bedroom balcony, this morning. Nature is glorious.
November 12, 2025 at 7:26 PM
I missed the Aurora last night and clouds are already rolling in, promising to obscure another spectacular solar storm show tonight. I did have a darn nice sunrise, as viewed from my bedroom balcony, this morning. Nature is glorious.
Because of light pollution & a slight mist (no stars visible) in my neighborhood, I’m one of the few Alaskans not seeing the vibrant red Northern Lights this evening. Friends from the Kenai, the Interior & Montana are posting wild shots! A friend from GNU, DG, who lives up north now,took this one!
November 12, 2025 at 6:34 AM
Because of light pollution & a slight mist (no stars visible) in my neighborhood, I’m one of the few Alaskans not seeing the vibrant red Northern Lights this evening. Friends from the Kenai, the Interior & Montana are posting wild shots! A friend from GNU, DG, who lives up north now,took this one!
The Portland Cello Project performed Radiohead’s OK Computer & some other of their songs at the PAC in Anchorage tonight. Wow! Locals, Quinn Christopherson & Aspen Yarrow, provided some intense vocals.
Maybe not the best show to bring someone on a 1st date to who’s never heard of Radiohead.🤷♂️
Maybe not the best show to bring someone on a 1st date to who’s never heard of Radiohead.🤷♂️
November 9, 2025 at 7:17 AM
The Portland Cello Project performed Radiohead’s OK Computer & some other of their songs at the PAC in Anchorage tonight. Wow! Locals, Quinn Christopherson & Aspen Yarrow, provided some intense vocals.
Maybe not the best show to bring someone on a 1st date to who’s never heard of Radiohead.🤷♂️
Maybe not the best show to bring someone on a 1st date to who’s never heard of Radiohead.🤷♂️
A near-perfect harmonic convergence of timing for me. I had my new studded snow tires installed on my car just an hour before our 1st real snow storm AND prepped my studded-tire fatbike for winter. Was able to get silky smooth 1st tracks on a local singletrack!
November 7, 2025 at 3:45 AM
A near-perfect harmonic convergence of timing for me. I had my new studded snow tires installed on my car just an hour before our 1st real snow storm AND prepped my studded-tire fatbike for winter. Was able to get silky smooth 1st tracks on a local singletrack!
Before the European bike trip, I was on a 2+ week wilderness raft trip with my adult son & friends and watched my 7yo g’daughter for a week, so almost 2 months out of sync (not a complaint). It feels good to resume quiet routines that I enjoy, however.
October 18, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Before the European bike trip, I was on a 2+ week wilderness raft trip with my adult son & friends and watched my 7yo g’daughter for a week, so almost 2 months out of sync (not a complaint). It feels good to resume quiet routines that I enjoy, however.
Traveling with 3 friends for nearly 5 weeks meant sharing quarters, dinner for 4 most every night and lunch (sandwiches we prepped ourselves) taken on breaks as we biked from town to town. All good. I prefer dinner for 2, but eating alone, in my own home, a meal I made from scratch, was delightful.
October 18, 2025 at 1:46 PM
Traveling with 3 friends for nearly 5 weeks meant sharing quarters, dinner for 4 most every night and lunch (sandwiches we prepped ourselves) taken on breaks as we biked from town to town. All good. I prefer dinner for 2, but eating alone, in my own home, a meal I made from scratch, was delightful.
Last night in Italy, training north to Frankfurt in the AM. Hope to retrieve our bike boxes from a questionable storage option. Back in ANC Thursday night, inshallah. I like (most of) my life in Alaska, so I’m happy to return home from a ++ good cycling adventure & see what will unfold for me in AK!
October 12, 2025 at 6:36 PM
Last night in Italy, training north to Frankfurt in the AM. Hope to retrieve our bike boxes from a questionable storage option. Back in ANC Thursday night, inshallah. I like (most of) my life in Alaska, so I’m happy to return home from a ++ good cycling adventure & see what will unfold for me in AK!
A post-ride beer & then a reservations-only pizza place for a late dinner. Che bontà!
October 9, 2025 at 7:22 PM
A post-ride beer & then a reservations-only pizza place for a late dinner. Che bontà!
We’re staying in Lucca, in the Tuscany region of Italy, using the town as a hub & taking day rides. Pisa is only 25K away, mostly via cycle paths, so we biked to see the tower today. Yesterday’s ride was up in the hills. Perfect weather, gorgeous countryside, incredible art/architecture.
October 9, 2025 at 4:22 PM
We’re staying in Lucca, in the Tuscany region of Italy, using the town as a hub & taking day rides. Pisa is only 25K away, mostly via cycle paths, so we biked to see the tower today. Yesterday’s ride was up in the hills. Perfect weather, gorgeous countryside, incredible art/architecture.
Completely impressed how easy in Europe it is to bring our bikes on buses, ferries and trains as we change our minds on routes to take b/c of weather, road conditions or being tired.
October 6, 2025 at 8:07 AM
Completely impressed how easy in Europe it is to bring our bikes on buses, ferries and trains as we change our minds on routes to take b/c of weather, road conditions or being tired.
After battling hurricane force winds (Bura in Croatian) for 1.5 days, we tried to make it inland, but it’s getting cold in the mountains. It will be cold when we return to Alaska, so we are now taking a ferry to Italy to find warmth. We’ll slowly cycle/train back to F’furt to catch our return flight
October 3, 2025 at 6:27 PM
After battling hurricane force winds (Bura in Croatian) for 1.5 days, we tried to make it inland, but it’s getting cold in the mountains. It will be cold when we return to Alaska, so we are now taking a ferry to Italy to find warmth. We’ll slowly cycle/train back to F’furt to catch our return flight
Hi from Zadar, Croatia. Casual observations: folks in the Balkans seem happy & peaceful. We’ve seen no crime, no homeless & aside from some huge yachts in the Adriatic, little evidence of wealth disparity. For me, cycling 4-8 hours/day with 1K meters of elevation gain has cured my insomnia.
October 1, 2025 at 5:51 AM
Hi from Zadar, Croatia. Casual observations: folks in the Balkans seem happy & peaceful. We’ve seen no crime, no homeless & aside from some huge yachts in the Adriatic, little evidence of wealth disparity. For me, cycling 4-8 hours/day with 1K meters of elevation gain has cured my insomnia.
Probably packed their bike in a box to transport it on the train (bus?) and now re-assembling it to ride. I do this often.
September 29, 2025 at 6:52 PM
Probably packed their bike in a box to transport it on the train (bus?) and now re-assembling it to ride. I do this often.
After a week of cycling through Slovenia, we are now in Croatia. We’ve been loving the adventure, but everyday has presented challenges: mechanical issues, impossibly steep grades & some heavy rain. Today’s weather/route was near-perfect, ending with a swim in the Adriatic Sea & a seafood dinner.
September 25, 2025 at 6:47 PM
After a week of cycling through Slovenia, we are now in Croatia. We’ve been loving the adventure, but everyday has presented challenges: mechanical issues, impossibly steep grades & some heavy rain. Today’s weather/route was near-perfect, ending with a swim in the Adriatic Sea & a seafood dinner.
Cycling in Slovenia continues to provide us with gorgeous scenery, 1st rate bike paths that are at times wonderfully challenging (as well as pure fun), friendly people and good food. We met an Anchorage couple en route today.
September 21, 2025 at 2:31 PM
Cycling in Slovenia continues to provide us with gorgeous scenery, 1st rate bike paths that are at times wonderfully challenging (as well as pure fun), friendly people and good food. We met an Anchorage couple en route today.
Hi from Slovenia. 2 days of cycling completed, including some steep ascents (hike-a-bike). Gorgeous mountain scenery, 1st rate cycle paths, mostly lonely roads, quaint villages. I could live here.
September 18, 2025 at 6:10 AM
Hi from Slovenia. 2 days of cycling completed, including some steep ascents (hike-a-bike). Gorgeous mountain scenery, 1st rate cycle paths, mostly lonely roads, quaint villages. I could live here.
Yeah, in 2 days, I’m gonna take my bike & head over to the other side of the globe for a month or so & cycle in the Balkans. The US is in a downward spiral & we’ve always been bloodthirsty people. Don’t deny it. Cooler heads aren’t prevailing.
Release the Epstein files. Everything else is BS.
Release the Epstein files. Everything else is BS.
September 12, 2025 at 4:59 AM
Yeah, in 2 days, I’m gonna take my bike & head over to the other side of the globe for a month or so & cycle in the Balkans. The US is in a downward spiral & we’ve always been bloodthirsty people. Don’t deny it. Cooler heads aren’t prevailing.
Release the Epstein files. Everything else is BS.
Release the Epstein files. Everything else is BS.
For sure, the Tatshishini raft trip was all of that: sun, scenery, wildlife, wilderness…No news for over 2 weeks was particularly wonderful as we lived in the moment of observation & appreciation. Trip of a lifetime? Yes. When will my adult son & I ever have that much time again? Never.
September 8, 2025 at 3:56 AM
For sure, the Tatshishini raft trip was all of that: sun, scenery, wildlife, wilderness…No news for over 2 weeks was particularly wonderful as we lived in the moment of observation & appreciation. Trip of a lifetime? Yes. When will my adult son & I ever have that much time again? Never.
We had 3 copies of that book with us on the float!
September 7, 2025 at 2:45 AM
We had 3 copies of that book with us on the float!
The flight last night from Anchorage to Juneau was step 1, now on the @ 5 hour ferry from Juneau to Haines, which feels like the start of the Tatshishini River adventure which starts tomorrow. Oh, and i had to have a tooth extracted yesterday, so glad to have a little relax time.
August 22, 2025 at 4:04 PM
The flight last night from Anchorage to Juneau was step 1, now on the @ 5 hour ferry from Juneau to Haines, which feels like the start of the Tatshishini River adventure which starts tomorrow. Oh, and i had to have a tooth extracted yesterday, so glad to have a little relax time.
As a traveler/wilderness adventurer, my biggest worry is getting sick/injured before/during a trip. I can add to that. I leave for a 2-week raft trip on The Tatshishini R tomorrow & have developed an abscessed tooth that needs a root canal, procedure now scheduled after my return😱. Good weather, tho
August 20, 2025 at 4:17 PM
As a traveler/wilderness adventurer, my biggest worry is getting sick/injured before/during a trip. I can add to that. I leave for a 2-week raft trip on The Tatshishini R tomorrow & have developed an abscessed tooth that needs a root canal, procedure now scheduled after my return😱. Good weather, tho
With a warm sun forecasted today & dismal the day after, rode one of my favorite Kenai trails: Devil’s Pass. Overgrown in places. Hot (for Alaskans). Scenic, of course. Had fun. Only in-the-moment thoughts. Perfect escapism.
August 18, 2025 at 4:08 AM
With a warm sun forecasted today & dismal the day after, rode one of my favorite Kenai trails: Devil’s Pass. Overgrown in places. Hot (for Alaskans). Scenic, of course. Had fun. Only in-the-moment thoughts. Perfect escapism.
I left @ 10AM, the sign wasn’t defaced, there was no litter & there was no one in the crowd that looked like a litterbug. There were cops and MPs all around. So maybe it happened after the protest was over? @chugachmtnblues.bsky.social organized it. He would not tolerate vandalism.
August 16, 2025 at 4:45 AM
I left @ 10AM, the sign wasn’t defaced, there was no litter & there was no one in the crowd that looked like a litterbug. There were cops and MPs all around. So maybe it happened after the protest was over? @chugachmtnblues.bsky.social organized it. He would not tolerate vandalism.
2nd anti-Trump/Putin protest of the day. That is one big flag! Maybe 1000 folks at the park strip in Anchorage. Chanting Peace for Ukraine.
August 15, 2025 at 10:06 PM
2nd anti-Trump/Putin protest of the day. That is one big flag! Maybe 1000 folks at the park strip in Anchorage. Chanting Peace for Ukraine.