The Ski-Doo rides again...

The time comes when you just get sick of hurting and say, "The Hell with that...".  That time came this weekend.  Even though the leg is still alternating between burning, stabbing, and numbness, I rationalized that I can either lay around the house and hurt - or I can get out and have some fun and hurt.  I chose door number two.

I decided to run upriver about 20-25 miles and put in a Wolverine set or two and scout around a bit for some Lynx sign, and maybe some marten scouting thrown into the bargain.  Mostly it would be a prospecting trip, to see how the back would handle it, and somehow get the fire burning again.

Here's the "Moonscape" of all the broken-up ice as you make your way upriver, along with an open hole.  This spot almost never freezes, it seems:



As soon as I got about 10 miles upriver from the village, I noticed it was going to be one of those ptarmigan kind of days.  Seemed like they were everywhere.  Not just singles or pairs either...felt like everytime they busted out of cover there was a flock of 10...

At one point, a pair of ptarmigan busted their heads up out of the snow as I approached.  It was pretty comical to watch little bursts of snow appear and then there they were, staring, acting like they were invisible, as they do.  I stopped and hurriedly got out the camera to try and snap some pics while they decided what to do about me.  See the one that is visible in this shot, there in the sticks?...


Here he is, with an arrow pointing him out:


Here is a zoomed in version with arrows:


Then they ran over the little rise there beyond the willows, and stopped again, just sticking their heads up to get a look at me:


And again, with arrows:


Well camouflaged little suckers when they aren't moving, hmmm?

As you might expect, me popping caps at them with the Glock while taking pictures as they are flying away, would not turn out so productive, and so here is just a pic of them flying away, rather than one of them in my hand...


And a little further down the trail, it's "Here, Kitty Kitty...."


Another scenery shot with the SkiDoo -  open hole and all:


All in all, a great day, with some quality time spent.  We'll see what it amounts to....