Tag Archives: California

Odee’s Frist Big Trip!

Woof, I went on my first big trip not long ago. Matt drove for a long time, it took two days. We went to a place called California where his cousin lives. I have been on short trips before but only for a day or two, maybe three. This time we were gone long enough I thought we had moved. Matt said he and Jackson took trips like this all the time and he wants us to do more soon, that sounds like fun. California was sunnier than Oregon. When we left snow had changed the way everything looked at home. It was all white and slippery and fun to play in but it made me shiver!

This is how it looked in Eugene, woof!
This is how it looked in Eugene, woof!

While I was riding shotgun with Matt, he had to explain that meant riding in the front seat, I saw a lot I haven’t seen before. We drove by a huge man and a big blue dog with horns, Matt told me it was really a bull, whatever that is. The man was called Paul something; he had a big axe too. Maybe he uses it to cut down big trees to make big houses for big dogs and big people. Some of the roads we drove on were real windy and twisted back and forth and I didn’t like it. Sometimes going through those curves the truck made a scary loud rumbling sound. It didn’t happen often but when it did Matt would apologize saying it was his fault for getting too close to the side of the road. I told Matt slow down!

This was before we saw big Paul and the big blue dog.
This was before we saw big Paul and the big blue dog.

The first night we stayed at a place called a motel. It was the first time I have ever been to one but it’s a lot like home just nosier. Matt found out what a good dog I have become when he left me in the room to pick up dinner. I worried a little but I was quiet; I knew he would be back because I was guarding all our stuff. When he got back he told me I was a good boy and gave me some special treats.

Woof, me guarding the room at the motel.
Woof, me guarding the room at the motel.

While we were staying at my new friend Francie’s house in California we went on long walks in the city. On some of them we saw big noisy locos with bells, horns and lights flashing making a bunch of squeaks and hisses! At first I was frightened then Matt told me they would stay on the tracks and not bother us. I really enjoyed visiting Francie except for the few times I had to stay at the house by myself but again I showed Matt I was a big boy. Matt said he had to leave me because there were some places I couldn’t go. I wasn’t happy about that but I was a good dog anyway.

We stopped at Cache Creek Natural Area for a picnic one day.
We stopped at Cashe Creek Natural Area for a picnic one day.

On our way home we had more adventures, we spent some time in a forest with trees so big you can’t see the tops; we hiked on trails dogs are allowed so I got a close look at them. I have never seen things so big! One time Matt turned around when we saw some big dogs with horns sticking way out of their heads with lots of pointy ends. He stopped and photographed them in the rain; I guess he really wanted pictures of them.  Matt said the beasts were elk and those horns were called antlers. And can you believe this? Those antler things fall off and grow back every year, wow! I wonder how those elk dogs walk around in the forest, and don’t get stuck or tangled in the trees and bushes and things.

That's how close those elk dogs were, woof!
That’s how close those elk dogs were, woof!

Well I have rambled on longer than I meant to and Matt told me my tail was getting long enough. I wonder what he means by that? I hope we go on another adventure soon, even a short one; I need to practice using my camera!

Until next time,
Woof, woof!

Odee

Rain, Wind, Cold, & Snow, Woof!

 

  Woof, are we there yet?  I know Matt got (and gets) tired of me asking that. We had such a hard drive to get to Joshua Tree National Park. We had planned to camp along the way but Mother Nature and some ocean guy Matt calls the Pacific or is it Specific? It rained, and rained, and then it rained more. Along with the rain was wind that shook the truck around as we drove. It was just too bad to try to camp out because we would be soaking wet every time we got in and out of the back of the truck. When we got there Matt told me I was a bit excessive about asking if we were there, but I was worried. It wasn’t fun being in all that bad weather. It was hard to see we were in the truck, no fun or hiking so I just wanted us to be there. Matt watched the news every night and there were stories about mudslides and all kinds of bad things happening. A lot of times Matt would say we had just been right through that place or in the case of Joshua Tree we saw what it looked like after the flooding that happened the day before we got there.

A sunny day at Joshua Tree National Park.
A sunny day at Joshua Tree National Park.

Our first night camping was windy and cold but at least there was no rain. I had to get right next to Matt to keep warm under the warm and fluffy sleeping bag. The next day was windy but Matt said it was too but clear for photographs so we hiked a lot. When we went exploring the next day it was clear and sunny where we started but by the afternoon it started getting cloudy and started to snow while we were hiking, woof that was fun! Matt decided late in the afternoon we should get dinner instead of cooking and go to camp. The next morning when we woke it was sunny but everything was covered in white! I got out and played in the snow that morning, it was fun. That morning we drove through the park and too photographs before going to our next camping place.

Us hiking in the snow at Joshua Tree National Park.
Us hiking in the snow at Joshua Tree National Park.

  After all that rain and the snow we finally had a couple of nice days at a state park called, I hope I write this right, Anza-Borrego in California. It was nice and sunny for two day, but when we left there it was getting cloudy again and Matt was worried about rain. Well that rain followed us all the way to Arizona and the rained on us like crazy for ours. We got to the place called Organ Pipe Cactus, and why they call it that I don’t know, I did not hear any organs at all while we were there. We got there in the dark and the next day it rained, and rained. We stayed in the truck all afternoon and night. When we got up the next morning it was all wet and the mountains had snow on them. Woof, more snow. After spending the morning there we headed to Phoenix where some of Matt’s cousin’s live and we even saw snow there!

The morning we woke up to snow at Joshua Tree National Park.
The morning we woke up to snow at Joshua Tree National Park.

We are getting ready t go camping again this morning so I expect some more adventures, though Matt said he wouldn’t mind a bit less rain and snow and some warmer temperatures and honestly I think I agree with him.

Bye for now!