Uncle Chris!!

My Uncle Chris came to Colorado for a visit! Hooray! Someone new to throw the ball, take me on walks, pet me, throw the ball, take me on walks, pet me, throw the ball... you get the picture. Little did I know we were immediately going to get back in the car, drive back up the mountain roads and hike more trails - back and forth for two weeks! Doesn't anybody hang out at the pool, lounge in air conditioned living rooms, go to the dog park, watch good dog movies in the afternoon...??? What kind of summer vacation is this?

We hiked some rough trails these past couple of weeks. My people carried big, heavy backpacks but thankfully I didn't have to carry anything (too short).

One of the trails was called the Continental Divide Trail - it was really windy up there - not at all good for my hair.

One afternoon we got caught in a rainstorm - my hair was really bad that day.

I like hiking with Uncle Chris because I get to eat a lot of beef jerky.

There were a few times that we stayed on the mountain overnight. Out of those big backpacks they were carrying, my people pulled out a GIANT kennel for me, set it up with poles and stakes and rain flaps and screen doors and everything, then they put in some soft, comfy sleeping gear and I was all snuggled in for the night...but then my people (Paul & Jeannie) unzipped the kennel and got in with me.

Are you kidding? What kind of deal is this? Uncle Chris got to have his very own kennel, and I have to sleep with my people? They said something about if I wanted my own kennel, I had to carry it up the mountain myself (too short). There were a few nights this happened and I was a little put out at first, then I discovered that when the temperatures dipped into the 30's, it was pretty nice in that big kennel with big, warm people.

I promised that I would not chase after marmots, mounain goats, chipmunks, elk, deer, coyotes, foxes, mountain lions, bears or anything else, but they still wouldn't let me off the leash. I even pretended to be asleep, but they didn't fall for it. Damn.