Flat tire

It's been a quiet week, now that school is out and the Memorial Day weekend is over. I continue to take the dogs up Hunter Canyon, but I also take them on two-mile walks around the neighborhood now, once the sun is low over the horizon.

Tuesday I took all four dogs to the canyon for a romp. I do this when I don't feel like walking around the neighborhood for whatever reason. Minnie and Zeke will pull on the leash when they see other people with dogs coming toward us.

There were target shooters in my favorite spot, so I went down to the Hunter Canyon trail head. On my way there my front right tire blew. Oh lovely, and I only had an hour of daylight! Since I was at my destination, I let the dogs out for a short romp, but on my way back drove very slowly down the forest road. I was not about to try to change the tire. It would have been faster to drive home on a blown-out tire. It's only four miles one-way.

I was driving as slow as my normal walking speed. The dogs, especially Minnie, were panting beside me, perhaps wondering what was going on. I had to watch for every rut, every rock in the road. Had I been pulled over by the higway patrol, they would have wondered about me driving on a flat with four dogs in the van, and no extra water of flashlight. This could have been a bad scenario.

I kept my cool, but I also know that Hunter Canyon is not the place to be once the sun goes down, as the canyon is very popular with drug smugglers and other border crossers. I didn't want the dogs to sense any panic on my end. I had left my cellphone in my office and couldn't call Kevin anyway. That was a bad mistake, but luckily it didn't lead to any more disasters.

By the time I got to the paved highway, it was dark. We are at a new moon so there was no ambient light, either. I just had the headlights to guide me as I slowly pushed north on the shoulder, then turning down east on East Shirley Lane. Shirley lane is a paved, badly-rutted road, but it cuts a mile from the drive.

I didn't counter any traffic, or any other obstacles. The lone vehicle coming toward me turned out to be Kevin. It was after 8pm and he was getting worried. I didn't expect him to still be up, as he goes to bed early after having his beer. He was a godsend, as he helped me get unstuck from a boulder in the road, and followed me home. The next morning he was up early to replace the flat with the small spare donut tire, which I drove on into town.

What a relief! I had an appointment at Brake Master for a brake check the next day, and that turned out to be a $732 tune-up and engine flush. I was badly overdo on both. The brakes themselves were fine. And my wheel rim was still OK! I had a spare tire placed on the rim on Thursday at Sears, although the low-pressure light continues to come on. It's always something with that Dodge Caravan.

Sunday's romp in the river

Sunday, the day after our fun hike up Carr Peak, was another cool and overcast day. I didn't feel like hiking but did want to take the dogs out. I opted for something all the dogs could do, and went with the San Pedro River trail again, the same stretch I was on a few days ago. This time we spent some time in the water and walked around the flood plain.

I took all four dogs there by 2:30 and was back home two hours later. I was a bit more worried about snakes this time, since it was earlier in the day.

An elderly man was coming back from the river as we were approaching, and unfortunately I didn't see him in time. Zeke barked and then all the dogs took off to get to the man. They didn't do anything once they got to the man, but the man was justifiably upset, but didn't make a big scene. Once again it was Zeke who took off running first, and the others just followed. Had Zeke stayed at home, the other dogs wouldn't have taken off toward the man. My bad. I only had two leashes with me, having left the other two leashes in the backpack from the hike the day before.

The dry season has caused the river's water level to sink. I spent most of the time at the river by what looks like the beginnings of a beaver dam. This dam will most likely be "relocated" during the next monsoon, as the river here changes its course after every flood.

Parts of the banks are muddy, just the kind of texture that dogs enjoy. Minnie went wild fetching sticks in the water, and Sadie and Zeke joined Minnie, but only Minnie was the one who'd run after the stick in deep water. Nothing seemed to phase that dog; she just wanted to get to that stick! Sammy was off by himself eating grass or resting in the shade until we all returned on our return walk back to the van.

The cottonwoods don't seem to be as infested with the Western tent moth as I've seen in other years. At least I didn't see any around me. In some years the infestation is so bad, that the moths fall off the trees and float down river, or they fall on me! The river level is low, and parts of it smell. Next time I come to this section of the river, I will make sure I bring enough towels for the dogs. Luckily they were mostly dry by the time we got back to the van.

Monday, Memorial Day, the overcast skies were gone and we were back to the dry heat. It's been that way for three days. Tomorrow, Thursday, we stand a 20% chance of rain.

Carr Peak for May

What an absolutely gorgeous day for a hike. There was a ten percent chance of rain but we never got any. We got instead cooler weather and overcast skies. May can be hit-or-miss, with the dry winds and clear skies more typical of this pre-monsoonal weather. Two years ago I took Minnie up Carr Peak for the first time and she struggled the entire way. When it's hot and dry this hike feels more like a chore. When it's cool and overcast, this is a great little peak to bag.

I putzed around in the morning, and didn't leave for the trail head until 1:30pm. We got to the parking area right at 2pm. There were no other cars around, although I saw campers in the nearby campsite. I took Sadie and Minnie and had to force Zeke and Sammy to stay home. Zeke chases wildlife and is a barker around people, and Sammy just can't handle the distance any more.

The oaks in the lower canyon were looking dry, but the trees higher up looked healthier. In fact, everything looked so green today. Did the diffused light from the clouds bring out the green?

I started out slowly, having eaten two sandwiches for lunch earlier. I discovered a new spring retainer at Saw Mill Springs. The Forest Service had relocated the spring's pipes to a newer location near the old one, and installed a retainer basin for the water which is kept in place by rock slates. The angle is also steeper here. This keeps the area from turning into a mud hole. I always stop at this spring to let the dogs drink as there is no other water along the way if the waterfall higher up is dry. The new spring is more convenient and easier for them and other wildlife to drink from.

There weren't too many more wildflowers out. The yellow flowers have given way to reds and purples. I spotted what looked like a type of white lily. I also saw purple penstemons. The Western tent moth is back, weaving their tents around young tree limbs.

The overcast skies and cooler temps brought out more birds, though. I only had my 30mm lens, so taking wildlife shots was out. What a good idea it was to leave later than normal for this hike! Sections that are normally under exposed sun were instead in some shade. Both dogs ran around the entire time and never showed exhaustion.

Another couple with their own dog was ahead of me once I got to the main trail, and purposely kept my distance from them so that they had some solo time once they got to the peak. I stopped for water at the dry waterfall (there was NO water running this time!) and when I finally got to the peak at 3:56pm (!) the couple was ready to leave. There was no wind, no cool breeze here and we spent some time posing for selfies and just enjoying the view. The only way I could get the dogs' attention was by holding a stick up; they knew that I'd throw that stick in the air for them to fetch, and they kept their eyes on that stick. This way I prevented too many "butt shots" of the dogs in the selfies.

Ravens flew around squaking. We had that peak to ourselves for a good thirty minutes. The dogs had water, rested in the shade of the manzanitas, and played fetch. It was a relief not to worry about others coming up the peak.

It was hard to tell that we had a massive fire here three years ago. It looked so green despite the lack of water this winter/spring. The angle of the sun also gave the grass a silver halo. The maples were fully leafed out as were the aspens. Even the aspens in the higher grove are growing back, although they are around three feet tall and have years to go before they can provide shade. The Golden Colombines are now out but haven't grown flowers yet. That will come with more moisture, which should hopefully start next month.

My Camelback was feeling much lighter on the descent. We played fetch most of the way, Sadie barked, and we all had fun on the return hike. By now the sun was low and shaded most of the hike. I did trip twice, landing on my butt with the camelback providing some cushioning. This was perhaps one of the more refreshing walks up to Carr Peak, and I lucked out with the weather. Last weekend would have been torturous in the heat, and previous weekends were too windy. Too many dead trees along the way could topple in high winds.

We made it back to the car at 6:10pm. We took our time going back down! I had told Kevin we'd be home by 6pm and instead it was after 6:30pm before we pulled up into the driveway. Kevin had made a chicken dinner with all the fixings. Sadie and Minnie got extra scraps for having hiked today. The other three dogs had already had their share of skin and fat.

I offered Sammy and Zeke the chance to ride with me to the car wash in town, since they had been left behind for the hike. My $3 wash expired Saturday and the van needed washing. It was dark by now and the moon hadn't risen yet. Sammy didn't want to go, but Zeke pounced on the offer for a car ride. He loves to sit up front and watch the road.

Zeke was terrified at first of the sounds and moving arms coming toward him, and he kept looking to me for clues as to whether he should be scared or not. He survived that ordeal, and afterwards I took him around the dark parking lot of General Dynamics, which is located next door. I had never noticed this building before!

Patche remains in the garage but he's moving around again. He's wanting to dart outside but I want to keep him indoors for as long as possible.

Huachuca Canyon

Thursday morning the vet office on Fort Huachuca called to let me know that Sadie's liver test came back normal. She will continue to be on the same prescription as she has been this past year: 1.25 tablets of 64.8 mg of phenobarbital twice daily. I could thus come by and pick up the prescription.

I took all four dogs along for the ride. The plan was to take them up Huachuca Canyon for a short hike on an illegal trail I was on several years ago after picking up Sadie's medication. I stopped at the vet clinic and was able to get the prescription right away, and drove off to the nearby canyon.

But to my dismay, the canyon is gated shut. A live bear had been sighted so the canyon is now closed. Geez, what would officials have done had they spotted a dead bear?! Disappointed, I parked in the shade at the parking area and let the dogs out. I could always take them to the cemetery and back, just for exercise, but I saw some children playing in the field and didn't want the dogs to be a nuisance, so I called them back, turned them around to the opposite direction and followed a side trail to the first picnic area. I had never been on this trail (which starts in the housing area next to the cemetery). Tall sycamores provided cool shade. There was green grass in the creek bed but no water in the creek. The dogs sniffed around, did their business, and I was on alert for snakes or other critters. Was I even allowed to be on the trail, which paralleled the road?

This was a short leg stretcher for Sammy, who followed me slowly as the others romped. We drove up to Reservoir Hill for the view before heading back down and then home.

Pache had been sleeping on the dryer all day. He did not look good. He had vomited his canned dinner. His eyes were watery and only partially open. No meow came out of his mouth. He's never been like this before. He always responds to my voice. I actually got worried about him, as he's never been this lethargic. Late last night I even joined him in the garage and held him for a while. I had thoughts of him dying on me. He seemed to like cuddling with me. That's when I decided to call the vet early Friday morning to see if I could get him seen before the holiday started.

I got an appointment for Pache and all four foster kittens for Friday at 2:15pm. It was a gorgeous day, cool with a breeze, and I was stuck taking care of animals instead! The kittens do not have a URI and were given Amoxicillin and some Lysine. All of them have had a persistent bout of crusty eye. Pache by then was no longer suffering from a fever and was giving nothing. By Friday evening he was feeling fine again and even wanted to dart outside.

I discovered two scabs on his neck. I had only seen and felt one scab Thursday night. Perhaps he was attacked by a dog and managed to escape from its teeth? Pache is one lucky cat. I really don't want him gallivanting outside, but he always insists on darting out when the opportunity arises.

Sadie's annual exam

I take my animals to the vet in May or June every year for their medical needs, so that Kevin has nothing to worry about should I be on the road. All the dogs have slightly different times when their vaccines expire and this year it was Sadie who needed her vaccines updated. My appointment with Sadie was at the Fort Huachuca Veterinary Facility at 3pm, and this was scheduled three weeks ago. I took my two female foster kittens with me to have their eyes examined as they keep crusting over. I wanted to fill the space that Sweetie freed by taking her to the vaccine clinic on May 10th.

I am so glad I took Sweetie in earlier to the vaccine clinic, as she would have been hard to manage in the office.

I arrived at the clinic at 2:20pm. The waiting room was nicely air conditioned, and a big relief from the 90F outside. A young Husky and an overweight Cocker Spaniel were ahead of me in the exam rooms, but there were no other animals in the waiting area. I was seen on time. Sadie weighs in at 64.8 pounds, a weight loss of ten pounds in the last year. I had noticed her thinner built but as long as she maintains her active level and eats well, I am not worried.

The DVM (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine) was a woman about my age, with short dark brown hair and wearing running clothes. She didn't put on a white smock until I was called into the exam room. Sadie's blood was drawn first from her right front leg by the vet tech, which didn't amount to much and then the DVM pulled blood successfully from the front left leg. She told me I was "feeding into [Sadie's] fear" when I held her tight. I could feel Sadie shaking; she's not normally scared like this. She kept hugging the door. She was also muzzled because of her obvious fear, something I had never seen her be at any vet's office. She lay on the cool floor when we were alone.

The DVM didn't physically examine the kittens because she has a litter of week-old kittens that need to build up immunity. She seemed annoyed that I didn't understand why she couldn't have at least taken one out. She looked at them and said they needed to see a vet (well DUH!) but that she was overbooked right now, and a Rottweiler puppy in the back needed more time to get sedated. At least she prescribed me Clavimox and some Terramycin under Sadie's name, and said the kittens most likely have a contagious viral infection but without a $96 exam it's hard to tell what virus the kittens have. They are about four weeks old, eating solid foods, and act otherwise healthy. The vet clinic said they are booked for the rest of May and I would have to wait until June to take the kittens in.

I was not the least bit impressed with the veterinarian and her people skills, but at least the bill was reasonable, at $163. It would have cost more had I taken her to the Cochise Animal Hospital in Bisbee, but there I wouldn't have felt like I was an ignorant nuisance to the staff.

All of Sadie's visual tests came back normal. The blood work will get FedExed to the lab in Kansas and we should know by Friday what her liver levels are. From there the DVM will determine what dosage of phenobarbital she will remain on.

Sadie once again has a raw bald spot she's been chewing on on her rear right side. It's a small spot but I don't want it spreading right before a road trip. The DVM said Sadie most likely suffers from anxiety, something I have never considered but which makes sense, considering her constant whining late at night. Benadryl twice a day should give her enough sedation to calm her down, I was told; I got no prescription otherwise.

I returned home at 4pm, dropped Sadie off, then drove to MaryAnn's place to pick up some Terramycin. Since I am fostering the kittens all medical expenses are paid for by the animal rescue, which seems reluctant to pay for a full exam on either of the kittens.

I took Zeke and Minnie with me on my way to MaryAnn's with the intent of taking them on a walk immediately thereafter. I picked up the ointment and then drove to Hunter Canyon to let the two dogs romp for a bit. Target shooters were in the area so I stayed near the Hunter Canyon trail head, where a bright yellow sign now warns people that a fire ban is now in effect. I didn't get home until 6:30pm and spent some time talking to Kevin.

Pache has been missing since Friday morning...I worry about that cat!

Oregon bound!

I have been wanting to see Oregon for years. It's the last of the Lower 48 states that I have not been to. I am leaving in the first week of June, two weeks after school lets out, and will take my time for the next month to explore the Snake River Valley, the Columbia River, and the Oregon Coast. I want to see Mount Hood, Astoria (where the movie "The Goonies" was filmed) and parts of the Pacific Crest Trail through National Forest land.

Back in 2009, I traveled with Sadie along the Lewis and Clark Trail that followed the Missouri River. I made it to Missoula (bypassing North Dakota). It was the road trip I had been wanting to do for most of my adult life, and the premise for this blog. Sadie was not even 18 months old yet, and very thin. She was very vulnerable. But we bonded then, and when we finished our trip and got out of the van in the driveway, Sadie didn't want to leave. That van was her home.

Five years later and by now a diagnosed epileptic, she has slowed down some, but still has that adventurous spirit. She is still in great shape, albeit a tad slower than in her youth, but still a great companion. I want this road trip to be Part II of our Lewis and Clark Expedition.

I don't have a definite plan yet on how to do this road trip. I will travel through Las Vegas, NV and explore the Mount Charleston Recreation Area, then drive north on US93 to Boise, Idaho before I focus on the Snake River Valley. The Columbia River is north of here, and once I meet up with that westward-flowing river, want to travel it until I hit the Pacific Coast. The rest of the trip is still up in the air, although I have an old high school friend I want to hook up with and do some hiking with her.

So much is still undecided, and I still must get her her annual exam as well as the van's brakes and oil replaced.

Full moon rise

Yesterday at 7:24pm was our monthly full moon. I planned my day accordingly.

High winds were forecasted for the afternoon but they never came. High winds remained in the Tucson area only, with high temperatures in the 90s. Since I have been troubled lately with allergies and have gone to bed earlier than usual to "sleep" off the itchy eyes, I wanted to walk the dogs during the day so that some of them got some exercise. I took Minnie and Zeke out for a mile loop around 1pm, but it was quite warm for both of them, and they attacked the water bowel when we got home.

I picked up four more foster kittens today at 3:30pm, got back home at 4pm, and two hours later I was back outside driving up Carr Canyon Road to view the moon rise. I took Sadie and Zeke, as Eric had taken Minnie out for a walk. I hiked the Clark Springs trail off Carr Canyon Road, a very nice extension trail with great views to the east and the San Pedro Valley. I could see and hear a USBP helicopter fly low over the area south of our little neighborhood. It made the trademark loop twice around. I hadn't seen or heard our USBP helicopters in a while, when this was something I heard every Saturday morning just before sunrise not too many years ago.

Zeke was his usual exuberant self. Sadie was more quiet, more slow. I hope it was just because Minnie wasn't with us. Minnie tends to purposefully excite Sadie and the other dogs, and will often provoke aggressive play that Sadie doesn't appreciate.

We made it just past the John Cooper intersection before turning around and seeing the red ball rise from under a brown-grey haze. The moon snuck up on me as it was still light out, but it was red and big, thanks to the smoky haze in the south and east.

Luckily we were near the end of our walk when I got a few decent photos of the moon rise. I used trees to stabilize the camera. The city lights were on, Fort Huachuca was lighted up, and the day was coming to an end. By the time we got into the van to drive home, it was quite dark, and I don't like being alone in the foothills when the sun's gone, as I always fear illegal activity with border crossers or worse.

Several wildfires have broken out in the San Diego area, threatening homes and forests. Nine fires popped up yesterday alone, threatening a nuclear power plant, Camp Pendleton, and homes. These are suspicious fires, much like the 19 small brush fires set around the Sierra Vista area since the start of the month. It's going to be a long and active fire season this year.

Along the River trail

The dogs have gotten used to their daily romp in the forest. When the sun gets behind the mountains and casts a shadow over the eastern trails, I take the dogs in the van and drive up Hunter Canyon. I can no longer escape the dogs' yearning eyes when it gets to be around 5:30pm.

Yesterday, Mother's Day, I decided to do something differently and take them to the river, a longer drive (nine miles one way) but more remote and peaceful. I have yet to come across anyone on this trail. The last time I was here was with Minnie last year, when she met that pack of javelina. This time I watched the trail carefully for any signs of wildlife. No one here comes to shoot at live trees like they do in Hunter Canyon, as this section is managed by the Bureau of Land Management. No firearms are allowed.

The sun was still high as I parked the van around 5:55pm. All four dogs immediately pushed themselves outside, Minnie even whimpered because she couldn't get outside fast enough. They peed in the parking lot, and followed me on the trail. The grass now is quite dead and tall. I saw no coyotes, no javelina, and let them run ahead of me. Even Sammy looked good and followed along quite well. Giving him two tablets of glucosamine-condroitin does help his pain.

The grass is quite tall in this section, with a lot of coyote scat on the trail. I watched out for snakes and coyotes, calling the dogs back when they got too far ahead of me. This was a very peaceful walk, with no other person in sight.

We made it to the river at 6:15pm. There was still plenty of sunlight and I let the dogs play in the water for a bit. The low sun was reflecting through the trees into the water as the dogs splashed around. This was a very peaceful turn-around. The only noise was the barking of the dogs. My eyes were always wandering around, keeping watch of other people or wildlife.

Four cows had wandered just off the trail on our return walk. Where did they come from? Or where they there the entire time, and just laying low in the grass? The dogs went ahead of me, barked at the cattle but didn't chase them. Even Sammy got into a trot to join the pack! He used to be quite the cow chaser in his younger years, but now he and the dogs mind my commands. The cows moved off the trail and we walked past the herd to our car. The entire walk took around 50 minutes. By now the sun was ready to set behind the mountains.

This walk is no more than two miles. This is about as much as Sammy can handle. He got another glucosamine tablet when we got home.

Paws and Claws 5km jog walk

This morning was the first annual "Paws and Claws" 5km hosted by the Buena High School Honor Guard and additional JROTC students. Entry free was only $10 and all proceeds went to the Sierra Vista Animal Shelter. Businesses in town paid for the t-shirts, so there was no cost to the school or the JROTC program.

The run/walk started at 8am when it was a pleasant 65F out. Participants ran the school's cross-country trail which I had never been on before. This dirt trail meandered around the desert in the front of the high school. Brooke and Denise, two other volunteers from the shelter, were also there but they were strictly walkers with no dogs. I saw dogs from all breeds. Besides the Doberman in front of us, there was also a Golden Retriever, several Yorkies, a Pekinese (which snapped at Minnie), several pit bulls, a basset hound, a Husky and several chihuahuas. The smaller dogs slowed the owners down a bit, and some owners ended up carrying their small dogs through the finish line.

I took Minnie on this fun run, as she enjoys a romp. I wore jeans and a Buena blue t-shirt and wore my Keen water sandals. In short, I was not dressed to run at all, but when the dog walkers were allowed to take off, Minnie wanted to go after the cute Doberman in front of us, so I jogged a good mile with her on the leash. She did amazingly well, with no barking or aggressive behavior toward anyone or another dog. And she kept the momentum for most of the 5km, dragging me along. I had to force her to drink at the two water points.

There weren't that many runners, but one cadet told me around 70 people had participated in this event. I clocked in at 40:40 minutes, clearly no Personal Best, but when was the last time I jogged even a mile? I must admit I felt good afterwards. Maybe I'll do this more often in the neighborhood, and take Minnie on runs?

By the 47th minute there were few people coming in, so the awards were passed out and many people left, even though Brooke and Denise came in at 1:05:00. We didn't stand around and talk much; Minnie was panting and I needed to take her home.

Later on today I drove to the bank to pay the mortgage, get some beer for the weekend (to include beef ribs for the dogs to gnaw on), and at 1:45pm remembered the vaccine clinic hosted by Tractor Supply Company in Sierra Vista. Sweetie and Sadie are both overdue on their shots, but it was Sweetie I took to the store, as Sadie will be seen on post for her phenobarbital count on May 20th. Taking Sweetie to this vaccine clinic will free me of her when it's Sadie's turn to see the DVM.

Getting Sweetie into the van was a small chore. She was petrified to leave the yard. She wanted to wiggle out of her collar and leash and run back to "Dad." Kevin carried her into my van and I drove off right away, as by now it was in the upper 80s and too hot to stay in a closed vehicle for any time. Once at the store, Sweetie pancaked again and wouldn't move, so I plopped her in a cart and took her to the Feed Area where the vaccines were done. She calmed down while in the cart and I spoke softly to her the whole time, petting her head and reassuring her. A family with three "dog aggressive" pit bulls was in front of me, but we were in no danger of getting attacked by the pits as the man brought them one at a time, and the one in front of us was more goofy than aggressive, and clearly not trained at all. (The dog was also not neutered, something I see far too often around here.)

Sweetie got complimented by the DVM and the vet tech for being so well behaved. She didn't flinch, snap or growl at them and took her vaccines like a champ. I paid for the annual rabies and the distemper/parvo shot. This combo only cost me $43.

On the drive home Sweetie sat next to me, wanting to "kiss" my face while I was driving. I hugged her close for comfort, and as soon as we got back home an hour later, Sweetie ran back to "Dad" and stayed near him the rest of the day She showed no reaction to her vaccines today. She is now current for another year.

To top things off today with the other three dogs, I took Sadie, Zeke and Sammy to Hunter Canyon where we walked around for 30 minutes. I have been taking the dogs here every afternoon, an hour before sunset, for off leash exercise. I kept Minnie at home since she already got her work-out earlier. With Minnie absent, it was much quieter today, as Minnie tends to make Sadie bark. This walking around is as good as it will get for Sammy, who is now clearly showing painful movements.

Thus was spent a nice day for the dogs. My camera cable has not been working well for several days; it won't let me transfer photos from my camera to my computer. Hopefully I'll figure out what is wrong shortly.