Last week, my wife and I spent several days in Pagosa Springs, Colorado (The Official Website of the Town of Pagosa Springs (co.gov)) on what passes for our vacation. We travel little, so our vacations are short and close to home. We are too old to camp, and long drives can be difficult as are long stays. We will typically spend a few days some place close, like Salida, Buena Vista or Twin Lakes. Since Bailey is so attached to us, she also factors into our travel plans. We go to places that allow pets. This year we went a little further away to Pagosa Springs. The five-hour drive was almost too much, especially for my wife, who was recovering from an infection.
Because she did not feel well, we didn’t do some things we planned. We did not go into town to shop. We did not take any short hikes to the many sights in the area. And we did not visit the hot springs. The cabin we rented (https://www.vrbo.com/619382) was several miles outside of town on primarily dirt roads. This offered us a couple of very nice benefits under the circumstance. The cabin was really nice and worth the price, with comfortable seating and beds. The views, especially from the north deck, were amazing. The sound of the wind in the pine trees was not contaminated by traffic noises, and on windless days, the tangible silence was interrupted only by the songs of birds. It was a very peaceful and restful time for us.
Bailey loved it. The property did not have any fences and there was an area around the cabin where the weeds were mowed. Bailey thought she was at the park every time we went out. I would walk around the mowed section, on the road or even through the weeds and she would trot through the weeds chasing any small bird she flushed. One morning we walked through the weeds toward the western edge of the property when Bailey stopped and sniffed around an area. I went to investigate, and she was smelling what appeared to be a deer’s bed from the previous night with the grass and weeds matted down. Another morning, we kicked up a deer that ran away. Bailey didn’t see it until it was some distance away because her nose was in the weeds checking out something else. I will relate as an exercise in first person point of view writing another incident from the last morning of our stay.
The sun was up on another nearly cloudless morning in the high country. Bailey was anxious to go for our morning walk and lay on the floor staring at me while I put on my shoes, and we waited for my wife to get ready. Bailey got up ready top go when my wife, Carol, came out of her room. I put on my jacket, and we went out onto the north deck of the cabin. Bailey ran out into the mowed weeds smelling for a place to pee.
Outside, the air was cool, not quite cold. A pair of gloves would feel good, but I didn’t have any. The mountain vistas to the north were amazing. The rising sun highlighted sheer cliffs and pyramid peaks of the South San Juan mountains with shadows.
We walked east down the driveway to the road and turned north. The only sounds I heard were the crunch of the gravel under out shoes, the click of Carol’s hiking poles as they hit the gravel and the occasional bird. Bailey ran five or ten yards ahead using the easy trot of dogs. Her ears were up, alert, as was her foxlike tail. She detoured occasionally into the weeds to smell something. She seemed to really enjoy being in the country. After a block or so up the road, Carol turned to go back to the cabin. Bailey and I continued up to the end of the road and turned west.
Once Carol left, Bailey would stop and look back to see where she was as we continued down to the dead end. That is when I heard the “waawawaa” almost like a baby crying a short distance away. I knew it was a coyote and looked to see how Baily was reacting. She stopped with her head and ears up. We turned to go back while the coyote repeated its cry. Bailey ran ahead about thirty feet and stopped to listen, but now instead of her tail being up it was down like a German Shepherd’s. The coyote cried again, only this time it was answered by another “wawaoww” in the distance. Bailey continued to run ahead and stop without any detours into the weeds until we reached the cabin. I can’t be sure, but I think she knew what made the noise.
Let me know your feedback on the story section by posting a comment. I know most of my readers are family, but a couple are interested in writing and might provide good insights.
When we got home, I read in the paper that the giant sequoias were endangered by one of the fires burning in California. Ten years ago, Carol and I took a dream vacation to Sequoia Kings Canyon National Park (Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)) and Monterrey to see the big tress and go whale watching. I am saddened that the trees are endangered but happy we got to see them. I read they were trying to protect the trees with a special blanket. But if I remember correctly, the sequoias have a natural defense against fires and need fire to propagate and all of the trees had old burn scars. It is a bit confusing to me.
If you like my blog, sign up in the pop-up box to receive notifications of new posts. Thank you for taking the time to read my ramblings.