2nd Hike

On or around New Year's Day (yes, I'm that far behind) Dad and I took a short hike up in the local hills.  A dirt access/ fire road that usually has a closed gate had an open date, so we drove up in the jeep.  Once there, we started off, only to run into several bikes coming up the hill.  After running into a second, separate group of bikes, we peeled off onto a smaller trail.  It turns out this trail was quite a find!  It went into a canyon that had more varied terrain and pretty vegetation and generally interesting things to see than if we had stayed on the main roads.

However, the same bikes who we were encountering on the main road, also knew about this great trail.  We ran into a lot of bikes.  Which is a problem since the dogs are off leash.  The dogs don't bother the bikes, but the polite thing to do is gather the dogs up, step off the trail, and allow the bikes to pass.  There were so many bikes that this was becoming tiresome.  And another problem is Pie ranges so far out it takes her a while to get back to me when I call her.

Once nice rider we spoke to had a cow bell on his bike so he didn't sneak up on hikers or other unsuspecting people.  We saw him coming and I called Pie but she didn't show up.  He stoped to chat and let me know that before I called her, she was down over the side, came up in front of him, trotted along the path a few feet, then ran up the other side of the hill.  Didn't even glance at him.  I think Pie wants to be a feral dog.

We also ran into a lady leading her horse (he is older and just carries the water) and 2 dogs.  A lab and German Shepherd.  They didn't come when she called and I eventually had to lead the lab back to her.  This was after I bashed him with my walking stick because he barreled into our sitting pack of dogs without slowing down or offering any body language  indicating what he was up to.  He didn't mind the bashing.  I'm glad I didn't upset him, but I'm also glad he wasn't aggressive, since the bashing didn't have any effect on him.  Pie totally ignored the horse, which is good since in the past she has given me mixed signals regarding horses.

It was a nice hike, except for the inconvenience of the bikes.  A bit windy up on the main roads but really nice down in the canyon.

 Starting off.

This is the way we are headed.

Dad inspects.

Fancy waits for us.

Molly stays close.

A really neat trail that went into a canyon with lots of shade, green vegetation and small ups and downs.

Dottie also stays pretty close.

Heading out of the canyon.

An "artifact" we had the dogs pose with.

I pose with the artifact and Pie wonders why Fancy's head what accidentally left out of the photo.

Done with the interesting trail and back on a fire road.

I like our shadows in this picture.  Pie ran the most in the beginning, and she is still running out ahead.

Obligatory Dottie stick picture.  It bends the opposite way from her tail.

Heading back out.

Dottie likes the jeep.

So do Fancy and Pie.  Notice my parent's good dogs are not constantly poking over the seats.