Hiking Around

Well, let's get back to the present - such as it is...

Last week I had relatives in town from Arizona. Three cousins - I won't bore you with the geneology - but they're all from Grandpa Roscoe's side of the family tree. They all live in the Wilcox area - a little ranching community called Dos Cabezas. One of the cousins, Carol, was up here last year with her boyfriend and this year she came up with two more cousins and their pals. It was quite fun. I took them on a hike up the West Glacier Trail that they really enjoyed and we had a big family dinner.

The Arizona crew (minus Cousin Edna who stayed at mom's to visit) on the West Glacier Trail.

Carol has a working ranch in Dos Cabezas and wants me to come down and visit next winter. I will do so when I go down to the Juneau Golf Club Spring Tournament in Casa Grande next March. I want to ride a horse and herd them doggies. Sing songs by the campfire. Maybe go to a hoedown. Get in touch with my cowboy heritage. Hah!

A picture is worth a thousand words...Aunt Emilie at the big family dinner. Pretty in pink...

The day after the relatives got on the ferry was really nice and I hiked up the Dan Moller Trail. It was quite fun. The trail is mostly boardwalk which is good - because it was REALLY wet from all the recent rain.

The Dan Moller Trail. Lots of water in the muskeg; but a beautiful day!

The following day was also very nice so I headed-up Perseverance and the Granite Creek Trail. There was still a big snow pack up Granite Creek so I didn't try to climb-up into the last basin - although I expect I could have done so.



Granite Creek Falls. Still plenty of snow in the basin - the snow may not all go this year...

There was lots of traffic on Perseverance including a nice looking Yogi who clambered out of the ditch onto the road and fell into line behind another group of hikers about 300 feet ahead of me. They were oblivious. The bear didn't appear threatening; just walking up the road like the rest of us. I yelled to get the hikers' attention and they, and Yogi, turned to look back at me. I was fumbling to get my camera out of my backpack and by the time I got organized Yogi was turning off the road and headed-up the hillside. First bear I've seen all season.



Yogi on the Perseverance Trail - on the old road just before the trailhead. A little out-of-focus...I was fumbling around to get my camera out of the bag...

I also walked the dike trail a couple of times last week. The Fireweed is now in bloom which means that Fall is not far off. Fall is very similar to Pre-Fall, which starts August 1st, only wetter and more windy. The good weather disappeared last Saturday and it rained all weekend.

Pre-Fall on the wetlands.

I also took a bunch of birdie and flower pics. Now I'm going to try to figure out who and what I photographed! Stay tuned...