Travels with James
We took the puppy tent-camping last weekend.
It was an experiment. Would we get any sleep? Would the puppy behave bizarrely? Would we be slung out of the campground?
We decided to go for just one night in a state park close to home in case the whole venture was a total disaster. We went on a Sunday night, when we knew the campground would not be full. We camped high on a hill, away from other campers.
It was glorious.
We had a view of cliffs and mesas (which I failed to photograph). The park offers rock and adobe shelters. You can see our rock shelter here. So we had shade, view, walks along the Pecos River, and a dog who could not have been happier.
He barked only to welcome me back from the longdrop. We put him on a 30-foot cord, and he ambled around the campsite, somehow completely missing a snake we encountered while on a walk and and a fox that came to visit as we sat around the campfire.
That night, we had to coax him into the tent. He refuses anything unfamiliar, but once I lifted him bodily into our low-slung, three-person tent, he began to investigate. It took a little while to settle him down, but he spent most of the night curled up at our feet, dozing and enjoying the den experience with his pack (i.e., us).
The yucca and prickly pear were in bloom:
It amazes me how therapeutic just one night spent camping is. I was cheered and relaxed.
We're off again this weekend, this time to a park a bit further afield and for several nights.
It was an experiment. Would we get any sleep? Would the puppy behave bizarrely? Would we be slung out of the campground?
We decided to go for just one night in a state park close to home in case the whole venture was a total disaster. We went on a Sunday night, when we knew the campground would not be full. We camped high on a hill, away from other campers.
It was glorious.
We had a view of cliffs and mesas (which I failed to photograph). The park offers rock and adobe shelters. You can see our rock shelter here. So we had shade, view, walks along the Pecos River, and a dog who could not have been happier.
He barked only to welcome me back from the longdrop. We put him on a 30-foot cord, and he ambled around the campsite, somehow completely missing a snake we encountered while on a walk and and a fox that came to visit as we sat around the campfire.
That night, we had to coax him into the tent. He refuses anything unfamiliar, but once I lifted him bodily into our low-slung, three-person tent, he began to investigate. It took a little while to settle him down, but he spent most of the night curled up at our feet, dozing and enjoying the den experience with his pack (i.e., us).
The yucca and prickly pear were in bloom:
It amazes me how therapeutic just one night spent camping is. I was cheered and relaxed.We're off again this weekend, this time to a park a bit further afield and for several nights.
5 comments:
How lovely! We loved camping with Mia when she was a puppy.
Aaahhhh...relaxing just looking at the pics. If going anywhere at ALL with the divas weren't such a production, I'd try camping with them...camped ALL the time as a kid. Miss that, so thanks for sharing.
Isn't NM just gorgeous? This time of year is one of my favorites. Everything's in bloom!
Thebes and I have been taking more day hikes lately but your pictures make me crave a long weekend of camping.
Good words.
nice pic
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