Friday Photo: Byer’s Lake

I didn’t get a photo of the grizzly bears we saw on our weekend trip to Byer’s Lake.

They were moving too fast and they were too close.

The mother woofed.

The cub followed her as she sprinted away.

I’m grateful that I saw them.

And happy that they chose to run away.

They did circle back and surprise us.

Running about thirty miles an hour.

Crossing the trail about forty feet in front of us.

It was a humbling display of power and energy.

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Friday Photo: Fall Reading Nook

My hammock days are numbered.

Old Man winter is reaching his tendrils into Interior Alaska.

Maybe one more week of swinging.

Or perhaps just a day.

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Taking Stock

1.  So, I’m a month into the semester and loving it. I have students from Indonesia, China, Puerto Rico, rural Alaska, and the Dominican Republic. They are my teachers as much or more as I am theirs.

2.  I won’t be running the Equinox Marathon next weekend because of a slow-to-heal calf injury, but I did run three marathons in the past twelve months so I’m not too disappointed. Still, on race day I’m sure I’ll be missing it. It’s my all time favorite race and I’ve run it eight times.

3.  Fall is in full swing up here. The birches and aspens are a blaze of yellow, and strings of Sandhill Cranes are heading south interspersed with V’s of Canada Geese. And with the increased security on the borders I’m not sure what will happen. I mean, the geese will have no problem getting into Canada, but when they try to cross back into the states…could be trouble.

"I've never needed a passport before on this flyway."

The garden is halfway harvested but there are still lots of potatoes to dig and carrots to pull.

And the cherry tomatoes in the greenhouse—we just eat them right off the vine.

And my writing….I’m hoping to dig into my WIP soon.

That’s what’s going on with me. What’s happening in your life, friends?

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The View from Chiapous: Backpacking in the Italian Alps

Looking back from where we came.

See the red roof of Rifugio Morelli Buzzi just left of center. That's where we're headed.

We had rain, wind, fog, and sun on our backpacking trip in the Italian Alps. And that sunshine seemed much more meaningful after hiking through a 9,000 foot pass in the wind, fog, and rain. At times, visibility was less than twenty feet.

The day we hiked in to the Rifugio you couldn't see it until you were less than 100 feet from it because of the fog.

One of several Ibex we saw on our four day hike.

I didn’t set out on the backpacking trip hoping for inclement weather but I’m glad I experienced some. Having the contrast just enriched the experience and reminded me that when you’re on foot in the mountains, whether you are in Alaska or Italy, trouble is only one cloud-bank away if you’re not prepared.

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