Friday, June 23, 2006

Keep Paddling

It was sprinkling when we got up and we decided to raft today and have a layover day at the next campsite. The temperature is colder with a chilly wind and constant light rain. Jenn, Barbara and I were on Ramona's boat today and she had us paddle a lot to keep warm. The scenery is starting to change as we leave the rugged mountains and paddle north into the foothills toward the Arctic Sea.

The mew gulls have been interesting along the river. They always dive bomb us and squawk when we enter their territory. We saw a group of about 35 dall sheep grazing on the steep hillside across from camp. Later, I found wolf and grizzly tracks in the sand behind my tent.

Paddles are stacked around the food bags at night so we would know if an animal tried to raid our kitchen. The raft is tipped up to use as a wind break while cooking.

Susan and Ramona went for an exploratory walk to scout a good hike for our layover day tomorrow, and they saw a white wolf go over a hill.

Sue, Joanie, Jenn and I went for a walk around 10:00 pm and found a lovely field of wildflowers, moss, and beautiful rocks and pebbles.