View From Bird

I was thwarted again this weekend in my attempts to hunt ice worms on glaciers. So instead I hunted glaciers. Smokey followed me up Bird Ridge on Saturday for my second attempt at viewing the hypothetical Bird Glacier. We got a break in the clouds long enough to look up the valley. But the valley curves, so I can't truly see the area where the glacier would be if it still exists.

See how close we are to the ocean? Notice how far down it is? It feels like this ridge climbs straight up, like I've been up stairs that had less slope.

This is my high-tech ice worm hunting clothes. Also what I have lived in almost all summer. No bikinis here; stretchy waterproof layers. And this weekend I have been sporting whatever shoes don't kill my road rashed ankle that had a close encounter with the pavement on my bike last Thursday. You don't even want to know what my thigh looks like. I didn't know bruises could come in those colors. Don't worry Mom, I'm too sore to ride to work for a few days and I think I'll wait until the insurance card shows up in the mail first.

Smokey has awesome new binoculars, but they still aren't good enough to see ice worms from here. Never mind that I'm looking at the glaciers across the inlet..... I think I've successfully begged an airplane ride to check out my potential remote glaciers for access (and existence!). And the permit application for the Forest Service work has been altered to include the possibility of being dropped off by helicopter. What? Everything is close to a heli ski base and they aren't exactly super busy right now. Plus, I bet I can get field assistants that way.

Sunday was nearly as exciting, but maybe not as glorious. Tatonka and I went to cheer on a fellow canine SAR teamate who was going through her final test for certification. We start our series tonight and worked a three hour problem yesterday while we waited for her. We started in the only sun we have seen in weeks. But that soon ended and the rain held off until we finished working, so I guess that is a success around here. Tatonka was very good at keeping my feet warm while I studied last night, except for his snoring.

Birfday

I have a rule about my birfday and it goes something like this: it's MY birthday and I'll do as I please thank you very much, and it does not involve going to work. This year it did involve going for a hike for thesis research purposes. I went to see if a glacier on my list for research this summer was still in existence. I found out there was a trail up a ridge that would put me in direct view of it across the valley and I went to get something done. Of course I also thought I would go for a bike ride and paddle my boat, but by the time I got home from this I was tired of being really wet. So I changed my plans. Because I'm allowed to. Because it's my day to do with as I please.

It was quite a little jaunt up the hill and we were all happy to stop for a photo shoot. Everyone had their tongues hanging out. When we popped out on the ridge above treeline both Percy and I staggered a couple steps from the wind blast. Percy wasn't sure if there was more uphill to come or if we were calling it quits. Since we couldn't see across the valley to the potential glacier location and we were soaked through we decided to go home and get some cocoa and spend some quality time with our yarn, cats, and books.

And this is for my sister. Remember how growing up you were always so mad because my birfday was in the summer and I always got fun summer presents like wading pools and buckets for playing in the sand and you got sweaters because your's is in the fall? Well guess what. I have no need for a wading pool or swim suit in this weather. But a sweater would have been just dandy. Instead I got a glacier travel rope, ice screws, and a bike computer. Perfectly acceptable.

More Fun From the Fourth

My dependency on others for photos must come to an end soon. It's driving me crazy and keeping me from posting here. I did a post a few weeks ago about my 4th of July and this is evidence from funness elluded to there. No evidence of the rocky bike ride from hell wherin I launched myself off my bike repeatedly into the rocky ditch and was assured that no, this is totally a biking trail. Turns out Niwt maybe exagerates things a little. We eventually stashed the bikes in the bushes next to the trail when it became obvious to me we were on a descent I didn't want to carry my bike back up.

And we hit the beach. In the rain and wind and it was fabulous. The dogs had a great time. I had a great time. We all got outside and got to play.

And then we got to retire to the porch of the cabin for fun with wine, knitting and another stick. All the elements I treasure in a weekend, except for cats and food.