The Bear

Big crash in the driveway woke us up about 3am the other morning. Master John jumped out of bed and yelled "Polycart! Bear!" and we sprang in to action with the loudest meanest barking you'[ve ever heard. The bear wandered away but we barked for another 45 minutes just to make sure he got the message. No dumpster diving at our house!

Holy Moly - back in Utah

All right! We got to go back to Utah over the Aug 8 weekend and spend 4 days at the ranch! Also got to sniff out a bunch of little Whitby cousins at a family reunion. There was other dog there. Grandpa John E. said it looked like something one of us could have spit up!

Fun at Red Cliff

Master John is cheap and wouldn't spring for kennel cough shots and a kennel for the weekend, so we got to go in the car with him to Utah. He wore us out on the way by stopping at various desert and mountain spots for us to run around.

At Rabbit Valley on the Colorado-Utah border we really got to tear up and down the hills and rocks. Cooper, of course, being a water dog, found the only "water" in 100 miles. It was a mud pond with the consistency of maple syrup. But it looked wet so Cooper waded in. He barely got out - sort of like quick sand - and then he went back in again. He was completely coated from the neck down in black desert mud. So, John stopped again in Green River where Cooper got to rinse off in the - Green River.

We spent Saturday afternoon in Annelise and Erik's backyard and then John took us up to the Red Cliff Ranch for our first there. John's mom was relieved that we didn't stay at her proper home in Salt Lake.

We got to the ranch about 9 pm and got to run around for about an hour before it got dark. The 3 dogs that live there- Kramer the Brown Lab and two small cattle dogs, woofed a lot at us, but gradually accepted us.

We were too noisy barking at the wild noises so John took us down to the bunk house where we got to sleep on the cool cement floor. But first, we found some MANURE to roll in and eat! Boy did we stink the place up!

On Sunday morning we drove with John to Annelise's house for Owen's baby blessing. We got to spend an hour or so in the yard during church but then we got put in the basement for the duration of the party. And did we ever stink that room up!

On the way back to Colorado we stopped between Price and Green River on the dinosaur quarry road. Even though we wanted to take off when we got let out but we stuck close to the Jeep. There was something funny in the air and we didn't want to go too far. We were frankly nervous. And not without cause - a big bolt of lightning flashed and boomed overhead and we then knew that our unease was caused by our sensing the build up of static electricity in the area. We hopped right back in the Jeep and drove on.

Next stop - Rabbit Valley again. But this time John avoided the mud hole that Cooper was so fond off. We had dinner in the wild and then settled in for the next 2 1/2 hour ride to Ridgway.

We crashed when we got home and although we had a great trip, we really enjoyed plopping down on the floor at home again.

Benny

PS I still have a manure smell on me - cool!

Down on the Mesa Benny and Cooper

Down on the Mesa

June 13 fresh snow sighted on our walk

We got to go up to the Double RL this morning for a long run. We slept all day. But after dinner and a thunderstorm we walked up to the escarpment. And onvce thecluds had cleared we could see here was fresh snow on the mountains again.

Cooper and Mt. Sneffles

Master John took us to Telluride today in the truck. We got to get out and run a bit at the park in Placerville nad sniff a lot at Gray Head. On the way home he took us to the Double RL. Benny and Phoebe took off up the mountain but I stayed close by. Later we found them down on the road on their way to get into the cow pasture! Here's me and Mt. Sneffles.

More snow!

WE got over a foot of snow and we love it! Here's a picture of Benny and Cooper sniffing around in the backyard.

Cooper is my friend

Sometimes Cooper seemsa bit aloof to us all, but I know he really is a good friend. He certainly doesn't mind if I use him for a pillow! - Phoebe

Dog tracks in the snow

Berners porpoise through the snow because they are snow dogs (on the left). Goldens wade through the snow (on the right) because they are water dogs.

March 31 - Well, the photo above was the first 'outing' of the day for the three of us. First, Master John ran us round in the fresh snow in the yard (above). Then, after breakfast, he took me, Phoebe and Cooper down to Weaver Park (named after Dennis) and we ran and ran. I saw some deer and took off for about a 2 mile run. Cooper and Phoebe sort of followed, but basically hung back with master.

After that we went in the truck to Telluride where John let us out in Illium Valley at a house he was checking on. Phoebe and I TOOK OFF down the steep, snow-covered hill - practically screaming with joy. We got at least a 3-miler in here.

Then- we got a leashed walk (boring) in along the San Miguel River Walk in Telluride. The only fun thing about that is we always get to sniff and greet about a dozen others of our ilk and smell, smell, smell the odors in the snow.

Finally, at the end of the day, master J took us up to my first house in Ski Ranches and on the trail up to the beaver pond. The snow was harder here than last time and we didn't sink thrugh as much. But we really love tearing up and down the path and running off piste into the woods and meadows. We made sure to stay on the snow all the way back to the truck so we didn't trash the inside with muddy feet like we usually do.

Then - a long drive home to Ridgway where we were banned to the garage and back hall during most of the evening because the little people were here and they were eating pancake balls (aebleskiver). FINALLY, we got to come in on the shiny refinished wood flor and clean carpets that master John's son Thomas had cleaned while we were gone during the day.

It won't be long until we get them stinked up again - real comfortable like...

Benny (Benvolio)

Phoebe and Benny in the snowstorm

Cooper