My Journey

[Ace Brown]

I had a dog that loved to climb trees. I often “lost her” because I couldn’t get her to come to me. Then I’d remember to look up and there she’d be. Problem was she was good at climbing up, but poor at getting down. Sometimes she would just jump from scary heights but it never seemed to hurt her. She also loved slides at playgrounds. Climb the ladder, slide down on all four, then run around and do it again. Oh how the kids loved to watch her. She was the one that was a great diver too.


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[Riversdad]

Nothing like the smell of wet dog in your truck cab.

 

[tgil]

Tanner is a bit of a clown!
I think I've mentioned before, Scout does that with my Jeep. If the doors are off, or left open, that's where she will be. Almost have to pry her out!

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[longhorn1]

Tanner really is a clown, I've seen a few stories on other tree climbing pooches.

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

All roads lead to Tucson, Arizona.....sometimes.....



The veterinarian tells me that Yukon could live 2 more months.....60 days. That was 8 days ago.....



After a few days in Tucson of doing what we always do in the cities.....load up with food & water, purchase groceries, dump the black & grey tanks, fill the propane tanks....we are back on the road again. The veterinarian recommended that I get on with life.....travel. We drove east.....north didn't work out so well.....





We didn't go too far that first day.....but then I never travel too far on any given day.....maybe 120 miles.....I'm not much for tracking miles.....



We spent that night camped in Indian Bread Rocks.....maybe 8 miles off the interstate.....maybe 10.....



I love the rocks.....I love climbing the rocks with my dogs.....



Yukon's health continues to decline.....it's remarkable to see how quickly cancer does it dirty work to her beautiful body.....

 

[tgil]

Sunrise and sunset make for some beautiful pictures! Doesn't look like a place you would find much cool water for her to swim in. Maybe the next stop will provide her with that!

 

[rovertech18]

Jerry

I have been a long time follower and have never posted. I login in every single morning to check your updates. We are very sorry to hear about Yukon and you and him our in my thoughts daily. I hope you guys can enjoy your remaining time together.

 

[blanketslayer]

Jerry, add me to the growing number of people who have been following your thread here for quite a bit of time since stumbling upon it a couple of years ago. It struck me that you put all this effort into your posts, and deserve more positive feedback from some of the lurkers.
Your style of traveling and exploring with your 2 dogs resonates with me and so many others and it's something I think about quite often about doing once my kids are grown. Your posts and pictures have been a critical distraction and inspiration for me during some very difficult times the past couple of years and I'm sure I'm not alone. I've added many things to my ever expanding list of places to go because of your posts and descriptions.
You've given Yukon and Tanner and Montana the kind of love and adventure that most dogs could only dream of.

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

Ace.....another skill of Tanners is the crossing of cattle guards. He can literally run across them without hesitation. That is what makes me most nervous out of all of his shenanigans.....

Riversdad.....one would think that my truck is a 2008.....not a 2018.....

Tgil.....Tanner the same.....my Jeep doors are the half doors (as I'mcertain you already know) so he often hops into the Jeep when parked and he will then lay in the back and nap. Regarding cool waters.....I got a bit selfish on that one.....you'll see what I mean soon.....

rovertech18.....thanks so much for posting up.....it means a lot......a whole lot actually. We are doing our best here.....living on the road isn't the prime choice for a dying dog.....part of why I like to say that she is indeed a warrior.....

blanketslayer.....I often see that you give us the thumbs up and as odd as it seems (to me), I appreciate that. From time to time someone will say that I should post on Instagram or YouTube to get lots of followers (and money too they say). That's not at all my goal here.....I love to write and share.....and there's no shame in wanting approval (I hope). So I appreciate your nice feedback a bunch.....and I hope that someday you'll follow your dreams too. I once sat in an office and dreamed of a different life.....




Further south from the interstate and not too far off the paved road is the Fort Bowie National Historic Site.....maybe a 15 minute drive from our campsite. I parked at the Visitors Center Trailhead and made the one mile and one half hike to the remains of the fort.....



Yukon napped in the truck while Tanner was welcomed along on the hiking trails here. The first attraction that we came to was the Fort Bowie Post Cemetery.....





I read through the park brochure and saw that the headstones, the pickett fence.....even the square nails used are all exact replicas of what was used in the 1800's.....that is just remarkable to me.....





I marveled at the headstones and was particularly surprised to see the headstone of Geronimo's two year old son, Little Robe, lying here.....



Again, after reading the park brochure and all of the informative signs posted along the way.....well, it really was an interesting, and at times, a moving place to see.....





Further along the hiking trail we came upon Apache Spring.....



Apparently many lives were lost here fighting for ownership of the water.....I wonder what it must have been like when the white man first came here and laid claim to this small spring. I can't even imagine how I would feel if someone came onto my land and said this is mine now.....

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

As we approached the remnants of the fort the first thing that we saw was the flag of the United States of America.....



The walls of the buildings are mostly gone now.....





There was once a First Fort Bowie.....



.....and then a Second Fort Bowie.....



The National Park Service has done just an incredible job of restoring this place in making it come back to life.....





The informative signs were spot on and taught me so much about our past.....





There's a small visitors center here and I can't miss an opportunity to purchase yet one more sticker of my places visited. I hitched Tanner to a post and rail.....just like a soldier may have hitched a horse over a century ago. I purchased my sticker, hiked back to the truck.....and then we were on the road again.....

 

[ITTOG]

Thanks for the pics, especially those of the signs. You made me feel like I was there. Our history can be cruel but very interesting nonetheless.

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[Arjan]

Fascinating pictures !
A view to a part of the US we rarely see.
Many. many thanks.

 

[Dougnuts]

I also enjoy the pictures of the signs, many of which lead me to Google or Wikipedia to learn more of the stories. Thank your for sharing.

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

ITTOG & Dougnuts.....I'm glad to hear that about posting the signs. I'm always concerned about the whole "overlanding" thing and obviously this stuff is way off the mark. I've always said I'm no overlander, just a guy that likes to wander around. Someday I'm always thinking they're gonna kick me off this site. Thanks.....

Arjan.....more to come as we continue to wander.....




That afternoon we drove north retracing our steps back to Interstate 10 but rather than return to the interstate we continued north, passed through Bowie, Arizona and drove right by the Dawg House.....



I would love to have chatted with the guy that owned this place but just stopping for a few quick pictures was scary enough.....these dogs were in kill mode is what I was thinking right then.....



Our travel north would eventually take us up Hackel Road and into the wild that was for sure. Our aim was to soak in a hot pool of water at Hot Well Dunes Recreation Area.....



Now it had been exactly 10 days since we'd had a hot shower (actually any kind of shower or bath) so you could imagine how excited we were and how anxious we were to hit the hot springs.....



There were only two man made pools here and each pool was approximately ten feet in diameter at best. The water was 106 degrees.....not too bad. The place was not scenic.....nope.....not scenic at all.....



We found ourselves an excellent campsite with a fire ring and picnic table which was located in the sand dunes and we spent six days here.....mostly enjoyable days they were.....



There were three real pleasures here.....by far the most important was allowing Yukon just to relax, soaking each day felt good that's for sure.....and the third was a surprise.....it's what I found on the other side of the highway.....not at the hot springs.....





I'll write plenty more in upcoming posts about my time wandering around the desert.....sometimes alone.....sometimes with my best friend Tanner.....

 

[Arjan]

awesome colours !!!!