Why We Climb

We never do such things but this past holiday season both LC and I decided that we would make a New Years resolution.

Neither of us are fat.

But both of us wanted to lose some weight.

LC for health reasons and me because..............just because.

For years long walks have been the almost sole domain of woman and dog, but since the new year LC has walked more often with us.

Long walks.

Demanding walks on steep trails in the hills.

By next month I hope to drag him up and to the top of Cedar Mountain...............

A couple of weeks ago we walked on a steep trail on the outskirts of Oregon Basin.

I had done this hike a number of times alone with Kory, but never with LC, and I was excited to make the trek with him.

It would be demanding.

Long and steep, but I knew that if he could hang on, the views from the top would be worth the effort

The day was cool, still, beautiful, almost snowless.................

The Tree Of Life.

I named this tree TTOL over a year ago when I first came across it.

Cedar trees at this elevation and in this high desert plains environment are often misshapen and gnarly - small and twisted because of exposure to almost continual strong winds.

The first time I walked this trail with my beautiful dog I saw this tree up ahead and knew immediately that it was special.

It is short and wide, majestic and lush, and it overlooks all the mountains that surround the town of Cody - Heart Mountain directly in front, Cedar and Rattlesnake Mountains to the left, Carter Mountain behind.

My favorite tree on one of my favorite trails................

Heart Mountain................

Looking west towards Cedar and Rattlesnake Mountains (seen between the wide branches of The Tree of Life, and the rock wall that someone built around the tree as protection against the wind).................

We climbed a little higher and found this.

This is the second time that we have found a grave site dedicated to beloved dogs.

The first was found in the summer, just a few hills east of the one we were now on.

Both grave sites had markers, and both sites were covered with many rocks to protect pet animals from the wild animals that live on BLM land.

As LC and I stood looking at the marker for Katie, we could easily imagine dog and owner doing exactly what WE were doing - walking the hills together.

This was obviously a special place for Katie.

It's a special place for Kory as well - rocks and trees to investigate, wide open spaces to walk and run, bunnies to chase.  She loves it here.

Now Katie can run free forever in Oregon Basin................

This winter - too much wind and not enough snow..................

30 minutes after we left the vehicle (and 30 minutes of non-stop climbing) and the basin proper began to make its appearance.

There is no way to describe just how enormous the basin is.

Huge swaths of flat grassland, encircled by endless hills, with views of both the close and distant mountains in all directions.

It is an extraordinary place..................

Still climbing................

Kory comes and she goes on these walks, and she relishes the freedom.

With us part of the time and then disappearing often to investigate whatever catches her attention.

I trust her on these walks.

 It is a trust that has been built up over many walks over many years.

She comes back often to touch base with her humans, and when she IS in sight I see her looking back often to check on us..................

When you finally reach the top of the trail it veers to the left in a long straightaway.

The views from the top of the trail are endless, silent and beautiful.

I looked back at LC to see how he was doing.

It had been a tough hike but here we were, and I could see the feeling of success  written on his face.

In truth I was no longer used to hiking with LC.  

It had been me and Kory for a long time.  

The dynamic of two had been suddenly changed to the dynamic of three but it was good to have him with us.

It was good for him to be in this place - high above the world.

Looking out OVER the world..............

There were a number of ways that we could take to get ourselves back down to the Suburban.

We could go back the way we had come - taking the same rocky and steep trail down that we had taken up.

We could make our way down the adjoining hill.

We quickly discounted that option because the adjoining hill was attached to the archery range.

There had been no-one at the range when we set out, but we could not see if anyone was there now.  It could be dangerous.

The last option was to make our way across the west side of the adjoining hill a short way before dropping down into a drainage.

We'd have to walk back up a steep hill at the end, but it was a short hill full of sage and desert grasses, and ultimately not too difficult.

We decided on Door #3......................

It had been a great hike.

Demanding.  Beautiful.  Challenging without being disheartening.

There was something fulfilling, redeeming and unspokenly positive about the hike.

As we slowly drove back down the rutted out double track trail, heading for the two lane highway that would take us back to Cody, the bulls silently stared their approval...................

Somewhere between the bottom of the climb and the summit, is the answer to the mystery of why we climb..............Greg Child

Walking In The Hills

On an extraordinarily warm winter day early in January, Kory, LC and I hiked in the hills that surround the South Fork section of Buffalo Bill Reservoir.

There was no snow.

The sky was endlessly blue.

The lake was frozen solid, but the air was warm on this unusual January day in the Rockies.

Again I say.............I love living so close to the lake.

And although it has been very cold over the past week in Cody, if we are not going to get any snow, then it just needs to warm up and be done with this disappointing winter.

If we are not going to get any snow, then we need to call it spring so I can dig out my kayak and be on the water.

But I think I may be getting ahead of myself.

It is still only early February and winter will not actually be over for quite a while.

As we began our climb into the hills I looked back over the beige terrain, wishing it were white.

Our huge truck looking very tiny as we continued to climb.....................

Right now the water level is low.

In another few months we won't be able to drive this beach front.

In a few months this will all be under water.................

A few days ago we received a Face Book message from a lady we know in Florida.

She is the same woman who sent out a desperate message blast five years ago, hoping against hope that she would find someone to save a very sad and thin dog from being euthanized.

The dog was scheduled to be killed in two days.

A week later we picked Kory up at the Boise airport.

A few days ago our Florida friend was hoping against hope to find a loving home for a dog that was set to be put down in two days.

This time the dog didn't make it.

Nobody wanted it.

And so it died - along with the other 20 or so dogs that are put down weekly at this shelter - because the facility needed the space.

For more unwanted dogs.

Such a wretched place, made necessary because of wretched people.

I don't know how Kory survived there.

I don't know how she survived long enough to find us.

Long enough for us to find her.

But I'm glad we DID.

Find each other..................

She wanders.

She comes back.

She disappears.

She shows up again - always from some unexpected direction.

She loves, and lives for, all of these quiet adventures that we take together...................

Ice fishing in a cove...................

Wandering up and down a number of grass and sage covered hills, we eventually dropped down to the rocky beach and followed the frozen shoreline as it circled around and back to the truck..............

I've been thinking a lot about Chris recently.

He sounds so distant.  So disinterested.  So vacant.

He's sounded that way for a long while now and I can't do anything about it.

Is he OK?

I don't know.

What thrills him, motivates him, excites him?

I don't know.  

I remember when he used to talk about career and making money.  When he talked about starting his own business.  When he talked about buying property.

He doesn't talk about any of those things anymore.

He barely talks about anything of consequence.

Sounds disinterested in talking to me.

I remember when he talked about no longer dating the woman he was living with.

And yet he is still there.

Years later.

Is he OK?

I don't know.............................