Tag Archives: Grayson Highlands

My New (to me) Backpack

Woof! I found out I am the third dog to own this backpack! At first Matt thought it was Jackson’s originally but Matt found a picture of Maverick wearing it back in 2009, so it’s more than 13 years old! Jackson used it on hikes but Maverick was the real trooper, he went on camping trips with it. Matt used to go backpacking; I can’t believe he carried everything he needed on his back, a tent, sleeping bag, food, clothes, and more. Maverick had to carry his food, toys, and bowls in his. I don’t know if I would like that, but if I had to do that to be able to go on a trip I would. Matt said they would walk with that stuff for miles and miles. I’ve walked miles and miles with Matt but he said some of those walks were longer.

Maverick with his pack on a backpacking trip with Matt.

Maverick wasn’t the only backpacking dog Matt had; he showed me a picture of Doc and his brother with packs on. Doc was Matt’s dog and Cody, which sounds almost like my name, belonged to Matt’s sister. Both Doc and Cody really worried Matt on one trip. When Matt got to camp and set it up he fell asleep. Both Doc and Cody wandered off and were gone all night until late the next morning. You should hear the whole story. I think the picture with this post is from that trip. Doc went on many backpacking trip with Matt. I think Matt needs to tell and retell some of those stories.

Doc (left) and Cody (right) getting ready to go on a backpacking trip at the Mt. Rogers area in Va.

By the time Jackson came along Matt wasn’t backpacking anymore but he did use the pack. He would carry his thing on the long hikes they took together when they lived in North Carolina but Matt left it there when they moved to Oregon.

Jackson on the trail in the Uwharrie National Forest in North Carolina.
Jackson on the trail in the Uwharrie National Forest in North Carolina.

Well when our teacher said I needed a backpack to work with Matt remembered the pack and had his friend send it to us. We just started using it a week ago and I like it. Of course I can smell Jackson on it, I knew his smell from when I first came home with Matt. Now I am carrying on the proud tradition of being a “pack” dog!

Now it's my pack!
Now it’s my pack!

Well it is time for me to sign off now. Matt’s trying to decide if we are going to our lesson today. It snowed yesterday and he is not sure if we want to drive on icy roads, woof, woof!

Odee

Close Encounters of the Pony Kind

Woof, when I first started my blog I mentioned my buddy Maverick. He was part of our pack when I first chose Matt as my forever human. What happened to me reminded me of a story he told me before he went to a place called the Rainbow Bridge. First I will tell you my story and since Matt has photos of Maverick’s adventure I will tell that next.

The foal coming to investigate us.
The foal coming to investigate us.

We went camping last weekend at one of Matt’s favorite places we have come to this place often and hike the wide open spaces and forests too. Almost every time we come here we see a lot of the wild ponies that eat grass all the time. A long time ago, at least in dog years, Matt used to backpack all over and a lot of times it was in this area. Maverick went with him and carried his own food and bowls in his own back pack, but like I said I will tell his story later.

He came right up to me, woof!
He came right up to me, woof!

While we were on one of our hikes we stopped so Matt could take some photographs of the ponies. After taking a few photos a young pony got curious and decided to come over to us. Maverick had told me to stay away from the big ponies and not to walk behind them when he shared his story with me. As the young one, Matt said it was called a foal, started walking towards us I got nervous. All of a sudden Matt backed up and there I was alone with this big foal sniffing me, woof! I did not know what to do so I just sat as still as I could and tried to figure out what he was going to do next.

Woof, I am not sure about this!
Woof, I am not sure about this!
Woof, woof, leave my ear alone!
Woof, woof, leave my ear alone!

Right when it seemed like he might nibble my ear Matt came over and rescued me. That sure was a bit scary but I know Matt would not let anything bad happen. The foal went back to his mother and we went on our way. Now I know how Maverick felt when he had his close encounter. I will tell that story in the next blog.

Well, that was interesting!
Well, that was interesting!

Camping and the Ponies

A note from Matt:

Sometimes Jackson has problems with place names; he gets a little confused due to his excitement when on a trek. We were camping at Grayson Highlands State Park in southwest Virginia.

 

Woof, woof, we just got back from a short camping trip to one of my human’s favorite places. He said it was called Gray Sun Hi Hound or Mr. Rogers. Funny names I know but I like to go there it  is a great place. Each time we go we get to visit with those big critters Matt, my human, calls ponies. They look and smell different than dogs and they eat grass all the time. If fact they eat so much they usually do not even pay much attention to you, unless you get behind them. Now my human gets upset with me when I eat grass but he did not say a word to those ponies. He explained to me that was about the only thing they eat. Woof, he did say the eat apples and some other things, but the apples were about the only good thing I heard. They do not know what they are missing!

This is me at the sunrise hike.
This is me at the sunrise hike.

We camped at the park campground for two nights. During our stay I made some videos and photographs of the campground and a trail. Woof, I even got to go swimming! We got up early our first morning, well not really early for us, and met our friend Bonita (She is a human) so she and Matt could do some sunrise photographs. We hiked up a big hill, but it took us awhile. Humans are so slow; I had to keep checking on them to see if they were still coming. We finally got up that hill and as they were fussing over their cameras I saw the ponies and baby ponies long before they did. I was a bit upset Matt did not bring my camera. He promised he would do better next time.

At our campsite.
At our campsite.

Back at our campground Matt took a four hour nap, he said he had been working hard and decided just to rest. I did not mind that at all and slept with him. We stayed at the campground the rest of the day and I played in the fields. Some humans camping close by brought Matt a nice warm dinner and we enjoyed a fire before some thunderstorms made us get in the truck for the night.

That is a great creek! Matt said it was called Wilson Creek.
That is a great creek! Matt said it was called Wilson Creek.

The next morning we were almost packed and ready to go so we had some breakfast and went on a short hike to a creek. I really liked that hike because I went swimming and the water was nice and cold. Thinking about it the whole time we were there it was nice, Matt wore long sleeve shirts and of course I have my coat on all the time! Woof, woof, some dog humor there. I was sad we left so soon, I really like it there, Matt said we would be back soon. I hope so, woof!

Woof, me swimming!
Woof, me swimming!

Then we drove home and it was hot again, ruff!

Be sure to check my video page to see the video of the campground and soon I will have my video of the hike posted.