autumn is heaven!

 was totally lucky with my timing.  the colours out there were amazing...best i've ever seen in my years driving through.  wish i could have seen denali in those same awesome colours, but i still think coming home was my best plan after my bear encounter.  blossom above at maclaren.

 the road beneath me.

 my back is killing me.  probably from sleeping in the element.  probably only comfortable for people in their 20's.  hotels are a good plan.  harder to find them with dogs, but worth the peace and quiet.  sitting is the worst.

 did make it out for a walk with friends.  we hiked up arctic valley.  it was beautiful. tomorrow we plan on hiking up hanging valley in eagle river.

 i am for sure much more relaxed hiking with friends for the time.

 had a crying jag again this morning. much less than the last time.  so an improvement.

 chatted in the morning with my old friend, marcia.  she knows me well as we met in 7th grade.  always good to check in with her.  she has great insight.

 people are totally used to me being totally independant so as painful as it is for me to ask for help i'm going to have to.  i always wish people were just intuitive and knew exactly what i needed so i wouldn't have to ask for help...as it pains me so much.  it's no doubt a good exercise for me though.

 i am nervous hiking alone.  i'll do it, carefully and in specific area's but it would be nicer to hike with others, at least for these first weeks.

 i need people, i need support...there i said it.  my name is betsy and sometimes i need help.  ouch!!  that hurts! haha.

 put in a plan for a party.  chatted with another friend and asked her to help me think of a name, bear related.  so we came up with "gin and BEAR it".  a party to put a bad bear to rest. well, he's not a bad bear, he just picked up some bad habits.  i still blame that camp host at sourdough. i suspect that bear has been coming around that campground all summer and she just enjoyed seeing it and getting pictures.  bears should be discouraged from entering campgrounds.  if you don't things can get out of hand...like they have there.

 anyway..i just did the rapid invite plucking names from the facebook list.  we shall see who actually shows up.  i miss you quinton...!!  you were always the friend i knew i could count on for parties.

 gives me an excuse to clean the house too.  i love cleaning!! not!

 not many flowers out there anymore, but i did find this one by the side of the road.

 rio is pretty sore after todays hike.  gave her some pain meds. she keeps wanting to go walking.  it's the summer of rio i think. next summer she just won't be able to do these walks. i suspect she knows that somehow.  tomorrow i will have to leave her home.  she may not let me do that easily though.  may have to find something super tasty to convince her. the peanut butter isn't pleasing her of late.

 love these distant road shots.  so cool in the clouds.

 by now most of these leaves will have already dropped off.  the colours will be hit and miss across the denali highway.

 it all happens so fast!  blink up here and you will miss fall.

 a few more from the drive out.

 should just have another day of denali highway posts and then i can get back to september. eventually i will be caught up to real time.  still have a few fun musk ox pictures to put in from nome.  they are so cute.

 was laughing today on the walk as maddie and i got into a chat that led to film and me needing to explain to her what film was.

 matanuska glacier above.

 in the distance lions head.

 anyway, i had to explain to maddie that "a long time ago", 10 years ago, many people still used film in their camera's...always funny explaining to kids things that they have no idea of but that were totally normal and not requiring explanation to us.  i said to  her that nobody uses film anymore really...and just as i said this we ran into a family that lives here but is originally from canada...she laughed and pulled out her film camera.  yes...they do still exist!!

 here is the signage i saw when i arrived at the sourdough campground last saturday.  you do kind of get used to seeing bear alert signs everywhere in alaska.  easy to get a bit complacent about them.  i say close to tent camping and heeded that warning..thankfully

 they do look like they have some nice tent platforms..soft grass platforms.  i even took a picture as they looked so welcoming.

 i think these are more from the drive out. it was super pretty from after the matanuska glacier out to glenallen.

 back to the road...who knows.  fall colours...they all look the same once you get going.

 the road on the paxson side is paved for about the first 30 miles or so.

 i enjoyed it.  it gets tedious to be on that pocked up dirt road.  i'm always so happy to get to cantwell.

 almost ready to pop the robaxin and call it a night.  ouch! sitting is the worst!

 i think that is a road out there too.

 despite the drizzle i got out and took quite a few pictures.

 sad face..

 see how dramatic the road change is.  i think the road wasn't too bad but then we've had tons of rain this past month so it made a mess of the road.

 hard to get much over 30 mph the entire 100 miles that isn't paved

 at the summit.

 maybe i won't be walking tomorrow....just got up to stretch and put the icy hot roll on all over my lower back.

 the trail up at the summit

 tried for a selfie out there, but my little camera focused on the plants and not us.  still kinda cute. it was spritzing quite a bit so i didn't really check the picture.

 hope i can walk tomorrow...walking is way better than sitting though.  then i could hit the jacuzzi at the alaska club

 i think i shall put an end to my misery and stop writing.  overall a decent day despite my mini melt down.

rio on the tundra...she's so sweet!