Tag Archives: American Desert

Two Months and Still Going

April 30, 2017 Odee 4 Comments

Woof, well really more than two months. I have been having a great time working as a service dog. We have been going on a lot of hikes everywhere we have been going. Sometimes it is hard to remember I am working so many people are kind and well meaning and they want to pet me. Sometimes Matt lets them if we are resting. This year has been more fun than last year. I hardly ever have to wait in the truck anymore. We were recently in Zion and Bryce national parks, at first I thought Matt said it was Rice Canyon. Can you imagine a canyon full of rice? Matt had a good laugh with that one.

We had a nice weekend not too long ago with Matt’s cousin and his family camping out. Woof, of course when are we not camping out right now? I spent the whole time off leash and not working, I got to roam and play all I wanted to until I just had to lie down to take a nap. We were not near a road and the best thing is there was a creek there, I got to play in it all I wanted and it was fun. I had kids to play with and they wore me out. We stayed there for two days and I got to eat real meat, Tim gave me so much and it was good, ruff! We spent almost the whole time in camp enjoying each other’s company. When we got ready to leave Theresa gave me a new toy and I love it.

After that we went back to the big lake called Powell and this time Matt let me go swimming. Then we went to see a big river called the Colorado. The river was big and the water was flowing too fast Matt said. The net place we went was Zion where we did a lot of hiking. Woof we have been to so many places it is hard to remember them all right now. Then we went to Bryce the rice canyon. I still like to think of it by that name.

We camped in Bryce Canyon park for several days. I think Matt was tired when we arrived. He just about pulled into the first place he saw. After trying to find camping places at pother crowded parks he said we were going to stay for a while to have fun plus get some rest. So far we have hiked down into Rice Canyon (woof, just making a funny) and then hiked at another canyon close by called Red Canyon. The next day we hiked at Kodak Park, at least I thought it was called that, Matt told me it really was Kodachrome Basin State Park.

It ws windy at Kodachrome park! — It was windy at Kodachrome park!.

The next places we went were Arches and Canyonlands parks then we went to Capitol Reef, I got excited because I thought we would see the ocean. Matt told me it was not that kind of reef. It was a beautiful place, we hiked on several trails and it even started snowing when we were on a trail so we had to go back to camp.

We are stayed more than one night in a motel in Grand Junction when the weather got bad, I learned about motels last year. There were a lot of dogs and humans there, woof and they are nice and warm. We are heading out this morning to start camping again and more adventures.

Woof, it Snowed Again, and Again

April 9, 2017 Odee 1 Comment

Woof, we have been doing a lot since I last wrote. We have been in Arizona a long time now. We hiked through a forest turned into stone. At first when Matt said we were going to the petrified forest, I thought he meant it was afraid of something but he explained the other meaning of the word. I liked it when we went to a big canyon Matt said it wasn’t the Grand Canyon, but it was so pretty green on the canyon floor. Woof, I even got to sit in four states at one time. How many dogs or even humans can say that? Then we stayed at a mountain cabin and then we went to the Grand Canyon and boy was it grand. It seemed grander than the last time we were there. I know I have left some things out. I’ll just have to write more often, ruff.

Woof, I'm trying to help! — Woof, I’m trying to help!

I really enjoyed staying at the cabin. We stayed there with Matt’s aunt Nancy and Janet. I got to lie down by the fire and it was so warm and cozy and I got to chase the big birds out of the yard. It snowed while we were there too, I have not seen this much snow in a long time. It was nice visiting with them; I like both of them so much. We left for the Grand Canyon after staying at the cabin.

When we got to the Grand Canyon I got to ride on a big thing called a bus. Matt laughed when I called it a big truck, he explained what it was to me.. I have only seen them from the outside and wondered why they were so big. A lot of humans ride on it all at one time and it has doors that open all by themselves. The doors have windows too, I liked looking out at the road and things passing by. The bus stopped a lot of times to let humans on and off. It was nice Matt did not have to drive. Woof, woof, it snowed again when we were camping at the Grand canyon, everything was white when we woke up one morning, but it melted all away.

While we were at the Grand Canyon we went on a hike down into it. Before we could go we had to go talk to a ranger three times. She was real nice. Matt had to explain what I did to help him on the trail. Then she had to tell all the rangers and something called a mule driver we would be on the trail. I really appreciate all the help we had from the Ranger Casey. We got to the trail and walked down, and down, and down. There were a lot of humans on the trail. A lot of them said hello and some wanted to pet me but Matt had to tell them I was working. On our way back up we had to step to the side of the trail because some horses were coming towards us. Well I thought they were horses but Matt said they were mules, so I guess the humans riding them were the mule drivers, woof!

Woof, on the Bright Angel Trail in the Grand Canyon!

Well I had better start on my next blog because I left a lot out of this one!

Later,

Woof, It Snowed!

March 25, 2017 Odee 9 Comments

We stayed in a big city for a long time. It got so hot there we only went out early or late then came back to a house when it got too warm. One place we went to was a place where humans lived a long time ago, only a little of the walls and holes in the ground were left. We hiked in green deserts with plants everywhere. A lot of them had stickers on them so I had to be careful. Then we hiked in a desert where flowers were everywhere, I could smell them all over. One place we drove on a real windy road, up and up we went where we could see the sunset and the city light up all over. One of my boots got a hole in it so we went to the place we got my last set. No more little rocks and stuff in my boots and he fixed my old ones so I have two sets of boots now, woof!

We stayed at Matt’s cousin house. Everyone there was very nice. I met a little human named Abby. She hugged me and gave me kisses. She would throw my ball and give me treats. I tried my best not to play with Abby’s toys, but she has some nice balls and a little doll that were too much to resist. My human told me I could not play with them, I tried my best not to and every time I sneaked over to get one of hrs toys Matt caught me, ruff! The only thing I did not like when we were staying there is I had to stay behind two days in a row and that made me a little upset. The second day I howled a little for him, even though his cousins at the house tried to make me feel better.

After the stay in the big city we left to go camping again first we went to a place called Dead Horse. I was afraid we would find dead horses but my human said the name came from a long time ago. Then we went to a town that was on the side of a mountain. My human said there were mines there. I asked him did he say it was mine, but he laughed and said mines were where humans went down inside the ground and brought things back up. That is taking hole digging much further than any dog I know. Usually we bury things, bones and stuff, not find things! Next we went to a different less crowded campground. I liked it there.

Our campfire, but I got in the truck because it is softer.

Oh woof! Talking about big holes, we went to a place that was a big water hole where humans lived a long time ago. Matt said it was a well, but it did not look like a well to me, it looked like a big swimming place to me. We went on a nice hike the next day and came back to rest at the camp. We had a nice fire and then it started to thunder after it was dark. Later that night it started snowing and we woke up to a white campground, it was fun playing in the snow, woof, woof! We packed up and drove to another town called Flag something where we stayed until it stopped snowing.

I love playing in the snow, double WOOF!

Now we are getting ready to go again, I cannot wait to see where we are going!

*Note from Matt*
Places we were visiting/staying in this report:
Dead Horse Ranch State Park
Jerome
Sedona
Montezuma’s Well
The Devil’s Bridge – Sedona
Oak Creek Canyon
Pine Flats Campground
Flagstaff

The Really Big Adventure, part 2

March 17, 2017 Odee 1 Comment

Woof woof! I have become a backseat driver! I started out in the front seat on this trip as usual and ended up in the back. This made me mad at first and I kept trying to sneak back up in the front, but that is hard to do. At first I though it was because of all the helpful suggestions I make when he is driving. I know I do get a bit talkative and pace a little bit so I thought my commentary on his driving got me put there. He said something about it being safer for me than riding in the front seat since I do not have a doggie seat belt. Matt said his truck was too old to take the right kind so the back seat is now mine, well at least half of it is. I think I finally am used to it, but I did not like it at first. Woof, I do have to admit this was after I was not ready for the bump in the road and my head hit the front window and made the crack longer.

Since we left my friend Francie’s house (she is my human’s cousin) we have camped and gone to so many places. Texas is a big place and we have been to two other states after that. My human said we were in it long before we stayed at Francie’s house. In Texas we saw places where wires ran all over in crazy patterns and huge machines that look like they were big birds drinking water, but there was no water there. We hiked on sandy beaches where I could not see or smell water. Then we came to a place called New Mexico, another place that is a lot different from where I live, we found an even bigger beach with no water there. Another had pictures and drawings on the rocks. Matt said they were done a long, long time ago. Not like the painted things you see in the cities. He said these were done long before he was born! We walked along these rocks for what seemed forever while he looked and photographed them.

Then we stayed in a place called Cliff and there were a lot of cliffs there. We stayed for a few days visiting with my human’s friends. We went on hikes every day and I even had to walk on a strange path where you could see below you. Matt said it was a cat walk, but I did not see any cats. They must be special to have their own walk. I wonder if they are okay with all that noisy water rushing below them. I bothered me. I know that water is dangerous and we were way above it I was scary but Matt helped me. I even got to swim in a gentle creek, there was a lot of fast water at other places, but my new friends knew where to go for the best swimming.

I love water, this is in Gila Monsterville!

Woof! I was hoping to catch up to where we are now, but I have waited too long to write, I have been so busy. I think I will stop here and continue in the next blog entry. I will let you know we are in another state with a green desert.

Woof, bye for now,

Desert Dreaming

May 1, 2016 Odee 1 Comment

For those that have just joined us on Jackson’s blog you may notice my name on here a bit. When his Facebook fans donated money for a GoPro camera I bought his domain name and promised him a website. Well he got a little impatient and just took over mine so his domain just points to this site.
– Matt

Woof! I thought I was in the truck traveling with my human where the land looks totally different. It was wonderful, all the strange and different smells were back and the wind from the window was blowing my ears back. The next think I knew my human was telling me I was dreaming. I thought I was back walking and running in that place where there were not many trees. My human and I were hiking on trails all over the place. I had my boots on because of those sticky plants, I am so glad Matt got those for me. I was visiting with other dogs and humans, it was fun. There were big rivers, but this time they were gentle and I went swimming, woof! In my dream I did not have to wait in the truck when my human went on some hikes, I got to go on every hike everywhere.

That was a wonderful dream about a strange and different place we just visited. Most of the places we went to did not have any trees, though there were a few around some places. I did get to go on a lot of hikes but Matt told me I was not allowed to go on some he wanted to go on. He did make sure I got to go on plenty; I just wish I could have gone on all of them. Ruff I wonder who I can complain to about that? We lived in the truck a lot so we were outdoors more than usual though we did stay in places Matt called hotels. We even stayed at a big one and I got in a room that moved and took you places!

Recently we have been on a few hikes in some of my favorite places, a mountain called Morrow and a forest with small mountains called Uwharrie. YouWharriee, Ruff, you try to say that! It is tough for a dog to say, how do you humans get that sound out? My human says we have a big trip planned sometime in a few months. I forget how long a month is, it seems a long ways off. I know he will keep reminding me, he did last time!

Ruff, I am getting sleepy again. Maybe I will dream about the desert place again. I hope so, I really liked it there! Well that is all I have to say for this evening. I had my supper and my bed is calling me to hike on another trail, woof!

The Last Leg

March 29, 2016 Odee Leave a comment

For those that have just joined us on Jackson’s blog (he took over my blog here months ago) I am adding this note. We are back from a month-long road trip visiting the desert canyons in the American west. I enjoy traveling, but I always regret my best buddy can’t go on a lot of my adventures. This was one of two we have planned this year centered around Jackson joining in on the grand adventure. Jackson is going to be doing all of the blog posts. We will be posting our photographs on our Facebook pages (and a few here also!)
– Matt

Woof, woof, I meant the title to be a pun, no it is not my last leg! We got back a week ago my human tells me, I have a hard time figuring out how long a week is and I just rely on my human keeping track of non-important stuff like that. I guess it is time for my account of the last part of our trip. Ruff, of course I will write more about what we did, but Matt told me to do a chronological account when I started this. Woof, I had to say stop right there and tell me what “chronolococal” was. That is a new word for me and I didn’t understand. He told me it meant to write the story in the order it happened, or that is what I understood from his explanation.

The view from our campsite in Nebraska at Ft. Kearney State Park.

Ruff, back to my story. In Nebraska we watched some birds he called Sandhill cranes, there were so many I could not even think about trying to count them. Later that morning my human met some friends. After seeing my friends Bob and Paulette Matt said we needed to go because the weather was going to get colder and we might as well start the trip home. We only drove four hours that day so we did not get far. I think Matt said we were in Springsomething Missouri. The next day we were supposed to get up early and leave because my human said we were going to drive for a long time. Well that did not happen, when that thing my human calls a phone (you know that thing you humans look at and talk to all the time) made and irritating sound when it was still dark, he turned it off. We left later then we were supposed to and then drove, and drove, and drove and kept on driving. I think we drove through three states. We went over big rivers and saw mountains again late that evening. Finally we drove up to a house made of logs where a cat lives and I got to meet my Facebook friend Aunt Marlene, my human said we were in southeastern Tennessee. She was real nice to me and gave me fried chicken (without bones) and other good treats. Hobo, the cat, was not too happy with me at first, but he got better before I left.

Aunt Marlene's back yard. — Aunt Marlene’s back yard.

After the long drive we stayed at Aunt Marlene’s place. It was in a quiet valley on a farm near a river called Ocoee. Once again I did not get to swim, ruff! It is a lot smaller than the other rivers, but my human said it was a dangerous one because it flowed so fast. After resting (and getting treats) for a day we got back in the truck after my human packed it back up. We made one more long drive, I got excited because it started smelling like places I knew and had been before. Then I started smelling places close to home and finally we got home in the afternoon so we had time to unpack. Well my human had time to unpack, I watched, woof!

Now that I have I finished my account of our trip I am still going to have more to say about what we did. I tried to let you know what we were doing as we did it. Maybe that is what that “choro” word means, ruff! I still have photographs and videos we have not looked at or edited, so I haven’t had the last word yet, ruff!

The Rock Garden & Nebraska

March 18, 2016 Odee 4 Comments

For those that have just joined us on Jackson’s blog I am adding this note. We are on our way back from a month-long road trip visiting the desert canyons in the American west. I enjoy traveling, but I always regret my best buddy can’t go on a lot of my adventures. This is one of two we have planned this year centered around Jackson joining in on the grand adventure. Jackson is going to be doing all of the blog posts. We will be posting our photographs on our Facebook pages (and a few here also!)
– Matt

Woof! My human changed his mind and we went one more in Colorado. Ruff, if you remember, our Colorado part… I think that is a state. My human keeps telling me we are in a new state. Most of these things he calls states he has been in before he says. But he did say he did go to a new one on this trip. Woof, back to Colorado: My human was upset because the big snow storm messed up his plans for us. We were going to camp near some waterfalls, but that is where we tried to get away from that storm my human friend Nancy called a blizzard. That place was called Rifle Waterfall State park. When we got there it was snowing so we did not do anything there. Then we tried to beat the big snow storm, ruff, I mean blizzard, but it beat us. Then the next day driving over the high places on the road my human called passes was slow and my human was tense the whole time. I could tell he was worried and really concentrating. When we got away from the snow he kept driving, he said he did not want to worry about the road closing again.

When we found a place to stay out of the bad wind, wind like I am not used to, wind blowing all the time hard, I was glad. I could not smell things like I am used to and I didn’t like that. After resting my human said he felt we were cheated out of enjoying Colorado and the last part of out west. He said I did not get to hike much in Colorado also, so he went to a place called the Garden of the Gods. My human said we were going to backtrack some, but it would be worth it, and woof, it was! We went all over looking at the big rocks and big views. I even shot video and still photos. I liked the humans and other dogs there, it was a dog friendly place to go, woof!

Then the next morning we got up early while it was still cold. The water inside the camper had frozen. Matt packed up and started the truck up and said we were going to Nebraska. We drove and drove, late that afternoon we came to a place with a lot of big strange birds. They were flying all over the place, sometimes there were so many they looked like a dark cloud, ruff. We found a nice campground at Ft. Kearney State Park, ruff, I think that is what Matt called it. The next morning we watched the birds land a field land and fly, there were a lot of them. My human said the were Sandhill cranes and were flying to their summer homes. Ruff, can you imagine that?

Well, we will probably be in Tennessee soon, so I will try to write from there, woof, woof!

Arches and Canyonlands

March 13, 2016 Odee Leave a comment

For those that have just joined us on Jackson’s blog I am adding this note. We are on a month-long road trip visiting the desert canyons in the American west. I enjoy traveling, but I always regret my best buddy can’t go on a lot of my adventures. This is one of two we have planned this year centered around Jackson joining in on the grand adventure. Jackson is going to be doing all of the blog posts. We will be posting our photographs on our Facebook pages (and a few here also!)
– Matt

Woof, woof,I’m tired, but I am behind on my blog so I am starting it tonight (Saturday) and will finish in the morning, ruff! We have been so busy since the last time I wrote. We drove from Bryce Canyon to a town called Moab. What a busy and interesting place! We had a hard tiime finding a place to stay, but we did. There are a lot of humans here, racing, riding, and driving big cars and trucks out in the wilderness and city, ruff. We have been visiting two parks here, Matt said they were called Arches and Canyonlands. My human also found out about some places I could go for a hike so we went to a place called Portal Arch. Matt put on my boots so I wouldn’t hurt my feet on those nasty sticky plants. We had a big surprise on the hike and I had to climb up some rocks while my human climbed up a ladder, but I made it okay. then we had to go back, but Matt figured out how to help me. He is pretty smart for a human. We explored the two parks for two days and it was so different than what I am used to at home. Hardly any trees and you can see a long, long way off, ruff!

We got up early today on Sunday, my human said something about time changing. I don’t understand what he meant about that, how does time change? Humans are so strange sometimes, he said it was an hour later, but it looked the same to me. Matt told me I will be going to a new state today, one I haven’t been to before. I think I am beginning to understand what a state is. Each one looks and smells so different than the other. He says we will be going to some more canyons, those are deep holes in the ground and when you are in them you can’t see as far, but you do see some amazing thing like big rocks, sometimes there is a river and sometimes there isn’t, woof!
Well I had better stop writing for now and get ready to go, I am all packed up and ready before my human, humans are so slow sometimes! Of course he is up earlier and is almost ready, he is faster than usual today. Oh, before I forget here is a link to my YouTube video of my hike the other day to Portal Arch:

Day Two at the Grand Canyon

February 29, 2016 Odee Leave a comment

Woof, woof, we both took it a little easier yesterday, my human was tired from the first day at the Grand Canyon. He said we walked seven miles, woof, that’s not much, but I know he tires quicker than I do. Yesterday we only walked three miles, but it was still fun. Matt said we would drive out to the Desert View Watchtower and stop at the overlooks along the way. Ruff, I have a hard time calling them view points because where we live they call them overlooks on the Blue Ridge Parkway!

We went to the Tusayan ruins, my human says Pueblo Indians lived there 800 years ago. He said they only stayed about 20 years, ruff, that’s about how long the Gila cliff dewllers stayed at their place, I wonder why only 20 years? Then we we went to the watchtower, but I stayed in the truck because I couldn’t go in the tower and my human wanted to, ruff! I was surprised it took us as long to drive and take photographs, but we had a great time.

Today my human may go hiking, but I will either have to stay in the truck or go to a kennel. He has to take a big covered truck called a shuttle and they don’t let dogs on those, ruff! He said there was a place he could hike to take some photographs inside the canyon at Yavapai Point. He is not sure, but I will let everyone know in my report tomorrow.

We did have to politely wait our turn to take photographs.

Woof, it’s time for my morning walk, I will woof at you tomorrow!

The Adventures of Odee & Matt