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.

One Day Agility Trial

Even with multiple issues, the ribbons say we had good results. Fancy: MXP title and QQ number 8. Pie: QQ Number 9. I liked our jumpers run, it went well.

Dottie, double nq. Lots and lots of problems and I made a bad choice to carry her off in our second run when I couldn't take it anymore. I think that demoralized her. Sorry Dottie.

Forging?

No, I haven't heard of it, why do you bring it up?

Luckily my dogs only occasionally heal like this... Yikes.

Sillines

Smooth Fancy.


Poofy Fancy.


Sometimes Dottie thinks she was better off in the shelter.

Taken at the New Year's Trial. I went Thursday and Friday only. Dottie was entered 2 days and Fancy and Pie one day each. Pie got a QQ and the other 2 got 1 Q each. FFluffy was here so that made it extra fun.

Christmas Day Hike

I had a nice post about the new Blogger format and how it was easier to use, but I accidentally went back a page using a keyboard shortcut (I suppose, since I didn't use the mouse to hit back) and my draft was not autosaved like it usually is and I lost it all. Then, I couldn't get the new format to load pictures anymore. I struggled with it much longer than I should have. Finally, I gave up and went back to the old format. Really frustrating. Back to loading images 5 at a time that then show up in a totally random order, but at least they are loading. Since these are just hiking pictures, I won't fix the order either. I've already spent too long on this post.

This was before dinner on Christmas. Just the dogs and I went to the abandoned road and hung out, climbed stuff, swam, and took pictures. We didn't cover very many miles, but had fun anyway.


Pie runs. Or hovers.


Pie run take 2.


Still running.


Now Fancy runs.



More again.




An artistic photo. Or just my camera being broken and not getting the exposure right.


Running on a hill.


Dottie runs on the flat.


Fancy poses nicely.


I'm outta here.


Fancy is lord of her domain.


I think her expression is extra cute.






Dottie ran up and down this hill because it was fun.


Do you see what I see? (A star, a star, shinning in the night?) I'm guessing that is not what she sees.


Do you see Fancy?




Fancy practices hovering also.


Fancy and Pie, can you hear me down there?


Whoa. Attack of the Dottie.






She should be a Cover Girl.

Fluffy Fancy says it is more fun to run with your eyes closed.

Pretty Pie.

Really, Dottie? Can't you find a normal stick?

Sharing. How nice.

Tugging.

Playing with the long but skinny stick.

A large piece of the dam. The road is not abandoned due to the dam, FYI. The dam broke a long time ago. The 30's perhaps? The road is abandoned due to more recent flooding and it washed away in several sections so they built a new road.

Dottie takes a sobriety test. She passed. The allergies on the back of her legs come and go. They are here in the picture but are gone in the present time.

Using the timer function. Dottie does not like climbing on large rocks. Weirdo.

We climbed up this steep, slippery embankment.

Posing on a piece of the dam from the San Fransquito Dam disaster.

After the hike was more visiting and then dinner!


Dinner was 100% good. I wish I was eating that oh so moist turkey and all the fixings again right now!


After the hike, brother and ladyfriend arrived for dinner and more presents.


Brother and ladyfriend with his new grill to go with his new house (the house was not a Christmas gift, but was bought recently.)

And finally...


Molly (parent's dog) with a piece of a toy one of my bad dogs chewed off of her toy. However, all is not terrible since the smaller the scrap of fabric is, the more she seems to like it.