Aleutian Geese are back in town

For the next few weeks the Aleutians will fatten themselves up in our pastures. Then on a morning in early March they take off over the Pacific to return to the Aleutians. It's 2,000+ miles over the Pacific, no islands, no stops. Make it or die.

Nobody knows how they do it. Do they sleep with half the brain at a time, as some scientists have suggested? Our local ranchers aren't allowed to shoot them, but they do sometimes shoot near a flock to keep them off cattle grazing land. These birds can put away a lot of grass!

While the Aleutians are here they make great cycling companions, shouting with joy/alarm/curiosity and some intelligence when you go by. I arranged a trip back to Eureka on an Easy Racers 'bent (Nice!--A tip of the helmet to Steve Sipma, who kindly loaned me his beautiful bike for the day.)

Noreen O'Brien, my riding companion for the day, and I shared a tasty lunch in Eureka's Old Town.