My relief has arrived and today the adopted dog and I headed for the hills...again...and this time really the hills. I wanted to go find the buffalo and I headed up the ridge to see if I could spot them and to see what is on the other side of the island.
The poor dog isn't sure what to think of all this, I feed her a little food, then she loads up with me and I take her on excursions I'm sure she has never been on before.
When I started out, it was overcast, a little breeze and a rare sprinkle of rain. I prayed it would just stop raining and I would be fine with the clouds and cool wind, that way there were no bugs either.
All along the way I spotted beautiful signs of life...salmon berries,
Fireweed,
Monk's hood flowers,
and Gentian flowers..
I got half way up and took this picture of Red Cove Lake and noted that I was actually above the clouds and the rain had stopped up here. This was a much more challenging hike, up hill all the way. And the faithful dog led the way...
Everything is so lush and green, you can hear the water rushing down between the alders in the crevices and forming waterfalls and creeks to who knows what outlet. I'm sure the buffalo were safely tucked under the alders just watching me wondering what in the world was that dog and that girl doing in our yard! As I did a 360 degree turn I could see the ocean, other Shumagin Islands and even the mainland of the Alaska Peninsula. It was way to cloudy so I couldn't see the volcano Pavloff or the sisters past Unga. It was totally a magnificent view.
I got my walk in, wore the dog out and the only sign I found of the buffalo were the fresh tracks on the ridge. I probably had missed them by a few hours, but I got a good shot of the tracks so I know they are in those hills somewhere and one of these days, I'll catch up to them.
But until then, I am going to thoroughly enjoy the ride/hike, pick the berries and stop and smell the flowers as long as I can..
