We had just finished dinner and were watching the news when I said to Bill that it seemed like a great time to make our annual visit to Caribou Creek in the Upper Pack River drainage.
After all, twas the longest day of the year, so we had plenty of daylight left and it was warm in the house.
The pickup has air conditioning, off we went with the dogs in the back.
Except for a car from Maine at the Caribou Lake trail head, we seemed to be the only human visitors up in that area.
It's always a good feeling to have such a vast expanse of mountains, views, wildflowers and critters pretty much to yourself.
After making the trip, stopping and getting out a few times and arriving home before dark, I can report the following:
Mosquitoes are hungry and ubiquitous in some areas, so much so that just a few feet into our short walk, Foster was enveloped with a cloud of mosquitoes.
I had mosquitoes literally in my ears and trying to attack all parts of my body.
That walk lasted about three minutes because we had no repellent with us. Mosquito heaven is located toward the end of the road that veers off to the north in the Caribou drainage.
In other spots, they were not so bad. I could leisurely snap photos of amazing beds of lupine and mountain sides filled with bear grass.
It's definitely a bear grass year in comparison to past years.
My goal, as always on this annual trip, was to capture some photos of snowshoe hairs, which always seem to occupy the road before dusk. One year we saw dozens of the bunnies apparently having a convention in the middle of the road.
Last night: only one hair but a patient hair at that. The little creature allowed me to walk within ten feet of where it was nibbling on something in the road.
Finally, it decided to leap off into the bushes.
I must say, the chipmunk by the roadside on one stop almost invited me to take pictures. It was feeding on something and sat like a nice little chipmunk while I snapped pictures.
Bill and I agreed that foliage and trees in the Caribou drainage have grown considerably the past few years.
New logging has opened up some different views, but we kinda miss looking up hillsides and maybe spotting a moose, deer or bear.
They were probably there, I'm sure, but there's enough cover for them to remain unseen.
As always, the Caribou Creek Road drive did not disappoint. It's become one of the rituals of early summer, and I'm sure we'll do the same in other mountain areas we love.
Enjoy the photos. Check out the latest great news about Dr. Cathy King below.
Happy Friday.
https://www.avma.org/news/press-releases/dr-cathy-king-named-recipient-2024-avma-global-veterinary-service-award
from Dr. Cathy King:
I
am very honored to be receiving the prestigious Global Veterinary
Service Award from the American Veterinary Medical Association in Austin
Texas this coming week.
This recognition would not be possible without
all of the amazing volunteers, staff, donors, supporters, in-country
partners and colleagues who have helped World Vets to have a global
impact for over two decades.
I share this award with all of you as we
continue our commitment to helping animals, people and the communities
in which they live.
If you want to learn more about Cathy King, you can visit Sandpoint Magazine Summer 2024 edition, which features a recent interview with her, focusing on her career, World Vets organization and her present work in the Galapagos Islands.
https://issuu.com/keokee/docs/sandpoint-magazine-s24
Once again, we are proud of you, Cathy.
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