Luckily this has been a rainy year, so there was an abundant water supply on nearly every trail. Although we always carried water for her, we rarely dipped into it. To top it off, because of our elevation—almost always above 7,000 feet and usually around 9,000—the wild flowers were extraordinary. I have never seen so many varieties blooming simultaneously.
We had a a couple close encounters with the wild life, but luckily they were benign. We had a female moose run across a trail in front of us. What a hair raiser! Bella either didn't see her, or didn't react, thank heavens! But the moose saw us and immediately turned back into the woods. Luckily she didn't have a calf with her or I think her reaction would have been different. Cattle were the other issue.
Many of the trails were cattle stomping grounds. We were constantly having to avoid them. This gave me the most concern as they were about as plentiful as the wild flowers. Initially Bella ignored them, but eventually became more curious and would run closer to them. This was compounded by the fact that when this happened, she also didn't respond when we said, "Come!" This could have been disastrous. Luckily, Bella was wary enough and we were able to bribe her with treats (glad I had them in my camelback!) to lure her back. You better believe reworking that command is on the top of my agenda!
The three of us in a van was a bit tight, but we all seemed to find our space and keep to it. Now that we're home, the luxury of space is fantastic. The van is cleaned out—a two day process—and is ready for the next trip...and so is Bella!
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