Klamath Lake Wildlife

We had a great visit with Alexis in Bend, then headed south. Next stop, Upper Klamath Lake and the Klamath National Wildlife Refuge. We were treated to a visit and hike with Traci and Doug, then a spectacular sunset. Ginger seems very nervous. It may be the hunters, and periodic gunfire, or maybe flashbacks to her “childhood”- she was picked up as a stray in Klamath Falls 9 years ago, spent 2 months in the shelter. Portland Humane Society got her off death row, and brought her to Portland to find a forever home. More than happy that it’s our home!

Pelican Butte Sunset, Klamath NWR

Ginger on the Queen of the lake trail, Klamath NWR

Morning Mountain bike ride overlooking Upper Klamath Lake.

I got out for a morning Mountain Bike ride on Spence Mountain trail complex. It’s a fantastic place to ride, and right out of our camp!

We grew legs overnight!

We’ve seen so many birds here, that will need to be a separate post. I think the White Pelican is my favorite, Susan says the White Pelicans landing in formation is tied with the Bald Eagle that flew over when we said we hadn’t seen them yet.

Mt. McLaughlin, and Pelicans landing in Shoalwater bay, Upper Klamath NWR- a view from camp!

Clear Lake colors

We drove over Santiam pass, watching for fall colors, then detoured to Sahale Falls and Clear Lake.

The Campground at Clear Lake was closed for the season, but the trail around the lake was open and beautiful. The fall foliage and the turquoise water were awesome. We had to hustle a bit as the trail was a lot longer than we anticipated, and we're headed to bend to see Alexis.

Transitions!

On the eve of retirement, it’s time to reflect on the past and look to the future.

Please bear with me as I collect my thougths :)

My W2 life is complete, and now I have the opportunity to chart a course forward. I’m beyond grateful to all you friends and family that guide and encourage me over the decades!

Long ago I witnessed others retiring from the VA with the grandiose goals of “sleeping in” and “not going to work”. Though honest, these benefits fell short of what I had in mind. I made the conscious decision to retire to something, rather than from something. I changed the word from “retirement” to “graduation”. I prefer to view this as a graduation to the next phase of my life. With Susan, we’ve charted a way to explore, and even practiced retirement for a few years. So with immense gratitude to the folks that I have worked with, been friends with, charted our W2 years together, let’s get out and explore, share and enjoy life to the fullest!

This will be a developing space to share what we’re up to. I hope that it’s entertaining, informative and inspiring to you! At the very least, it will help me to gather my thoughts, and remember the adventures we have.

xoxo, Dave, Susan and Ginger

Iceland- Highland

Panorama Landmannalauger Iceland highlands

As challenging as the wind, rain and cloudy conditions are, they do make for dramatic lighting if you have the time to wait for that little cloud break to, just, move, over, a bit. Sigh.

This magical center for volcanic exploration even has a wild natural hot spring to cook yourself in, after a long day hiking, exceptional!

If you ever get the chance to go to Landmannalauger, Do it! And maybe prepare for the multiday trek to Poshmark. If you take a bus (yup- the adventure bus!) you won’t have to risk your own car.

There are so many stories, so many images, but I’m not so spontaneous at posting, so it takes a while. Stay with me, it’s quite an adventure.

In Landmannalauger, we studied the map, checked the weather, did those again, and were still challenges with both. I absolutely love and recommend GAIA GPS (or similar) to have a “you are here dot” on your topo map, and help you find the best way estimating distances and seeing the geographic challenges, though the river crossings are a wild card- small river, or large? Hopscotch, or wade, or maybe there’s a bridge? After wading across the river, we began the ascent to the pass two thirds of the way into the hike. The little red hiker man sign with exclamation is a new one for me, but it is reeeaaaly steep, with nothing to stop a tumble. Meh, whatever! Someone coming down said the wind on the ridge that we would need to cross was fierce, and folks on the other side were butt sliding down due to the exposure (and 300 foot drop). Maybe we could attempt that river crossing again? Of course after a few moments to ensure he couldn’t see that we chickened out. I noticed these folks coming down the ridge across from us- Amazing! The drama of the weather, the colors of rhyolite slopes, punctuated with snowfields is such an interesting image, adding a bit of scale to the scene.

Red Hiker Dangerous Trail signpost

Landmannalauger Iceland highlands

Landmannalauger Iceland highlands

When we got to our return river crossing, we saw the groups of people that were on the ridge, some were from Poland, others from Germany. It’s an illustration that this area really calls to the adventurers.

Steaming vent in Landmannalauger Iceland highlands

Landmannalauger Iceland highlands

Iceland, Birdland!

Discovering Iceland was an absolute treat. Here are a few chapters in the story, with many more as we have time to write them and process the photos.

Puffins! Maybe it’s Puffin Wednesday?

It’s a little amazing that these guys can stay out at sea for more time than on land. The adults that were shuttling in little fishes to their pufflings were way too fast for me to photograph, but it was a treat to watch them.

The Terns were busy, or had someone taller than me to bother, but here are a few aerials from them. On our last day on the Reykjanes Peninsula, we watched them flying back and forth carrying little fish (one way) just like the Puffins. They were very focused on that task, but seemed to enjoy zooming in and out just a few feet over land or water.

Birds!

The ranger told Susan “you better stay close to him” pointing to me- I thought she’d pegged me for a troublemaker- weird. Actually the Arctic Terns nesting in the area will harass the tallest person around, rather than the shorter ones. And they did! They kept dive bombing me shrieking as if I were going to steal the eggs from the nest.

It was an absolute joy to listen to the cacophony of birds in so many places, without the competition of man made noises. The Puffins in Borgarfjordur- Eystri, the Terns in the Westmann Islands, The great colonies in the Latrabjarg Cliffs (Kittiwakes, Puffins, Razorbills, Guillemot, Fulmer) and most of the waterfall canyons that we hikes had cliff dwelling birds enjoying the Icelandic Summer. We explored the tidal lake land near our camp in Reykholar and were escorted thru the property by Redshank, Blacktailed Godwit, Whimbrels, Ptarmigan, Plover, Snipe, Terns, Loons, and caught a glimpse of the elusive white tailed Eagle. How much fun is that!?