post Hunter Cabin and packing for Byers!!

 had a fun trek north. had pretty sweet weather...not sure we will get a repeat of that this trek but still should be fun.  as you can see below the second nights sunset was even more beautiful than the first night.

 these are all iphone pics as i am still sorting through all the pics i took over this trek.  will probably have to just put in a different card and leave these until i return again.

 this entire campground is 10 miles south of Byers Lake campground and is all pretty and new.  there are two cabins fairly close together.  nobody was in the other cabin the first night.  the second night we had quiet neighbors, i suspect we were the noisy neighbors.  would be fun to rent both cabins next fall.

 easy to settle in as the cabins are right in the campground.  no wagon needed.  it's all loaded.  i have my list of stuff to get loaded for the morning.   a few friends will join for this trek as well...

 had 2 friends and a total of 4 dogs the first night at Hunter and one friend and just my two dogs the second night.  the dogs were all pretty wiped out!! mine slept from Glennallen back to Anchorage.

 the views from this cabin are really beautiful.

 there was a trail called Curry Trail that left from the campground, so any easy walk so we headed out in the morning.  KR is a morning girl and once one dog was up..well sleep was not going to happen so we did get on the trail fairly early....well for us night shifters anyway. haha.

 that trail is 6.2 miles round trip.  so 3.1 each way.  the way up is up...but a steady up and a new trail.  love to get up above the tree line and the views up there were amazing.

 my pups off leash were a bit of a challenge as there seem to be some drop offs and i can get pretty anxious on a new trail.  don't want anything to happen to my little pups.  dogs are smart, but when any animal gets into chase mode...well they could potentially chase down  or off a cliff.  not sure that it's really all that treacherous, but KR little pup was also following these big pups so that added to the concern.  eventually we got up top and the dogs could freely run wild.

 this shot was taken up at the top.  i carried some ashes with me and since there was already a good sized cairn up there, i just added a smaller one to the top of that.

 poor Ginger, KR pup ended up puking some and the puke had worms so poor pup was off to get dewormed!!

 after two nights in the cabin i called La Quinta hotel in Fairbanks...figured if they had a dog room available...we'd head north for that extra night i had off.  they did so off we went after a little hike in the campground.  they have a shorter loop that is perfect for those morning/evening walks.  the fall colors were pretty sweet down the Richardson Highway coming back.  had debated making at least a partial run of the Denali Highway...but that would have taken hours...i got home just after midnight Wednesday night and i worked thurs/fri/sat.

 there were still quite a few cranes left in Fairbanks.  many crane families with young cranes so that was fun.  we also walked the ski trails at UAF and i grabbed lunch and then we found the dog park area.  it is much bigger than what used to be there in Fairbanks and they actually have 3 fenced in areas and it looks like they have folks who are working to keep improving it.  we stopped on the way up and back for tennis ball tossing time.

 after our big walk on Monday i guess KR eventually headed home.  JT and i headed to Byers Lake so the pups could all take a dip.  her pup, Winston loves the water!!  we spotted a black bear on the side of the road on the way back to our cabin...soon after we returned KR made it out..and she brought an actually meal for all of us...Thanks!!

 these are my pups in the Hotel in Fairbanks...they took no time settling in.  i came out from my shower to find them each stretched out on a different bed...perhaps i should have requested 3 queens...

 more views with the cairn and ashes.  Blossom would have loved this walk.  Rio would have loved it in her early days as well...no roots. can't say the same for Byers Lake...lots of roots there.

 mushrooms on various trails or on the side of the road where i stopped to play with the puppies.

 sweet sunset...well at least until a wasp or bee stung my ear.  i screeched like a crazy person...thankfully, there was still some ice in the cooler.  i just iced it. eventually it stopped hurting.  i'm clearly a bit of a wimp...but those things really do hurt!

 when we weren't walking the pups seemed to be chasing the tennis ball. the only way Ivy Rose will let it go is if it's out of sight.

 just hit the dog park the last few days.  errands today, try to clean up last trip and prep for this one while i was also working.  worked three nights.  ICU-ER and finally last night PCU.  ICU wasn't crazy for once.  ER was...i was deemed the room Fairy...as i have gained a reputation that whenever they give me hold patients everyone miraculously gets rooms.  most were cleared out by morning and they just let me go home about 5:30 am...which was really nice.

 PCU i had an open bed all night...never filled it.  not a bad night there either.

 i stopped in Denali National Park on the way North.  drove the 15 miles in just to see what color had changed.  it does seem a bit behind this year maybe...very pretty of course. no views of Denali while i was in the park.  the dogs could only walk along the paved trails so we did a short walk there and the pups were itching to chase squirrels...those are National Park squirrels though so off limits to chasing...bummer. after i did a fast loop of Horseshoe Lake trail.  super fast.  saw a few moose while in Denali, one bull one female.

 JT has a sunroof...i think Tusker thought he was pretty cool sitting back there.

 Ivy shares toy with Ginger

 cairn up Curry.

 tired dogs.

 that is KR taking pics. there is a lake up on top.  it was maybe a half mile away, but Ginger was puking worms so we all decided we were happy with our walk and headed back so the little pup wasn't too stressed.

 this below was taken by Karen Rode...her name is on it..didn't take any selfies i don't think, maybe on the top of Curry.  hmm.  anyway.  cute pic..thanks again Karen!!JT stayed til late enjoying the sunset and campfire.

 hit some light traffic heading north the next day.

 this is also on the way down the Richardson Highway.

 this below was taken by KR.  thanks...there is another one below that she took as well.

 waiting for the tennis ball toss...they will keep going until you hide the ball.

 this came out nice...near Paxson i believe.

 this was on a stop down the Richardson...just tennis ball time

 another of a cairn i built at Horseshoe Lake. I suspect you aren't supposed to leave ashes there in the park without permission..but i'm a rule breaker from way back...i carry ashes in a medicine bottle so not many really and the wind generally will distribute it pretty fast.

 mushrooms seem to be winding down but can still be spotted

 there is a base in Fairbanks and an Army base down the Richardson .  this caravan was stopped due to a broken vehicle...they were enjoying the views.

 Ivy napping above and below another photo with me in it by KR.  hers were cell phone pics.

 pretty sweet views up there.

 i added a few small pine cones to the cairn...

 it's already September now...i'll have to load all these pics into my Shutterfly and work on the calendar.  first i must get the pictures off the camera...September will be busy.

 more mushrooms.  most of my pics were with my bigger camera.  these may actually be in the dog park?

 or on another walk.  i am working backwards with the iphone pictures...best to give you an overview of this trip...iphone pics seem the best way to do that.

 slime mold above and below puff balls

 i had better get back to getting a few things done...then i will crash. i am tired.

 sweet morning snuggle time above with the pups.  so cute.

 above a squirrel no doubt left this mushroom up on this branch to nibble on later.

thankful for:  A.  safe travels again.  it was dark pretty much from outside Glennallen to home.  saw lots of moose along that road...always grateful to not hit one.  B. phone calls with family...always enjoyed.  nice to have coverage out at Hunter..was surprised.  C.  the prospect of another fun weekend!!  night.