Fairbank riverwalk and loop

https://www.mapmyrun.com/workout/4718393800

Distance 4:58 miles

Elevation: 3868-3873" Elevation gain 68'

Significance: Mostly shaded walk where the dogs can walk offleash.  Grist mill ruins and old cemetery are along the way

Today's walk was a river walk from a new perspective.  It was a walk on 2.3 miles of mostly compact sand shaded by prematurely yellowing cottonwoods starting from Fairbank and walking north to the first wash, Willow Wash.  SteveT and I met at 7:15am.  He brought Trace, I brought Zeke and the pups.

The first mile was cool and breezy.  The riverbed is wide here. I wore my old but favorite white hiking shirt, blue pants and Teva sandals.  No jacket was required.  It was 63F at the start, but it quickly warmed up.  It was 80F when we finished the walk 2:10 hours later.

I don't ever remember this part of the river running dry. The wildlife surely must be suffering from the lack of any water.  We could see where cattle or other critters were trying to dig into the sand to find water.  There was none along the way.  There is no rain in the ten-day forecast.  How will the animals survive?  Hansel found the remains of a very young fawn; was it the victim of this drought or a victim of a kill? I also worry about entering another fire season.

The only good thing about the lack of water is seeing the geology of the riverbed that would normally be submerged.  Steve pointed out what looked like volcanic uplift (I forgot what he called it), dried lava that looked out of place among all the sedimentary rock.

The intersection with Willow Wash must have been the site of a lot of history.  Parts of an old bridge's cement pillar remains and part of a water reservoir or dam.  The big mill of Contention is another two miles away, which would be a great hike on an overcast or cool day.  But today's walk was focused on the Fairbank Loop.  We got back on the official trail from Willow Wash and finished our hike on the wide trail that's partially canopied by mesquite.

We never saw other people along this hike.  We were the only cars in the lot when we got back to our cars.  We had a late breakfast at Sunny D's in Huachuca City (they make a delicious Biscuits and Gravy!) before going our separate ways.

When I got back home, all three dogs attacked the water bucket and then took a long nap.  Even the weeds in the backyard are wilting.

A few hours later Susan contacted me.  Her Jeep has been fixed and she wanted to walk the river again.  We hadn't seen each other for at least five days, and I decided to take Sadie, Minnie and Sweetie on this walk, the dogs that didn't walk in the morning.  Sadie looked eager to come on this walk, and the three old dogs seemed to appreciate not having the rambunctious pups running after them.  There was far less barking without the pups around,

Sadie did well, but she lost her footing slightly a few times.  She still went into the water to cool off.

Even this part of the river is drying up.  We may not make it through October, and there are so many small fish in the stream still.  We also came upon a dead raven on a bluff that was not there a week ago.

We walked a mile north of the casa before turning around and walking back the way we came, always stopping in the few deeper sections to let Minnie swim.  She is so happy in the water.  I'm not sure what I'm going to do when the river dries up completely.

Susan and I talked about the disastrous Trump-Biden debate from last night. I try not to bring up politics as we are on opposite ends, but even I was disgusted with both men.  I knew Trump would be argumentative, but he was downright insulting and disruptive.  The moderator of the next debate needs to have a mic shut off switch when Trump goes beyond his time.  And maybe tie him to electrical wires when he interrupts his rival and/or the moderator.  We also talked about Helen Reddy and Mac Davis, two singers popular in the early 1970s.  Both died today at age 78.

At any rate, it was nice to have a day off in the middle of the week.  All the dogs got some serious exercise today and that always makes me happy.  Sadie did very well these last two days, but I'm sure she will want to take the next few days off.

***

https://patch.com/arizona/tucson/tucson-officially-breaks-all-time-heat-record

Global cases.   34,227,866

Global deaths  1,024,181

US cases 7,447,234 (+43,942)

US deaths 211,740 (+993)

AZ cases 218,507 (+323)

AZ deaths 5650 (+18)

SD cases 22,389 (+392)

SD deaths 223

 

The Traveling Wall and dead snakes on the trail

It was a fun weekend.

It began early Saturday.  Foregoing any hikes with any clubs, I  met up with Susan in town where we got together with the Corvette Club.  This was my first time meeting people she has talked about a lot, a group of wealthy businessmen and generals who now drive around in Corvettes of all year models. The club picks a destination for each gathering. Susan has a 2005 Corvette and together we drove in a speedy caravan to Benson, AZ, where The Traveling Wall, a replica of the Vietnam War Memorial Wall, was on  display.  Memorials for all the other conflicts since World War II were also on display, including terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, Oklahoma City Federal Building in 1995, and others.

There were at least 20 Corvettes speeding north on SR90.  I had never been in a Corvette.  The seat was very comfortable, but the seat is not made for anyone with a blubber butt.  There is no room for any dogs, either, and whatever gear one has must be put in the small trunk.  It's a nice show-off car for those who like fast cars, but not convenient for anyone wanting to travel in comfort.

The Traveling Wall arrived in Benson on Wednesday.  The replica wall was then assembled with volunteers at the Golf Course located on the north side of I-10.  This event was more than just a replica Memorial wall, though.  There were art booths, motivational speakers, food trucks, and lots of dogs! We both met a handler and his two-year-old service dog, Riff, and naturally I had to photograph it .

The problem was, there was little shade for visitors other than the speaker's tent, it was getting warm fast, and the one thing we both wanted to see were the singers, but they weren't performing until 2pm.  We couldn't wait that long.  Motivational speakers, especially those talking about the Iraq war, don't interest me.  In fact, I'd rather avoid them.  Why relive the past?   Susan had an extra water bottle for me, but I should have brought a hat to cover up from the sun.  We were both very warm after only 90 minutes there, although I did start warming up to the Car Club members.  They were all very friendly.

We left anyway.  It was already in the upper 80s.  Kevin would probably have enjoyed the event.  I picked up a nice coffee mug for him with "stand for the flag, kneel for the fallen" logo on it.

We were back in Sierra Vista before noon.  A Black Lives Matter (BLM) Protest had been planned in town, from 10am-1pm on the west side of SR92.  The BLMers brought out the "All Lives Matter" counter group, which were nothing but pro-Trumpers waving their Trump flags from the east side of SR92.  After a quick stop at Lowe's for new strawberry plants (to replace the ones the pups destroyed while I was in Indiana), I went back to the protesters to take photographs.

Here is where it got interesting.  I started on the ALM side, the Trump flag wavers.  I was quickly asked who I was and why I was there.  "I'm taking pictures!" was not a good enough answer, apparently, but I also didn't want to get into an argument with a Trump fan.  Some on the ALM side also acted like they wanted to taunt the younger BLM group.  Whenever the BLMers yelled out "Black Lives Matter!" one yahoo on the ALM side yelled out "All Lives Matter, Vote Trump!"  When the counter-yells became too aggressive, I opted to get on the BLM side.  The only opposition I got there was having the organizer come up to me and tell me to please mask up when approaching anyone.  The BLMers were a young crowd, and many, I'm sure were still in high school.  Some of the BLMers wore "RBG" t-shirts in honor of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg who died Friday after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. 

I had walked away to go to Taco Bell for lunch and ended up totally missing an aggressive event that then took place and which I saw later that night on Facebook: a drive traveling south on SR 92 stopped her car in traffic (!!!) to get out and confront the BLMers.  She was quite aggressive and despite being warned to back off, she lunged forward to hit at one of the protesters to which she was peppersprayed.  Her partner came to her rescue, she was screaming in pain and soon the cops came to take the participants away for interviews. By 1pm the BLM group dispersed, as they had only until 1pm for their protests.  The Trumpers stayed on their side of the road even after I drove off.

The pepperspray incident went viral soon thereafter and was the hot topic on Facebook the rest of the weekend.  Who was that woman, what happened to her and what happened to the man who peppersprayed her?

I met up again with Susan and the dogs (Sadie and Zeke stayed home) at 4:15pm to walk the river north from the casa for a mile.  The dogs were loud and the barking attracted Bob, who was walking his three Golden Retrievers and hear the commotion.  He warned us that he had killed a young Mohave snake and that it was still on the trail.  Again Gretel went ballistic barking at Bob and wouldn't calm down until we left the area.

It wasn't until we got home that I thought about taking the dogs to the dead snake to see how they would react.  Would a dead snake cause them to panic and jump back like a live one would?  I had to experiment with that thought.s

After a quick mile around the hood with Hansel, after which I met my corner neighbors Robbie and her GSDs Shelley (12) and Buster (8 weeks, new pup after her 10-year-old dog died last week from hip dysplasia complications), I took the pups and Minnie down to the river.  Susan had too much else to do, so it was just me and three dogs.  I took them on the r official trail and not the more shaded birding trail they are so used to being on.  Poor Minnie struggled with her arthritic legs but soldiered on.  We completed the eastern section of the official field trail and didn't see the snake.  I took the dogs on a much-needed water break when I was surprised by another couple and their offleash shitzoo. And yes, that is what I call that hairy breed: a shit-zoo.

 The man apologized for spooking me, but I reminded him that he had as much a right to walk their dogs here offleash as I did, so I decided to continue my walk north in the river, and to give the couple some time alone with their dog.  I guess I'm not the only one who comes to this part of the river to walk my dogs offleash...the secret it out.sia

And this is how I ended up walking three miles with the dogs in the morning, under the cool morning shade.  The dogs loved this special treat, as only the pups and Minnie are my water dogs.  There was no Allie barking, no  Zeke nipping me, just three happy dogs splashing around in the water.  The riverside saltcedar (tamarinsk) is now in bloom, and all the yellow ragwort that was in full yellow bloom two weeks ago is now fading to brown and making room for the sunflowers.

We walked about a quarter mile in the cool water before we had to detour due to heavy snags.  I got the dogs back on the official trail and got back to the river where the trail takes a sharp turn to the east.  The iron trail markers led the well-worn single track to the river, something I've never noticed before.  I always remember the trail paralleling the river but not being right by the river.  Is this a new detour?  At any rate it looked like other river waders have been using this path to the water.  The dogs certainly didn't mind being back in the cool shade.

The water here was shallow and meandering in narrow curves downriver.  If this keeps up, there won't be much water left.!  I played fetch with the dogs as we moved north, but turned around at the 1.5-mile mark, where the deeper beaver dam begins.  I didn't want to exhaust Minnie.

d We stayed on the official trail going back, despite the exposure.  I was hoping to have a second chance to see the dead snake, and yes, we saw it this time.  It was a hatchling and looked smaller than the 14 inches Bob described it to be.  He had stomped on its head and crushed the poor critter and was lying in the middle of the path.  How did I miss it going north?

The dogs showed no fear.  While Hansel displayed a brief recoil, he and Gretel approached the dead snake for a sniff-down.  Gretel even took the snake in her mouth to fling it.  I hope that was because the snake was dead and the dogs could sense that.  Minnie sniffed it, too but then moved away.

So much for snake avoidance.  At least my questions were answered and we could all go home feeling a good walk was had by all.  The only other walk I did later today was a sunset mile around the neighborhood with Zeke and Sweetie.

***

Global Cases: 31,222,931

Global deaths:968,949

US cases: 6,994,791

US deaths 204,049

AZ cases: 214,018 (+467)

AZ deaths: 5,476 (+9)

GA cases:306,155 (+1134)

GA deaths: 6602 (+3) 

Back to School

The local school district opened its buildings to students on Monday.  I was  there to witness the occasion, wondering how the pups would do unsupervised for over eight hours.  It's a different experience being among the students.  Everyone is masked, desks are six feet apart, and students aren't talking much, because too much talking creates a wet mask which is uncomfortable on the face.  Students can't gather in groups inside. There are now four half-hour lunch hours to accompany students, who now eat at desks instead of round tables.  Classrooms only have at most 15 students.  On Thursday and Friday, students with last names starting with L-Z will be in school, while other ones continue their lessons online at home. It's going to be an interesting school year, as I don't think this pandemic will be over before the spring semester is over.  I admire the teachers dealing with all these changes.

I won't be hiking or walking the dogs as much going forward, but I will try to walk the pups and perhaps Zeke and Sweetie in that one hour before heading to the school.  I did almost three miles with the dogs on Monday, but only half of that yesterday.  I think I need to separate the pups so that they don't feed off of each other.  Gretel is too spastic when she is around Hansel.

The sun is still hazy from California fires and there is no monsoon in sight.  Oregon continues to burn, with 1600 homes destroyed.  These fires are all so tragic, and I know we could face a fire season if we don't get any rain. Tropical depression Katina off the Baja Coast never made landfall in Mexico, nor brought any rain to the parched Southwest.  We do have Cat 1 Sally slowly churning across Alabama  and Georgia, but we won't get any rain from that.

tbc

***

https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/wildfire/oregon-wildfires-acreage-containment-evacuations/283-552ecf54-5d85-4ac6-a135-cf2a18c7d5b5

Global cases: 30,095,937

Global deaths: 949,628

US cases: 6,826,089 (+38,607)

US death: 201,278 (+1107)

AZ cases: 209,907 (+698)

AZ deaths 5371 (+27)

IN cases 107,809 (+580)

IN deaths 3472 (+12)

NV cases: 74,248 (+208)

NV deaths: 1494 (+12)

Hazy sunset across the Cienegas

The cool morning that was forecasted two days ago finally came.  It was a refreshing 60F when I took the dogs out for a sunrise walk.  Sadie stayed home but Minnie came along  but then didn't get out of the car, not even to pee.  She gladly took a back seat to relax without the pups in her face.  The rest of us walked two miles in the morning haze.   I listened to an excerpt from my latest audiobook "Mobituaries" by Mo Rocca as Rocca talked about comedian Vaughn Meader imitate President Kennedy.  I had never heard of that man before, so my curiosity was stoked.

I walked to the construction site which is slowly taking shape.  No people where there this morning, so I let the dogs run around. Snakes don't come out as easily when it's this chilly. 

My only plans for today was heading out to Copper Hop Ranch with Steve in the afternoon, have a few beers and then walk the big sky area of Las Cienegas north of Elgin at sunset.  I was hoping for a reddish sky but today all day the sky was more grey than orange or red.

I took the pups this time, leaving Zeke at home because of no room in the back of the Honda with Trace back there.  The pups tackled Trace during the entire drive, and Steve got his share of intermittent licks and sniffs from Hansel and Gretel.  I'm sure he was relieved to get out of the car after that drive!

This was my first visit on a Friday to Copper Hop.  A table with four people from Green Valley, 57 miles to the west, were already seated.  They are regulars who are friends with Tom and Mel. 

The pups were, as expected, barky at first but did settle down.  One woman's response to learning the names of my dogs was greeted with  a "You got to be kidding me!"

Yes, their names are indeed Hansel and Gretel.

I tried three different beers, a blueberry wheat, a nut ale and a pumpkin porter in the two hours we were seated.  Plans to visit a second brewpub in Sonoita were slashed to instead walk on a road through the Cienega Preserve afterward.  Elevation here is around 4600 feet. It was 5:50pm when we pulled off the road to walk.  The sky was already a greyish-orange and the sun quickly faded behind the haze with little fanfare. The distant Santa Ritas to the west etched the horizon.  I always get a sense of openness when I'm here, even when there's just an hour left of daylight.

Still, it was a very pleasant walk.  The dogs chased each other, sniffing around the grass as we walked one mile on the road, then turned around.  There was no wind.  The sky was calm.  The only other person near us was a Border Patrol agent in his vehicle, facing north.

I hadn't been out in the Cienega since my days with Sara and Sammy and had forgotten how pretty it is.  It's even prettier along the creek, but it was already too late in the day for that.  I need to get back there again for some more relaxing walking.

Today was the 19th anniversary of the World Trade Center falling to terrorists.  I avoided all reference to that event all day.  I do not live in the past, nor do I want to be reminded of the grief and sadness that I felt then.  Instead, I worry more about what is going on right now around me, with deadly wildfires in three states and a pandemic that is still moving across the country.  Tonight I read about a 13-year-old boy in Oregon who asphyxiated in a car and was found dead with his dog still on his lap.  His 71-year-old grandmother was also found dead. Officials are now predicting mass fatalities once the fires have died out.  This is today's reality.

 ***

Global cases: 28,745,981

Global deaths: 925,105

US cases: 6637,191 (+48,673)

US deaths 197,453 (+1225)

India (now in second place, in front of Brazil  4,663,930 (+97,654)

India deaths 77,537 (+1202)

AZ cases 207,523 (+521)

AZ deaths 5288 (+15)

Walk up Carr Canyon Road to the Falls

I didn't walk the dogs ar sunrise today because I wanted to save my energy for the walk up Carr Canyon Road at 7an, my first time walking that road this season.  It was a cool morning, 60F, and again very hazy.  I saw the orange-red sun rise from my back yard. 

I only wanted to take the pups when I drove off to Carr Canyon, but Zeke darted out the front door.  I'm a push-over and can"t say no to him since he's a proven hiker with good etiquette and stays by my side.  Sweetie's etiquette is not as good but today I didn't have to pull her back inside because the pups and I left via the front door.

I got to the parking area with 15 minutes to spare.  I was the first one there.  Then SteveT drove up, then Holly and then no one else.  A new gal that Holly said would show up never did.  The three of us took off on time.

I like Holly but she is a talker.  She latched on to me as we started our walk.  Steve quickly fell behind and I had no means to escape Holly's constant chatter. She's an uninterrupted stream of consciousness when she talks. If she's not talking about herself, she's talking about her daughter Kara, her son Sean, her husband Craig.  I learned all their bad habits in the 4.6 mile walk!  I kept the dogs onleash the entire time as they pulled and lunged.  When Trace came near, they whimpered even more to get near him.  There weren't any other walkers along the road for the dogs to get exposed to.

The waterfall was barely trickling when we got to the top, but there was enough there for the dogs to drink out of. This is so sad, as August is usually a good month for running water.  I made them walk the 2.3 miles up the road without a water break and I knew they needed refreshment.  When I took them offleash, though, they ran all over the place instead of take a break.  I called them back to me and we both met Steve at the overlook. He was already sitting there with his dog Trace.

We sat on a large boulder and talked for a bit while the pups ran around and sniffed everything.  This is their first time on Carr Canyon Road. Where we stopped is a popular spot for walkers to sit and rest. I policed the area of beer cans and bottles, barely able to fit all the trash in my backpack.  I'll never understand why people can carry full bottles and cans up a mountain, drink the contents, and then throw the empties in the shrubbery?

Holly clung to me on the walk down as well.  The pups were still onleash and noticeably more relaxed, not pulling on the leashes as badly.  Traffic was minimal coming down.  I stopped a few times to let Steve catch up with us.  Once we got back to the cars we all departed, as it was only 9:43am and no fast-food place was open yet.  There were no other cars parked along the road.  Where was everyone?    

The sky was bright hazy now with the late morning sun above.

I have to admit that I was glad to be back to a quiet home with no one to listen to.  The pups napped and the other dogs were laying about.

Susan's friend and neighbor Denise had a bad fall off her horse and was rushed to the ER late in the morning.  Susan didn't walk her dog along the river and was on call for her friend, who ended up having a fractured hip but can walk on her own.  She is a lucky woman!  I didn't feel like driving the 13 miles to the river to walk the other dogs later in the day.  What I did do instead was take Zeke and Sweetie on a 1.5 mile walk around the hood.  The sky is still smoky hazy, but it was cooler tonight and we walked at a good pace.

The news is now all about the wildfires in California, Oregon and Washington, bringing back memories of the 2011 fire here when we had to evacuate and feared losing our home.

***

Global cases

Global  deaths

US cases

US deaths

AZ cases 207, 002 (+461)

AZ deaths 5273 (+22)

IN cases 102,243 (+758)

IN deaths +3410 (+13)

The Arctic blast missed us

The smoky skies from California's wildfires continued today.  All the dogs wanted a morning walk, even Sadie, so off I drove to the maintenance road for the five-minute drive.  Once there, Minnie jumped out of the car, defecated, and wanted to hop back in the car.  She likes chilling on the blankets I have in the back of the Honda. I let her rest, allowing the other dogs and I to walk faster.  Sadie even had a nice trot going.  The pups chased after Sweetie and Zeke healed by my side.

The cold overnight temperatures that was sweeping down from Colorado t were forecasted for this morning never materialized.  A large Arctic blast lowered temperatures and brought snow for the Denver area.  That cool 53F I was hoping for was 67F instead; warm enough for just a t-shirt.  The mountain peaks were shrouded in fog but it didn't drizzle or rain.  I was wishing to see a cool autumn morning,.  That cold front instead moved father southeast of us, into Texas.

I turned around by the construction area as several workers in bright yellow safety vests were lingering.  Not wanting a confrontation with my dogs and them, I turned around, then walked east to the ruins.  This is the first time I have seen workers on that site and was curious what they were building.

We walked two miles.  The dead hawk we saw yesterday was still there but had been moved and placed on its back.  Its head had been chewed off.  The mountains and clouds were dramatic.  I will never tire of that view. The hazy orange-red sun rose behind low-lying clouds over the eastern mountains.  The smoke  didn't seem so bad in the morning, but I was wrong.  Walking in the morning gave me a headache once I got back home, and that headache turned into a minor migraine which I quickly treated with two aspirin.

Two hours later, in a quiet bedroom, I recovered and was able to join Susan on a hike around the field at noon.  I left Sadie and Minnie home since we would be exposed by the sun, but once at the trailhead, the 81F was warm and we ended up walking the river anyway.  We didn't wade in it, but the dogs were able to frolic in the water.

"It feels so different not having Minnie with us" confessed Susan.  I agreed.  Minnie, of all my dogs, loves the water and loves fetching.  Her goal is to always run down to the water and soak, with her wet head looking back at us for sticks flying her way.  I often stay by one water hole just to allow her to swim back and forth. The only dog that may fill her spot once she is gone is Hansel, but right now his obsession with wrestling with Gretel is his big goal.

The wind began picking up again while we were at the river, allowing us to walk the field as planned.  The Huachuca mountains were barely visible from our location.  When the sun was behind clouds it was cool, but the exposed sun warmed us too quickly.

My Facebook page was filled with photos of snow-capped mountains of Colorado and red skies over California  We never got that drama here.   It was more like an early-fall day. The setting sun was covered by clouds so we didn't have a redball effect.  It was a quiet day in the end that I finished with a  mile walk around the hood with the pups.

***

Global cases 28,129,025

Global deaths 913,371

US cases 6,549,722 (+36,462)

US deaths: 195,245 (+1202)

AZ cases: 206,541 (+496)

AZ deaths: 5231 (+30)

IN cases 101485 (+705)

IN deaths 3297 (+17)

Smokey skies

Susan wanted to walk the Brown Canyon Loop at 6:30am, but then texted me at 6:10am while I was walking Sweetie and Zeke around the 'hood to tell me she overslept and wouldn't be able to make it until 7am or so. No problem, I replied, I would wait for her, as I was walking the dogs. to give the older two dogs some exercise.  Just text me when she was leaving her home, I added.  We ended up meeting at 7:30am and both Zeke and Sweetie got a good 1.7-mile walk in and I got another 2.5 miles in on the Nature Loop.

Both pups love to chase after moving cars, and this morning on the road to the Nature trail was no exception. Luckily they were on leash, but Susan reminded me that I need better control of the dogs.  I know that, as their obsession to chase after cars concerns me; this is how Susan's dog Tala was killed nearly two years ago.

It got hot and humid fast, so we didn't lolligag at the duck pond.  We walked our loop and then departed.

It was a hazy day all day, with wind gusts in the afternoon.  Smoke from California wildfires were causing this haze, which was dramatized later in the early evening, just before sunset.  The sun grew into a blazing red ball as I drove off with Gretel for her obedience training.

This year has proven to be the worst year for wildfires in California.  Fires are now burning in Oregon and Washington State.  There are over 14,000 firefighters in California alone.  Even forests south of Big Sure are in flames again.  The LNU Complex fire, the one that Eric had to evacuate from, is now 91% contained.

https://www.latimes.com/wildfires-map/#nt=0000016f-e424-d31d-abef-e4f6e55c0001-liA1promoSmall-1col-7030col1-main

***

Global cases: 27,871,343

Global deaths: 907,574

US cases: 6,516,839 (+26,374)

US deaths: 194,104 (+462)

AZ cases:206,045 (+81)

AZ deaths: 5221 (+2)

Labor Day

It's hard to celebrate a holiday when one is not employed, so today and all weekend was no big deal.

I got up before sunrise to drink coffee with Kevin on the back patio.  He then went inside and never came back out.  It was approaching sunrise (6:01)  and he hadn't come back out yet.  When I asked him if he's not working today, he replied "It's Labor Day!"  Duh.

I wanted to walk Zeke and Sweetie around the 'hood, but  Minnie and Sadie wanted to walk, too, so I drove all six dogs to the maintenance road.  Sadie was looking excited, and even trotted to the back gate with the other dogs.  This always makes me happy. Once parked off the maintenance road, though, Minnie opted to stay in the Honda.  The rest of us, including Sadie, walked two miles (!) up and down the ATV roads.  Two miles is no big deal to me, but it surely must be for an old dog.

It was a pleasant morning, with a cool pre-sunrise breeze I enjoy so much.  I first walked north on the ATV road, but turned around by the dug-out area.  There is now a excavator parked there  and what looks like the base of what will be a solar panel.  I turned around here as there were cyclists on the pavement.  I went back south, then turned east toward the old ruins.

The pups discovered a dead juvenile hawk off the road.  It looked like it crashlanded into the ground, but upon closer inspection I could see it had been attacked in the air and landed, breaking its neck.  Falcons attack their prey, other birds, during flight and then eat their meal on the ground.  The dead hawk was already decaying and smelling, so it probably was killed the day before.

I felt accomplished having taken the dogs out for two miles.  The rising heat for the day stifled any other plans.  Los Angeles had a record high of 121F; it was a mere 97F in Hereford.  Kevin went to bed by 1:30pm and I took off at 2:30pm to meet Steve at Bone Dry, which opened for sit-down business on Friday.  We sat and chatted until 4:15pm when we departed and I met Susan on time at 5pm to walk the dogs along the river, adding another two miles but this time without Sadie.

Thus ended a very quiet holiday weekend.

***

Global cases 27,608,130 

Global deaths: 898,678

US cases: 6,486,377 (+26,413)

US deaths: 193,596 (+299)

AZ cases: 205,964 (+198)

AZ deaths: 5,219 (+0)

CA cases: 741,486 (+2,741)

CA deaths: 13,763 (+43)

IN cases: 100,394 (+590)

IN deaths: 3368 (+4)

Snake Avoidance Training

I had a busy morning with the dogs.  I got up at sunrise to walk the pups and then Zeke and Sweetie for one mile each to get the dogs ready for another hot day.

All my dogs get the annual rattlesnake vaccine but today I also had the pups undergo snake avoidance training.  When I first called local dog trainers for option a month ago, I was told that due to covid, no one was scheduling that.  Apparently enough dog owners complained --I see the most snakes in September and October-- that both Sit Means Sit and Going to Grandma's, two local dog training businesses, decided to offer September classes.  Susan and I had Allie and the pups scheduled for a morning class  today.  We met at 8am at Sit Means Sit.

Five people had signed up for this morning class.  (There were many more dog owners scheduled throughout the morning for retraining) A dog trainer, JJ,  drove down from Tucson with a live Diamondback.  All training was held outside on both the concrete pavement and desert. Every dog wore an eCollar and went through three different snake encounters.  JJ worked each dog separately and led the dog, with its owner walking quietly next to it. Every dog had five minutes between each encounter.

Each dog was first introduced to the live snake and when the trainer saw that the dog was looking at the snake, the dog received a shock,  Both pups yelped in pain but the other dogs did not.  The second encounter was a scent bag filled with snake skins.  Again the trainer led each dog toward the scent bag, but by now my pups wanted nothing to do with that scent.  The third encounter was encountering the snake inside a carrier.  The trainer said the snake rattles louder when inside a carrier.  Again neither of my dogs wanted to get close to that snake.  The trainer told me both pups learned fast.

While I didn't enjoy hearing my pups yelp in pain when shocked that one time, I could tell that they both quickly learned to associate the snake with a bad shock, associated the scent of the snake with a potential bad shock, and associated the sound with a potential bad shock but only received one shock.  When they come back next year for retraining, they won't need to wear an eCollar unless they have forgotten their training, but JJ assured me that "German shepherds are smart dogs and don't forget."

I talked to Sit Means Sit's owner, Sam Owens between training with the pups.  I first met Sam nine years ago when I was volunteering at the Bisbee animal shelter.  He helped out with the more aggressive dogs.  He and I were both victims of another volunteer's  rude screams at us.  He stopped volunteering his services and I quit after six months.  I'd see Sam at local animal events and we'd chat but I hadn't seen him in a few years and didn't initially recognize him.  Sam told me he is selling the business to a co-worker and next spring he, his wife and four dogs will travel the country for a year while his house is being built on a Caribbean island, an island he said is outside of hurricanes.

I've always liked Sam and enjoyed talking with him.  He explained why he was leaving the business. "I told my wife Pat that I'd run this business for ten years and see where we'll be then.  I lasted eight years."  He added that working with dogs can get very emotional, especially when there are issues with bad, abusive or rude owners.  I certainly understand all that.  He had had enough stress with angry dog owners and opted to quit the business sooner than planned.  He sounds like he has his future well-planned, and I wish him well on his RV travels and then with life in the Caribbean.

More dog owners were coming to the training site for their scheduled training when Susan and I drove off.  It was 9:15am and already 84 degrees. at

The pups were tired when I got back home.  All the dogs napped and were sluggish, but they all revived when at 4:40pm I took five of them down to the river for another 1.8-mile water romp.  The river is once again drying up.  Hopefully southern Arizona will get some moisture from that snowstorm forecasted for the northern Rockies mid-week.

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Global cases: 27,340,029

Global deaths: 892,186

US cases: 6,460,201 (+31,722)

US deaths: 193, 250 (+401)

AZ cases: 205,766 (+250)

AZ deaths: 5221 (+54)

CA cases:  739,154 (+3271)

CA deaths 13,730 (+10)

IN cases: 99,804 (+843)

IN deaths 3364 (+2)

Sweetie walks on leash

The heat is back on.  Our mini-monsoon was way too minnie.  Susan and I met at 7am to walk the Brown Canyon Nature Loop and commented that at 7:30am it felt very hot.  We only did three miles and took a long break by the duck pond, regretting starting so late. There was more water in the pond, but little evidence of any rain water elsewhere.  The foothills were dry and the grass that briefly shined lush green earlier in the week is fading again.

I only took the pups this time, leaving even Zeke at home.  I wanted to see how the pups would be without an elder guiding them., even though Zeke is not fond of guiding the pups.  The pups instead used Allie as their guide, and Allie is such a gentle dog around them. She tolerates their mouthing her.

The pups were less wild today, but still barked loudly at a young Border Patrol agent on a training run.  He was packed with a backpack and boots and powerwalked the dirt road.  He was sweating profusely but maintained a good pace.  He was the one person Gretel barked out.

The walk took us 2.5 hours.  From there I drove into town to walk through PetSmart, bought a bright orange frisbee for Hansel and then stopped by the dogpark.  There were only three people there and as many dogs, and when they left, I left as well.  The pups were as tired of the heat as I was.  I then drove home and was back with the pack by noon.

The big news today was taking Zeke and Sweetie on a two-mile walk around the 'hood on leash.   I knew they both wanted to hit the river, but I didn't want to drive the 13 miles to do so.  Minnie is still limping from her last visit to the river and Sadie showed no interest in going anywhere. I opted instead to wait until after dark to take both dogs out. It was already late dusk with no moon when I started.

Zeek is already a proven leashwalker, but Sweetie has always fought me.   She would either run away or try to get out of her collar. Tonight she did not.  She is either slowly aging into a more gentler dog, or was so desperate for a walk that she tolerated her confinement.  She (and Zeke) only darted once when a rabbit darted across the street and jerked me sideways.  I was very impressed with Sweetie.  I will now walk her onleash more often around the neighborhood. She and Zeke work well together when the pups aren't around. I have gotten away from walking the dogs around the neighborhood and need to rediscover the convenience.

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Global cases: 26,868,077

Global deaths: 883,991

US cases: 6389,364 (+54,292)

US deaths: 192,132 (+1073)

AZ cases 204,681 (+728)

AZ deaths 5171 (+41)

IN cases 97,884 (+1030)

IN deaths 3350 (+18)

Rain!

It looks like the monsoon season has finally started.  Just like last year, it came late.  Hopefully September will make up for any deficit.

The rains started coming in scattered sections early in the weekend.  We had a short but intense shower on Friday at 5:40pm which lasted 20 minutes.  It soaked the back yard, but it wasn't enough to refresh the flora, nor help me pull weeds.  Susan and I had walked the dogs at 3pm and lamented how the San Pedro River is already drying up.

On Saturday we walked the river again and noticed more water collecting in the debris area, most likely from rain that fell in Mexico because Susan reported no rain over her home.

On Sunday I did a sunrise (5:57am) walk with five dogs (Sadie stayed home all weekend).  Temperatures were 20 degrees cooler than they had been all month when temperatures were in the 90s. The big event was spending three hours at the dog park in the early afternoon.  I realize that that was too long for the pups as in the end they were overstimulated and getting grumpy.  While there was a lull in how many dogs there were and the pups rested while I chatted with one lone retiree with a three-year-old overweight English Golden named Max, they were getting impatient with the other dogs because they didn't get their afternoon nap.  Even Hansel snapped at a pup that had arrived just before 3pm.  One woman, who claimed to be a former dog trainer, told me I needed to work on  Gretel's barking "before that barking becomes aggression."  I knew I had to take the dogs home as the dog park was no longer fun for them. They slept as soon as they came home at 3:30pm.  I will keep future visits to the dog park to no more than an hour.

Weather was forecasted to bring thunderstorms, but that translated into drizzle and then showers all day.  It rained more intensely overnight, when on Monday I woke up to the sweet smell of sage and creosote.

Monday is when we finally got a good rain that went on most of the day. I didn't walk the dogs at sunrise since the sky was densely covered and grey, but I agreed to meet with Susan at 10:20am for a quick 2-mile lap around the field by the river before the big rain came.  A large storm cell was moving north from Mexico and now over Douglas.  This time I took all the dogs, including Sadie, who was well-rested and walking nicely.  Patrick (owner of the Casa de San Pedro B&B) and Bob the Rancher were working on sawing the river snags when we came by with all the dogs.  The snags had created a big debris pile that was causing a back-up of river water.   The pups were on leashes and they still barked at the men.

The river was not rushing nor muddy and the trail was mostly dry, which means Mexico hadn't gotten much rain. The sky was a dark grey and there was rain already over Fort Huachuca and Sierra Vista.  The dark grey made the yellow ragwort more intensely yellow. We took the chance to walk the two miles before the rain, but instead got caught in the rain that started out as cloud drizzle.  We finished soaked by the increasing showers and I had to change my clothes when I got home.  The dogs didn't seem to mind getting wet.

The showers finally stopped at noon but then returned at 3pm and then at 7am.  By the end of the day I realized that the grass in the backyard was finally green.

And today was our last cloudy day.  Triple digits are expected back by Friday.  I took Sweetie, Zeke and the pups on a short sunrise walk (Minnie came for the ride, then waited for us by the Honda).  There were low clouds over the river and in the higher mountains, but they dissipated after sunrise.  I didn't walk Garden Canyon because of the rain forecasted by 10am.  That rain never came, but I got a lot of weed pulling done.

I met Susan at 11:45am with all six dogs for another lap along the river. By now it was 81F, so 12 degrees warmer than yesterday. Today the river was running well and muddy, but not rushing.  Clouds were again forming but no rain today.  We were all feeling the heat in the end.  Sure hope this isn't the end of the monsoon!

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Global cases: 25,725,952

Global deaths: 859,973

US cases: 6,212,125

US deaths: 187,742

AZ cases: 201,835 (+174)

AZ deaths (+0)

CA cases: 712,351 (+6474)

CA deaths (+81)

IN cases: 94,196 (+883)

IN deaths 3296 (+5)