halibut cove...4 and byers lake cabin..

had this cabin at byers lake. at some moments i wasn't very excited about it as it was right on the heels of the paddle to halibut cove so to turn around and plan another weekend takes some effort and i like being lazy. asked around about the cabin and heard it was a great cabin so that got me more excited. one friend was coming out for one night so that would be more fun. the weather was predicted to be rain. i planned for a quiet weekend holed up in a cabin with the fire going and relaxing with books, crossword puzzles, cards and a guitar.

got this instead. so i relaxed and looked at the big mountain. now the dogs could care less about a big mountain and one must wonder why i care either. people come from all over to look at this big mountain though and i'm as mesmorized as the rest. why? it does tower over those little mountains in the foreground. no idea what the allure is but it was wonderful to just sit there and look at that big mountain. knowing people were up there trying to summit it was of interest as well. we've lost i think 7 climbers this year already up there in those mountains.

the rain came and went as i headed out. i had purchased a wagon and had to put it together the evening before. i'm not gifted at this, but managed overall. did ask a neighbor across the street for some minor assist. haven't really had any interaction with this neighbor for some time. he's friendly with everyone in the neighborhood, chatty, but one day he made a comment that i found strange and inappropriate. sometimes people forget they aren't talking to one of the guys i think. anyway, i've kinda kept my distance. in the culture we live in when a man says something inappropriate to you and you don't take it kindly, you are seen as the freak. hopefully, that won't happen again. he did help so hopefully, that helped mend the fence on that situation.

i carried my backpack and then dragged the wagon with more gear. took me two treks back to the car to get all i'd brought in. it was only 1/2 mile. the worst of it was between the dogs and the wagon i felt defenseless against the mosquito's who were thick and furious. rio seems to get the brunt of it as well. the second trek back i had my spray on, my mosquito head net on and felt more prepared. of course, i stupidly, opted to spit forgetting my head net. all i could do was laugh at my own stupidity. there is that bad word again. of late worse than dropping the f bomb. it started to rain as i headed back with the second load. i'd brought plastic bags to cover over the stuff, but had left my bungee cords on the bottom step at home.

oddly, despite it raining at my cabin the big mountain came out and then it cleared all over. i settled into the cabin and then sat on the deck reading and enjoying the views.

blossom had other plans of course. she soon discovered that she had a lake at her disposal and that meant she would never tire of chasing the tennis ball. all she had to do was dip in the lake and she was revived. there were several beaver noted out there though so that could be treacherous. luckily she had no such encounters.

eventually i fed the dogs and took a stroll back out to the parking lot to see if i could locate my friend sandra who was joining us. no cell phone coverage meant i couldn't call her and let her know where we were.

once she arrived and settled in we took the dogs for a walk part way around the lake. there is a 5 mile loop that goes around the lake. would have liked to have done the whole loop, but there is a suspension bridge at one end and as it turns out lots of boardwalk in the back stretch. both are difficult for the blind mastiff. we did put in the mileage though and the dogs were both exhausted each night.

the sunset didn't really happen til after midnight. we got a little campfire going and enjoyed the views. sandra seemed to enjoy the big mountain as well so i know i'm not a freak in this. everyone wants to see the big mountain. i think it's a rare sight in the summer months. in the winter we see it alot from anchorage, i enjoy it there to and get all excited.

the cabin can probably fit 6-8 people. there is a loft above which also has a grand view of the big mountain.

just a nice quiet and relaxing evening. despite the cabin being less than a mile from the parking lot it felt pretty removed.

got out my guitar and sang some tunes as sandra fell asleep. the cabin has good acoustics. i had stopped by best buy on the way out of town to see if they had any cheap guitars or something similar. my other guitars are great, but they are a bit more pricey and large, not the sort i want to be tossing on the back of a wagon and dragging about. found a small steel string gibson for about $80. should be a nice addition. would like to make the spare room more music friendly, perhaps get back into the writing mode. i like to write little tunes to sing out. sandra seems to enjoy them as have others in the past.

i am a bit sore from trapsing back and forth with the wagon and loads. i suspect sleeping on the hard platform is also a bit tough. will be nice to sleep in my own bed tonight. woke several times that first night. i think rio was chilly and couldn't get comfortable. at one point i got up and put a blanket over her. at that point she finally fell into a deep sleep and started snoring loudly. i woke up again as i could feel the whole cabin vibrating from her snoring. at least i think that is what woke me. sandra woke about the same time. denali was all pink from the sunrise. it was 4:15am i think.

was awake off and on the next night as well. i think i just knew that mountain was out and i kept waking up, looking at it and falling back to sleep. by the morning, like 7, the mountain was hidden in clouds and the clouds were thickening. i dozed a bit more then decided it was best to get the car loaded before it started raining. good plan as it turned out. we got incredibly lucky on our two days out there to enjoy sunshine and warmth. the cabin was nice and warm. we never had to light a fire in the wood stove. well, rio would have liked it the first night, but i wasn't cold at all.

blossom enjoys her bhf(best human friend). below both dogs are sacked out. sunday we walked almost 2 miles before we got in the car then with hauling and all...another 2.5 miles and then after sandra came we walked another few miles probably.

i could have eaten better. we both got subway for that first night. looks like several that stay in the cabin just hike out to their cars and drive to denali and the surrounding princess cruise made up alaska zone near there to eat. they've created little oasis's in alaska. made to look like real alaska but very comfortable and neat. the true alaska is often uncomfortable and messy, but many tourists want the experience of alaska while still enjoying the comforts of home. princess does that for them all. it's always strange to me to wander into the places they've taken over and recreated. just so fake and built up. sad really.

wouldn't have minded a good meal. i also forgot munchies and brought zero chocolate. zero!! can't say i've ever done that before

rio could cross this bridge. we walked back here the next day and went beyond the bridge a bit, but the boardwalk was killing rio so we turned back. she wouldn't do well in southeast alaska as that is a common way to build trails. protects the sensitive bog below.

the dogs weren't interested in the photo op.

just in playing

the lake was really clear and beautiful. just a great weekend to relax and get away as it turns out. i would rent this cabin again in a heartbeat.

many rent it in the winter and ski or snowshoe to it. that could be fun as well.

here is my little encampment for the days i was out there.

still scratching some mosquito areas from the walk back. rio only had to do it once. i put her in the car and she didn't protest at all.

a talkeetna musher has gone missing. she didn't show up for work, didn't arrange for her 10 dog team dogs to be cared for and didn't take her pet dog with her. apparently all odd for her. they did find her truck near the denali highway i think. doesn't sound good to me. always a risk out there. hope they find her. they never did find tom. he worked with me in ketchikan. he was a travel nurse there. his next assignment was to be in bethel i believe. he never showed up. i'd seen him out on the trails in ketchikan a few days before he left for anchorage. we chatted and he was very excited for his next adventure. they found his car but never found him. people do disappear up here. hope they find her and that she is okay. melanie gould. she's run the iditarod several times i believe.

the one above was as i sat on the porch and the big mountain started to show itself. finished reading the novel, "outlander". wrote the authors name somewhere, but did leave the book out there. nice to have a small library available in those little cabins in case people end up inside more than planned..unlike me ending up outside more than planned.

the rest are from halibut cove. we woke to a beautiful day out there and paddled over to halibut cove for lunch/brunch. these dogs came out of a cabin up on the hill and ran down several series of stairs to get to the beach and bark at us. one was obviously a doodle so i had to take a closer look.

this guilliant didn't seem too happy with us either. nice to spend one weekend coastal and the next weekend in the interior.

the flags were at a little art place there.

since i was celebrating my birthday weekend i thought i'd get something i never get and spoil myself. this lamb looked just delicious and the few bites i had on the outer bits were tasty. now i know lamb should be a bit pink, but as i cut into my lamb it was raw. like gross raw. they ended up taking it back and attempting to cook it more. i was pretty much off the idea of it by then. did eat the potatoes. ultimately they took it back and didn't charge me for it. they also gave me desert. the waitress was a bit off her game by then and never offered any desert to anyone else at the table. so i left the saltry hungrier than i came really. can't say as that has ever happened. i'm not one to send back a meal, but this was totally raw inside. i was concerned about being in a kayak with a stomach issue. not a good idea.

they did have some cool little decorative statue things around the saltry.

pico got in trouble for being up there, but we all loved pico. what a great pup.

had my picture taken with a local as well. the cute tables are decorated with broken pottery. very cool.

loved this picture below...sometimes a photo really makes me happy.

also loved the reflections on the water. always crazy for reflections

is this considered citchy? not sure how you spell kitchy or is it quitchy? hmm.

they even had a funky buoy in the water as you paddled in.

we bypassed the less friendly end of town the second time in, besides we had reservations at the saltry and thus we could legally walk the boardwalks.

love that morning water.

below is some neighboring campers dog. it followed our activities and seemed concerned when we loaded in our kayaks and took off.

sandra and jennifer enjoy thier morning coffee with a view.

still have tons to get done in the next few weeks. tomorrow will plan on hitting my to do list hard and getting some of it checked off.

2 great weekends...can't complain at all!!

my life feels very tame compared to some and wild compared to others i guess. i think i'm more on the tame side. happy to wander the woods or paddle gently along and look, listen and photograph.

didn't see any bears or signs of bears on this weekend trip either. i'm cool with that. love to see them when i'm in my car. i'd thought if the weather held today i would have driven into denali and then down to talkeetna. the clouds made it easy to just drive home. will post more of both weekend adventures in the coming days.