5 Oct 2009

This is starting to get boring.  But - this morning started just like the others.  Dad got up, I got up, mom got up, us dogs got breakfast, dogs went out to pee and back in their beds.  Mom made drinks and food to take along just like yesterday.  But I sensed in dad that we were not showing today.  That worried me because I wanted to go to the dog show again.  So when mom went out to the dog-show van I raced to the door and went out with her.  When she opened the back of the van I jumped in my bed and stayed there.  Dad came out and tried to get me to come in the house and finish my breakfast.  Noooo.... you can have my breakfast dad, I am waiting right here.  Dad said I was a silly puppy.  Maybe - but I was not going back in the house.  

Mom and dad got into the dog-show van, and we started leaving.  I barked at mom, HEY MOM, you are leaving the food and drinks sitting in the driveway.  Dad said I should hush-up.  Well - OK.... it ain't my food and drinks.  So we hit the road.  YESssss - we were going to the dog show again.  I'm a lucky dog, a lucky lucky dog.... we are going to the dog show again today.  I hope my feelings are wrong and I get to go in the ring with dad again today.  I like working with my dad at the dog show.  The trip to the show was the same again.  The nice U. S. Border Patrol man hardly looked at us today - he just checked out mom and dad, and let us pass.  We arrived at the show and everything was ready to go in minutes.

Daisy was showing early today.  Dad took me and mom's camera.  We stood in the ring next to where Daisy was showing, and dad took some pictures of Daisy in the ring with that nice Mary-Lynn lady.  All the Great Danes were in that ring, trying to stay out of the sun and under the tent.  Dad got the pictures, and as soon as Daisy was done, we went back to our canopy and back in our beds.  Dad left, but pretty soon I saw dad park the dog-show van near us.  Dad left the back doors open, and then he loaded Daisy and I into our beds in the van.  Dad left the doors open, so I sat and watched while dad packed up mom's gear.  Even the canopy.  This made me sad - it means no more dog shows.  We were not coming back.  While packing and loading mom discovered that the food and drinks got left behind.  I tried to tell you mom.  You shudda listened to my bark.  Mom called James and told him to go out and bring the cooler in the house.  In just a few minutes dad was finished packing up.  Dad sure does a good job setting up and breaking camp.  And QUICK too.  Mom and dad said good-bye to their friends, and we hit the road.

We only drove a little bit, then mom and dad stopped out and got out at some place called SONIC.  Daisy and I got left in the car while mom and dad had lunch.  It sure smelled good!  While they were waiting dad made sure we had fresh water, then dad filled our water container too.  By the time dad was done with the water, lunch was ready.  Mom and dad ate quickly.  Mom saw someone she knew, so they went and talked.  I got to go out and meet the man quickly, then we were on the road again.  We drove a different direction.  I told Daisy we were not going home yet.  Maybe we were going on a great adventure.  Uncle Parker told me that many times the very best great adventures came on the way home from a dog show.

Mom drove the van up-up-up a long-long-long way.  When mom stopped we were in a pine forest.  Hey - I remember this place.  We were here before with a bunch of radio-friends.  It was right after my birthday - just a few weeks ago.  Dad went into some place called a Ranger Station at Cloudcroft.  After a bit mom went in to see what dad was doing.  It was sure taking dad a while.  Mom and dad came out, and dad had lots of maps and books.  Then dad took me inside to meet the rangers.  They were nice people and I liked them.  They liked me too.  Pretty quickly we jumped into the van and mom started down the same road we went last time.  Dad was looking at the maps, and he told mom we were going to a place called Sunspot.  Dad was looking for a trail.  Oh-goodie..... we are going for a hike.  I'm a happy dog, a happy happy dog.... we are going on a hike.  But wait - dad didn't pack his hiking gear.  Hmmmm.... I dunno.  It doesn't matter - we will have fun anyway.

First we stopped at a place called Apache Point.  There were some big white buildings there.  Mom and dad got out.  It was COLD and the wind was blowing. Dad grabbed one of the maps and was looking around.  Then they took us dogs out and we went exploring.  Dad said he was looking for something called a TRAILHEAD.  We all walked around for about a half-hour with dad studying the map.  Dad said it was not a very good map, so we packed up and left.  While driving down the road dad told mom to stop.  He saw a gate in the fence.  Dad ran out to look, but he was back soon.  That wasn't it.  Just a hundred yards down the trail dad had mom stop again.  This time dad was sure it was the trail. Dad jumped out again, and this time he was gone a while.  When he came back he told mom to go to the other place called Sacramento Peak where the Sunspot was. When they got there dad again said that the map wasn't very good.  Dad went inside a building.  When dad came out he said that nobody knew what he was talking about, so we had to do some exploring.  Cool dad, let's go!

Soon we were hiking along a fence.  Dad was looking for a place where the trail cuts across the fence to reach Sunspot.  After a bit dad found the spot, and there were clear trail markers too.  Cool dad - just what you were looking for.
Dad did some quick work with his GPS, then put the GPS away.  Then mom and dad started just walking around exploring the place.  Mom took lots of pictures too. Daisy and I got to sniff around at all the neat smells.  But after a while mom said it was getting late and we had to go.  Awwwwww..... this is a nice place and we should stay longer.  Dad took me back to the building and he called some people to come out.  I thought they were coming to meet me.  But dad was only telling them where the trail was, so they could tell other people if anyone asked.  Well - they liked me and petted me anyway.  Soon we loaded up in the van and headed for home.  What a great weekend this was.

Uncle Parker - thank you for giving me the chance to be dad's dog.  I know dad misses you a lot sometimes.  But I am doing my best to be as good a dog as I can.  And everything you told me is true.  If I love my dad and I train really hard, I can go to lots of dog shows and have many great adventures.  I wonder what will be our next outing, a show or a great adventure?  Until next time.