Weather was forecasted as sunny but overcast, with highs in the low 70s. This sounded like the best option for a trip toward Tucson. I needed a taste of Tucson while on spring break. I took Wolfie to have an excuse to get his vaccines at the ABC pet services on Broadway and then drive toward Oro Valley to finish the northern section of the CBO. The unmarked trailhead parking is off Tangerine Road across from the hospital.
Wolfie is another special-needs dog. He's slower than the rest of his siblings and not very bright. His recall is better than Gretchen's but he always acts confused when following the others, as if he is asking "Duh, where are we going?" So I had no idea how he would do today by himself. He has always been with a packmate.
He still gets car sick. He threw up on the back seat and probably peed as well as his leash stunk of urine when we waited in the lobby. He did well at the ABC clinic until other dogs came in and he lunged at them, immediately marking him as a reactive dog. At least I know that now. He's the same as all the other pups, unfortunately.
Wolfie weighs 98 pounds. Ninety-eight pounds! That's a big dog! I could tattoo his ears and belly, put a baseball cap on him backwards, and he could be the next canine version of a Southwestern redneck. At least he is gentle with people. Dogs, not so much.
But all that aside, he walked well today. He doesn't pull on the leash like Gretchen does. He looked up to me for assurance several times and I realized that he simply didn't get the chance to socialize with other dogs like his siblings did when he was younger because they always beat him to the front door. I have to work on that now.
We started the walk at 2:35pm from the Oro Valley Marketplace, in an undeveloped parking area. Purple lupines were blooming off the path, but there were no big fields of Arizona poppies like I had hoped.ò
We came to the Putsch View Road rest area in three miles. This is where Zana and I turned around last time we walked the CDO on February 18th. We rested here again, I gave him water, and watched Wolfie in his element. He was calm, but looked confused. And boy, did I notice the extra weight on him!
By now the sky was cloudier. Despite the 68F, it felt cooler with that chilled mountain air. Wolfie was panting but not because of the heat, but because of his weight. Fritz panted the first few months I had him in the front yard until he got used to his daily walks. I have to do the same with him now. It's going to take a few months.
He did well, I will give him that. I held him close when other dogs passed us. I held him closer when cyclists whizzed by.
We were back at the CRV shortly after 5pm. Wolfie got more water and a can of food. I had my meal at Kabab in downtown Oro valley, an area that looked new. The owner is Iranian and very proud of his restaurant. I had chicken beryani. The saffron reminded me of the meals I had in Kuwait.
The last time I was in OV was with Kevin in 2005 or so, and I don't remember many businesses there. Now the town 14 miles north of Tucson along the Catalina foothills looks like a retirement community for wealthy golfers. The views of the mountains, I must admit, are beautiful.
I left Kabab at sunset, driving back toward north Tucson when my sister Iris called.
"I have some good news and some bad news" she began. "The good news is that we're in Tucson. The bad news it's because of mom. She's not doing too well."
I'll write more later.
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