Las Vegas!

We stayed in Vegas for five days and went to the 12-acre Dog Fanciers Park every morning. I didn’t expect to have a good time, was kind of dreading it to be honest, but it felt different this trip. Two years ago all those big, rambunctious dogs were intimidating, but they don’t bother me much anymore. And I don’t feel jealous now when Logan makes new friends—I just go make some of my own. T and Nollind said I’ve grown up, but I think I’m about the same size. In fact, T put me on a diet last spring, so I’d say I’m actually a bit smaller.

Making new friends at Dog Fanciers Park

Vegas was more of a time for house cleaning and sorting than it was for sightseeing this trip, although they did go out a couple of nights when we weren’t invited. We always miss out on a certain amount of “people only” stuff. They try to tell us we wouldn’t enjoy it anyway but I doubt that. If there’s a place where people are gathering, I’m going to have a good time, period. Logan is more of a stay at home type. I’d go EVERYWHERE…if they’d let me.

Trailer cleaning day.

During the day T and Nollind cleaned all the travel muck off the trailer (we helped as you can see in the photo), filled the water tanks (which they couldn’t do at home for some reason), and got stocked up with groceries and other supplies (including dog treats!). They went out a couple of times at night for music and theatre stuff leaving us to guard the trailer against all of the marauding dogs in the RV park. Okay, they were on leashes, and most were tiny, but still, we did have an important job to do. Logan took the task very seriously, as is typical, I mostly slept, but don’t tell my people.

We set out on Monday morning, one week after leaving home. I’d tell you about what it was like between Las Vegas and Quartzsite but…well…I was sleeping.

On the Road!

We’re on the road, the four of us…and Sid, Sidney actually…what they’ve named the fifth wheel. That’s where he came from, Sidney, BC. We had to take a boat to go and get him. We dogs weren’t allowed up on deck to look around, but I knew we were on a boat. I’m ten and I know many things.

It was cold the morning we left the farm in Alberta, so cold the front of the truck was covered in ice and so were the roads.

Setting out at sunrise.

Not being a fan of vehicle travel, the ice and snow on the road only added to my discomfort. But they were determined to set out, my humans, after being delayed by one thing or another for many days.

We drove out of the deep cold and icy roads in just a few hours with only the odd section of blowing snow as we headed south into the first state of our tour—Montana. Chico slept through all of this, of course, which is why I’m telling the tale of the journey from winter. That dog would sleep through a hurricane. I try to sleep while we’re travelling, but I just can’t. I breathe deeply, close my eyes, repeat my mantra quietly to myself, “I will get there alive, I will get there alive,” but to no avail.

Back to snowy roads in southern Montana.

I just can’t quell the shaking and panting that leave me choking for water by the next stop. If I didn’t have such a good time exploring new places once we reach our destination,  I’d insist they leave me at home to look after the farm.

The farm…I do miss it, especially when I first wake up in the morning and have to remember where we are this day. Our first stops on the road were Great Falls, Montana and Jackpot, Nevada. Great Falls had snow on the ground with a warm Chinook wind blowing in all evening. 

The last of winter - Great Basin Hwy, Nevada

Jackpot was snow free when we settled in for the night but Teresa and Nollind got a shock the next day when they opened the trailer door to take us out for our morning constitutional—four inches of fresh snow. I wasn’t surprised. Despite the closed blinds, I could have told them it had snowed overnight.

Just an hour into the final day of the seemingly endless three days of driving south, we left the snow behind and I knew we were getting close to stopping somewhere for more than one night. I was right…Las Vegas!

Delays and More Delays...

by Chico

The 30th, they said I just had to wait until the 30th. Well, I may be just a dog but I can see the calendar from down here and that day came and went and we're on to a whole new calendar! It doesn't look good. I've been shivering since October but they just don't seem to notice or care -- well, that's not entirely fair, Nollind picked me up once when my feet were really cold and they did put a ridiculous, uncomfortable jacket on me a few times. How do the humans stand those things? So itchy! Okay, I was warmer but at what cost? Luckily, Logan was the only dog who saw me with it on and he had one too, even goofier looking than mine. T and Nollind said he looked "dapper" in his. If dapper means lame then maybe.

So here it is the fifth little box on the new calendar. The first delay was because of all the work created by yet another snowstorm, then it was a broken tractor that had to be hauled to a repair shop, then Nollind got sick, then the trailer got sick or something like that, then there was a near hurricane to the south, then more snow, then even more snow and then, to top it all off, T got sick. Winter will be over before we get out of here! The worst of it is that it's nasty cold again and this morning the dreaded jacket went back on.

They're saying tomorrow...but they've said that before, at least three times. If we don't leave soon I'm going to hitch a ride with another rig before the next snowstorm or deep freeze rolls in!