My Journey
- Thread starter YukonMontanaTannerTrapper
- Start date
tgil
Well-known member
Dogs amaze me with their intelligence. I envy your ability to take these hikes with the dogs off leash! Your thread has me looking for similar adventures close to home and I'm not having much luck. Yesterday I looked into Big Bend and thought, surely, as big as that place is it would be ok to have a dog off leash. No dice. My search continues...
Oh, another thing, that pic of Tanner above you standing on the ledge looks like it could be the cover of a book!
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Ace Brown
Retired Ol’ Fart
Well we crossed paths again. Tonight I’m sleeping in Death Valley.
It’s a great backup to have a dog that can lead you home. I’m not sure mine can but I don’t recall ever asking her to. I do know she asks me if she can go to bed when it’s time. But if the tailgate is open she just jumps in.
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It’s a great backup to have a dog that can lead you home. I’m not sure mine can but I don’t recall ever asking her to. I do know she asks me if she can go to bed when it’s time. But if the tailgate is open she just jumps in.
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Riversdad
Active member
Twice my late dog Ellie impressed me with her navigation. First time on a new trail and she was off leash in the lead heading back to the truck and she went left when I thought it was right and I ended up taking us to a dead end. Told her to go to the car and she was correct. Second time we were bushwhacking and I got completely turned around and again told her to go to the truck and she took us straight there. Dogs are amazing.
Ace Brown
Retired Ol’ Fart
While we are talking about route finding my dog always comes to an intersection she always looks back and waits for me to tell her which way. Im referring to mountain biking on a new trail. On a familiar trail she just runs on unless I tell or point the other way.
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YukonMontanaTannerTrapper
Explorer
Arjan.....you always have the best lines....."of course he brings you home !".....thanks.....
JD.....Yukon is much the same these days although she rarely barks. She just stands there and stares into space.....
tgil.....no books.....
Ace.....I would imagine someday our paths will actually cross.....
Riversdad.....and of course that happened on this hike as well. I was certain Tanner had gone the wrong direction at one point, I called him to me, and minutes later we backtracked to where he had been.....
I'm not sure what it is about a lone tree in the desert but there's no denying that there's a natural pull to bed down next to it.....and so that's what we did.....
Now I had climbed a mountain solo, then I had tried to climb a mountain with Tanner, and with a bit of good fortune, less than ten miles south, was a mountain with a road to the summit.....Highland Peak (9,395').....and the three of us would successfully make this summit, driving in the Jeep of course.....
I'm not sure how long a drive this was.....maybe ten miles one way give or take. I did count the switchbacks on the return trip down the mountain.....twenty one.....and very steep in many sections but certainly not challenging.....
The views on top were not sensational, and there was little effort to achieve this summit.....
We parked the Jeep near the high point(s) in a saddle between two peaks. I'm not sure which peak was the highest so we walked to each summit and stood on each one.....
Each peak was covered in towers.....
.....and made the not sensational views even less sensational.....
I took a bunch of pictures of towers thinking I might get an interesting shot.....obviously it would take a skilled photographer to achieve that one.....
But there was something very special about this summit.....Yukon was at my side. For nearly 12 years now shes always been at my side.....as loyal a friend as any man could ever ask for. God only knows how many summits she has under her belt but I assure shes been a warrior in the mountains and throughout all our travels. Now her eyes have become glazed over, her legs are beginning to fail her, and now she just enjoys those days where we do nothing. Montana died suddenly.....Yukon is traveling a different route.....
JD.....Yukon is much the same these days although she rarely barks. She just stands there and stares into space.....
tgil.....no books.....
Ace.....I would imagine someday our paths will actually cross.....
Riversdad.....and of course that happened on this hike as well. I was certain Tanner had gone the wrong direction at one point, I called him to me, and minutes later we backtracked to where he had been.....
I'm not sure what it is about a lone tree in the desert but there's no denying that there's a natural pull to bed down next to it.....and so that's what we did.....
Now I had climbed a mountain solo, then I had tried to climb a mountain with Tanner, and with a bit of good fortune, less than ten miles south, was a mountain with a road to the summit.....Highland Peak (9,395').....and the three of us would successfully make this summit, driving in the Jeep of course.....
I'm not sure how long a drive this was.....maybe ten miles one way give or take. I did count the switchbacks on the return trip down the mountain.....twenty one.....and very steep in many sections but certainly not challenging.....
The views on top were not sensational, and there was little effort to achieve this summit.....
We parked the Jeep near the high point(s) in a saddle between two peaks. I'm not sure which peak was the highest so we walked to each summit and stood on each one.....
Each peak was covered in towers.....
.....and made the not sensational views even less sensational.....
I took a bunch of pictures of towers thinking I might get an interesting shot.....obviously it would take a skilled photographer to achieve that one.....
But there was something very special about this summit.....Yukon was at my side. For nearly 12 years now shes always been at my side.....as loyal a friend as any man could ever ask for. God only knows how many summits she has under her belt but I assure shes been a warrior in the mountains and throughout all our travels. Now her eyes have become glazed over, her legs are beginning to fail her, and now she just enjoys those days where we do nothing. Montana died suddenly.....Yukon is traveling a different route.....
DetroitDarin
Scratching a 10 year Itch
I don't know you at all, but I love your heart for your pups. Again and again i read your travels and get misty-eyed. I have two pups, too - and I guess your journey reminds me to remember to enjoy them more than maybe I do. Thank you.
Riversdad
Active member
I can't express how much joy my dogs add to my life. Honestly can't imagine not having them. I know you love Yukon and will do the right thing by her when the time comes, but maybe it won't be too soon. There's nothing wrong with her being a couch potato if she's not in pain and is still enjoying life. My thoughts are with you.
Sticky9
Member
You can bring your dogs to Big Bend State Park, no problem. I'll be out there with my 2 in a few weeks.
YukonMontanaTannerTrapper
Explorer
DetroitDarin.....that's an excellent takeaway.....thanks.....
Riversdad.....it's mind boggling how quickly it all happens. I'm currently researching push carts so we adapt to what we are given.....thank you.....
tgil.....yep !
Sticky9.....enjoy.....
We drove further south and our next stop was in Pioche, Nevada and again not a long stop, just a brief stop to experience this small desert town....
We had lunch here and then Tanner and I were able to get in a good bit of walking....
There were no free baths here despite what this sign was advertising.....
Lots of old interesting buildings here.....and lots of old people as well. I would imagine towns like these will wither away at some point.....there's no attraction for young people here from what I could see.....
I believe that this is the elementary school and possibly even more.....
I'm always a fan of the old truck campers.....this one seems to have become a part of the landscape.....
We came across this sign and and it piqued my interest.....lately (and maybe always) I've found that strolls through cemeteries can actually be interesting.....
Another headstone honors the lives of their three children who died young.....seeing that always has a profound effect on me and after our visit to the cemetery we returned to the truck and continued driving south.....
Riversdad.....it's mind boggling how quickly it all happens. I'm currently researching push carts so we adapt to what we are given.....thank you.....
tgil.....yep !
Sticky9.....enjoy.....
We drove further south and our next stop was in Pioche, Nevada and again not a long stop, just a brief stop to experience this small desert town....
We had lunch here and then Tanner and I were able to get in a good bit of walking....
There were no free baths here despite what this sign was advertising.....
Lots of old interesting buildings here.....and lots of old people as well. I would imagine towns like these will wither away at some point.....there's no attraction for young people here from what I could see.....
I believe that this is the elementary school and possibly even more.....
I'm always a fan of the old truck campers.....this one seems to have become a part of the landscape.....
We came across this sign and and it piqued my interest.....lately (and maybe always) I've found that strolls through cemeteries can actually be interesting.....
Another headstone honors the lives of their three children who died young.....seeing that always has a profound effect on me and after our visit to the cemetery we returned to the truck and continued driving south.....
YukonMontanaTannerTrapper
Explorer
Eventually we would pass through yet one more small desert town and since we were in no hurry and I'm a curious traveler we made just a brief stop here in Caliente, Nevada.....
Apparently there is a hot spring here and from what I can tell is that one hotel owns the rights to the hot water. I checked their website and it appears that they pipe the water directly into each hotel room. I don't know.....maybe it seemed like a good idea back in the day.....maybe not so much anymore.....
A pleasant surprise was to catch the fall colors in the small river basin.....the only place where trees grew naturally.....
Then it was back on Highway 93 searching for 70 degrees.....
A sign along the highway caught my eye and we headed into BLM land to search for Trilobites.....
Probably like you I had no idea what a Trilobite is so fortunately the BLM provided me an education.....
I lasted maybe five minutes searching for my Trilobite treasure but honestly the last thing I need is more weight. And what would I ever do with a Trilobite anyhow.....
The scenery was nice but we needed a place to spend the night.....so back on Highway 93 southbound.....
Apparently there is a hot spring here and from what I can tell is that one hotel owns the rights to the hot water. I checked their website and it appears that they pipe the water directly into each hotel room. I don't know.....maybe it seemed like a good idea back in the day.....maybe not so much anymore.....
A pleasant surprise was to catch the fall colors in the small river basin.....the only place where trees grew naturally.....
Then it was back on Highway 93 searching for 70 degrees.....
A sign along the highway caught my eye and we headed into BLM land to search for Trilobites.....
Probably like you I had no idea what a Trilobite is so fortunately the BLM provided me an education.....
I lasted maybe five minutes searching for my Trilobite treasure but honestly the last thing I need is more weight. And what would I ever do with a Trilobite anyhow.....
The scenery was nice but we needed a place to spend the night.....so back on Highway 93 southbound.....
Riversdad
Active member
Jerry, The last couple of years of Ellie's life, when her arthritis got real bad I used to pull her around in a landscaping cart, a gorilla cart I think it was called. It may not work for you, but it did really well on dirt roads and she absolutely loved being able to walk with us. She used to sit up and smile and bark her head off, she really went crazy if I would run. Be advised though, it draws a lot of attention and everyone wants to say hi.