Monday, January 26, 2015

No Trail up this Mountain

In my annual sabbatical into the Arizona desert around Quartzsite Bailey and Chloe join me for eight days living "off the grid".

Mountains behind the motor home to the right is Quartzsite Hill, and to the Left is a loose rock mountain with no name.
One day Bailey and Chloe joined me up Quartzsite Hill where this new American flag waved.  In the background was a tough son-of-a-gun mountain to climb.  But the next day we set off to climb it.
Picture from near the top of this tall mountain the next day.  There was NO trail up this mountain and I know why.  No one in their right mind would climb it.
This Mountain is 90% loose, sharp, and hard stone. It was a tough climb over this loose, sharp rock for both the dogs and me.  Behind Bailey's head, off in the distance, is Quartzsite Hill where the flag waved.  The hill looked like a pimple from this mountain looking down.


What you see in the above picture is the closest thing there was to a trail back down the mountain.  I must admit I was nervous as taking a wrong way down was not a healthy option.  I was sure out of my comfort zone.

Sunday, January 4, 2015

All The Money in The World...................

"All the money in the world can't buy this peace and simple happiness with two friends of man." - Ramon Garcia, Jr. 
Picture taken in the middle of Briones Regional Park at the top of Mount Mott 1/3/15.





 
A few of the shots taken during our 7 1/2 mile hike.  Even the coyotes were nice today.


These two healthy coyotes came charging down the hill after Bailey and Chloe.  My dogs paid them no mind and I gave out a "leave it" to my dogs and they happily moved along.  These two just stopped in this meadow and watched and even played a bit.  Two coyotes vs. two healthy Vizslas is not a battle smart coyotes want to take on.  Ramon asked me if the coyotes made me nervous.  I told him not so much any more, as I pulled out my Buck knife out of it's sheath.
The coyotes in Briones know Bailey and Chloe.  They should after the hundreds of miles we have hiked up here over the last five years.

Monday, December 29, 2014

Ducks Back on the Pond

Finally the waters have returned to our ponds in the hills.  The ducks enjoy the fresh water and so do Bailey and Chloe.

Bailey and Chloe love a good swim.  Nothing more fun than swimming after ducks.

 The ducks get some flying time. They were getting lazy floating around.

Saturday, December 13, 2014

There one Minute and Gone the Next


A few years ago I posted "Faith-based training" on this blog.  How when you hike in thick fog your dogs are there one minute and gone into the white blanketed distance another.

This morning, we once again headed up to Briones Regional Park for a 4.6 mile loop in the fog.

Unlike three years ago I did not worry where Bailey and Chloe disappeared to.  They would return.





On the same bench a month prior.