Going Home
Sunset on the tundra. This bear moves slowly across the ridge, in no apparent hurry. Maybe he's heading home for the night. Maybe he'll stop by the river to fish first. Either way, a break in the clouds let the last gold light through, just enough to catch him in silhouette. The white and green covering the ground is lichen, a critical food source for caribou through the harsh winter months when little else grows. Lichen isn't actually a single organism. It's a partnership between fungus and algae (or cyanobacteria), living together in a relationship neither could survive alone. Walking across the tundra has its own sound. Dry lichen crunches underfoot like walking on rice krispies, especially during dry stretches. It's one of those small details you only notice when you're out there.
Out here, distance stops meaning much. A bear can walk for miles and never cross another path. Alaska has a way of reminding you how small you are and how little of it you'll ever actually see. That's not a loss. It's the point.
