Dog Snot On My Windshield: Tompson Ridge

Saturday, October 14, 2017

Tompson Ridge

I've been spending my fall break reading all the newspaper articles on the Northern California fires. The death and destruction is heartwrenching. So many of the now 41 dead are seniors, people over 50 years old. Most are from the northern Santa Rosa neighborhood of Fountaingrove. Most were evacuated in the middle of the night, under smoke and darkness. How frightening that must have been.

The one joy is reading happy-end stories of pets and animals that have survived. While one woman lost 12 dogs (mostly Bernese Mountain dogs, a gentle breed), others return to their homes with their tail-wagging dog waiting for them, even if there's nothing left of the home. But I'm sure there are many more dead pets and wildlife when these fires have been extinguished. There are still 100s of people unaccounted for.

I loved my years living in Pacific Grove, CA (1996-2000) and have a soft spot in my heart for the greater Bay area. The temperate climate, the live oak-studded hillsides, the stucco homes and the flora all entice people to move there. But one bad fire can ruin one's dream. Maybe the news stories are bringing back the fears Kevin and I felt back in 2011 when we had to evacuate with three dogs and two cats? The only survivor of that fire is now Sadie. But she's not talking.

It was another mild day. I didn't need a windbreaker at all. At 3:41pm I took off with all four dogs for a hike up Tompson Ridge. Here's where the fun began. Past the dry creek crossing and around the tightest curve on the road (which limits visibility to oncoming traffic), I had to break hard for a blue Honda pickup coming right at me. I swerved to the right but my wheels hit a rocky edge that made my truck lean sideways. I had to go in reverse to allow the Honda to pass me. The woman passenger thought this incident was funny (what was she smoking?!) but the male driver looked serious. My truck's hood would have been damaged and that would have been the end of my 15.5 years with my 2002 Ford Escape had we collided. It's been a very reliable vehicle all these years and I intend on keeping it for as long as possible for these drives up trailheads.

We started the hike at 3:54pm. I could see a full-size Border Patrol SUV up the trail at the gate. Was there a group of illegals the USBP was picking up? Normally the illegals come across before dawn or after dusk to evade capture. I held the dogs close to me and stood off the side of the trail when the SUV came back down the hillside, but in the last minute the dogs broke loose and ran TOWARD the vehicle, with Sadie in front of the front left tire. The agent couldn't see her and I screamed: "STOP!" Nothing happened to Sadie and I thanked the agent for stopping, but that was a close call again. I had to stop and calm down after that incident and the dogs appreciated the break. The shaded sections were refreshing, but it was still very warm in the higher, exposed parts. The dogs drank 3/4 of a gallon at one of my breaks.

I didn't stay at the top for long. It had taken me an hour to get uphill and now it was already 5pm. Winds were calm. Going downhill wearing my Keen water sandals was no easier than the trek uphill. My two-year-old sandals have lost all traction and I've slipped a few times. Time to get my hiking boots out! There was no one else around.

But then the drive down Ash Canyon Road was as exciting as the drive up. A couple, perhaps in their 40s, was walking their two dogs offleash on the road. I slowed down for them, but the two dogs then bolted from the couple and ran after my truck as I continued downhill. This got all four dogs barking loudly. After a good half-mile I had to stop because the dogs were still coming after me down the road. I had to let the owners catch up to their dogs before I hit SR92 and traffic. One of them looked old and stood up to my driver's window to greet me. His demeanor reminded me of our late Sammy. The other dog, also older, was a brownish Aussie.