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Tag Archives: Hiking

Ocotillo All Over

Last year my person and I took an extra long walk on trails that we hardly ever go on, because my person said that was the only place on my trails where the ocotillo grow.

Well, she lied.

Because we went on a trail that we sometimes go on – but the last time we went on it there was a sign on the part that goes back to our house saying it was closed. The sign said they wanted more cactus to grow on it – or something like that.

And besides that there were two people cuddling with each other this time.

I would have gone right up to those people and got some loves too, but my person said we could take the long way back.

The long way goes parallel (I don’t know what that word is – my person made me use it) to my regular trail, but it’s higher up the hill. My person says she hasn’t been on it in a very long time and I’m not sure if I’ve been on it at all. At least it doesn’t smell familiar.

So we were walking along on this long way trail and there they were.

Bunches of ocotillo just hanging out on the side of the hill.

They were even blooming with their little red flowers on top.

I’m still not sure why my person cares about these things though. I mean, look how tall and skinny they are.

If I was that skinny my person would probably take me to the vet for treats and loves.

I sure hope my person doesn’t try to take some of my treats and bring them up here to these ocotillo plants to fatten them up.

I think I’d better head back home now so I can keep a close eye on my treats.

Oh no, I forgot.

There’s a tame ocotillo across the street at my neighbor dog Toby’s house.

Toby, quick! Hide your treats!

12 Comments

Posted by Bongo on June 18, 2013 in Bongo, dogs, humor

Tags: Hiking, ocotillo, Outdoors, Pets, Photography, Recreation, Sedona, Sedona Arizona, Trail, Walking

Not Alone

22 May

It was a nice, quiet day on my trails and I was enjoying having them all to myself when my person had to tell me we weren’t really alone out here.

I looked all around and I didn’t see any people or any dogs so I don’t know what she was talking about.

My person told me to look some more.

I think she’s nuts. There’s no one else here.

Hey person, I’m done looking. There’s no one here. I need to get on with my sniffing to find out who was here.

Well, check this out. Look at the little guy in this cactus flower.

And here’s another one. Trying to bury itself.

How do you expect me to notice these guys if they bury themselves inside the flowers?

***

Or this guy?

This guy really is trying to hide. He found his own hidey hole.

At least this one is out in the open. I think he wants to show off. I’ve never seen one like him before.

***

Oh, look now. Even the ants are getting into the act.

What am I supposed to do person? These are my trails. But look how many insects there are. I’m afraid they’re going to take over.

It’s useless trying to get rid of them. They’re everywhere.

This is really depressing.

I might as well be chasing butterflies.

23 Comments

Posted by Bongo on May 22, 2013 in Bongo, dogs, humor

Tags: cactus flowers, Hiking, insects, Pets, Photography, Trail

The Empty Trail

15 May

Yesterday I posted about my hike in West Fork. It was so much fun. There were lots of people and dogs on the trail. And shade. It was nice and cool there.

Today I went back to my own trails.

Empty.

The parking lot was empty.

The trails were empty.

The only ones on my trails were me, my person, and a few birds.

I didn’t even see any lizards.

I think everybody went to West Fork and stayed there.

Maybe I should go back there too.

I miss all the people and dogs. It was cool and shady there. And there was water.

But wait a minute. I just thought of something.

These are my trails, and I’ve finally got them all to myself.

I don’t have to tell any other dogs whose trails these are.

I don’t have to worry about people who might not want to give me loves.

I don’t even have to stand aside while people – and dogs – come walking past me.

I think I’ll put a sign on my trails. “Bongo’s Trails – Go to West Fork.”

I won’t leave that sign up forever though.

Because I want to go back to West Fork again. I’ll take that sign down then.

31 Comments

Posted by Bongo on May 15, 2013 in Bongo, dogs, humor

Tags: Hiking, Pets, Trail

West Fork

14 May

Over the weekend I got in the car with my people and we started going somewhere I’ve never been before. My people said it was a place called Oak Creek Canyon. All I know is that the smells there were a lot different than the smells on my trails.

I sure hope this isn’t a new route to the dog hotel.

The car stopped and when I got out I didn’t see a dog hotel anywhere in sight.

Whew! I can relax now.

We walked a little ways and then I found it. It’s a trail sign and it says West Fork.

This is where I told my people to go. My friend Lola and her person Shary said it’s the best trail ever, and my people have never taken me here before. That’s okay, because now I can take them here.

Hey, check this out! It’s a bridge – and there’s water down there.

Now I’ve got to figure out how to get to that water.

This trail is nice, but I’ve seen lots of little trails that lead to the water. How come we’re not taking one of them?

Finally! The water!

Hey, this is like a Slip N Slide.

Here I go!

You want to do what?

I just got here and I’m not coming out.

***

My people finally convinced me that there were more trails and more water to swim in and they were right.

My person even found flowers to take pictures of.

I think my person is a flower magnet.

***

Finally! I got to go swimming again.

I’m just getting out for a minute.

You want to go where?

I don’t think so. I’m not done swimming yet.

***

I was forced to leave the water and head back to the car, but I’ve got a plan.

See if my people can get me to leave this place now.

45 Comments

Posted by Bongo on May 14, 2013 in Bongo, dogs, humor

Tags: Hiking, Oak Creek Canyon, Outdoors, Pets, Photography, Recreation, Sedona Arizona, swimming, Trail, Westfork

Road Trip

06 May

My younger person is home from school this week and today he and my person told me to get in the car with them. I like jumping in the car but I always get a little nervous about where I might be jumping back out.

We headed down the street and we made a turn. Well, this isn’t the way to the vet. I like the vet. They give me loves and treats there.

And then I got really worried. This is the way to the dog hotel! I don’t like going to the dog hotel. Maybe we should turn around and go back home.

But we kept going. Hey, wait a minute! We don’t ride this far in the car when we go to the dog hotel. Where are we going?

We rode and rode, and finally my person stopped the car. And there was no vet and there was no dog hotel. We were in a big parking lot.

And then we crossed the street.

A brand new trail! I hope my people brought lots of water because there are an awful lot of bushes that I need to leave messages on.

After my people assured me we had lots of water with us we headed up the trail.

We walked for a ways through lots of trees and then we climbed some rocks – and look what I saw!

My younger person went exploring some more, so I thought I might too.

But before I could get very far my younger person came back.

I could sit here forever.

What? It’s time to go back.

I sure hope there’s some treats at the end of this trip.

Click here to find more mischievous pets.

53 Comments

Posted by Bongo on May 6, 2013 in Bongo, dogs, humor

Tags: Fay Canyon, Hiking, Outdoors, Pets, Photography, Recreation, Sedona, Sedona Arizona, Trail

The No Sign

30 Mar

When I take my person through the dry wash on my trails we come to a place that has signs on the trees. That first word on the sign is “No” and I know what that means. I have no idea what the second word means. It’s one of those big words that people use that doesn’t make sense to me.

But I already know that I don’t like that word No. I hear that word too much at home when I’d rather hear Yes. Just once I’d like to hear, “Yes, you can eat the cat food that Scratchy left,” or “Yes, it’s okay to hang out on the couch,” but no, I never hear those things.

Since I don’t like the first word on that sign, the other word is probably bad too. So I’m ignoring it.

But my person says I’m not allowed to go past those signs. She says the other side of those trees is no longer my trails and it’s someone’s private property.

I don’t get it. It looks like my trails to me. There’s a house way up on a hill, but there’s nothing down here.

Don’t those people realize that these are my trails and they’re lucky that I don’t bring all my dog friends and have a party here?

But my person seems to think I should honor those signs. She, of all people should realize that these are my trails.

Since I can’t convince my person and she won’t let me go past those signs, I’ll just handle it another way.

See who gets the last word in now.

Click here for more great pet blogs.

39 Comments

Posted by Bongo on March 30, 2013 in Bongo, dogs, humor

Tags: Hiking, No Trespassing, Pets, private property, Trail

Name that Trail

29 Mar

One of my trails that I take my person on a lot doesn’t have a name. That’s because it’s not an official trail.

As far as I’m concerned it’s official, but it’s kind of nice because it’s almost private.

But I’ve been thinking, that trail really needs a name.

My person must have been thinking the same thing because today we found a broken rock on the trail and she thought Broken Rock Trail would be a good name.

She even tried to get me to pose by the rock to make it official.

I’ve got to think of another name quick. Broken Rock sounds so stupid. I mean, somebody accidentally stepped on that rock and broke it and now it’s going to be the name of my trail?

I don’t think so.

I thought and thought – as much as a dog brain can think – and finally I came up with it.

Here it is! The official name for my trail.

Good Sniffs Trail it is.

I bet all the dogs will want to visit it now.

30 Comments

Posted by Bongo on March 29, 2013 in Bongo, dogs, humor

Tags: Hiking, Pets, Trail

Flower Power

28 Mar

It’s that time of year again. When my person is the slowest hiker in the world because all she seems to do is take out her camera.

And when I think she’s finished and we can start moving, she takes it out again.

There are some flowers that bloom around here called Indian Paintbrush. They’re pretty hard to miss when you walk by.

I’ve been lucky though. None of them grow on the trails we usually walk on, and I can usually distract my person when we walk by the ones near our trail so she doesn’t notice them.

But you know what those Indian Paintbrushes did?

They smuggled a couple of them right onto my trail and hid them under a Manzanita bush. But even hidden they’re hard to miss because of their bright color.

And my person noticed them.

And then she noticed that those other ones were in bloom. Those ones I told you about that she usually doesn’t notice.

So she had to go off of our trail and get her camera out. And of course she dragged me with her.

But I discovered something about those flowers.

The bushes around those flowers – the ones they tried to hide those paintbrushes under – have some really good smells in them.

I hope my person stays here and takes pictures for a long time.

32 Comments

Posted by Bongo on March 28, 2013 in Bongo, dogs, humor

Tags: Hiking, Indian Paintbrush, manzanita, Pets, Photography, Trail

Trail Trip Without Me

18 Mar

Do you know what my people did? You won’t believe it. I can’t believe it because what they did is really terrible.

While I was stuck at the dog hotel you know what they did? They went out looking for new trails.

Without me.

How could they do that?

I mean, I love trails. And I love adventure. And how can you find more adventure than on a new trail?

And they didn’t take me.

And look at all the things they found.

I’ve never seen cactus like this on my trails. It’s towering over my younger person. Look how small he looks. It makes me feel bigger just to look at that picture.

I can be Big Dog now. My younger person doesn’t look so big after all.

Hey wait a minute. Now wait just a minute.

You found a lake on that new trail and you didn’t take me swimming?

This is totally not fair at all. I’m going on strike.

No walks for my people until they take me to that lake.

What, person? There is what on that new trail you found?

Attack cactus?

If you get too close that cactus jumps off and sticks to you?

That sounds like a secret weapon to me. If some bad guy comes I could convince him I want to take his picture next to that cactus. And then whap, whap! That cactus jumps off and attacks him. And I’ve got it all on film.

I sure wouldn’t want to kiss him after that.

What do you mean, that’s not very nice. I’d only do it to a bad guy.

You think I would get tangled up in that cactus?

I would never go near that attack cactus. I’m the perfectly behaved dog. I always do what you say.

Fine then. I wouldn’t want to go on that new trail anyway. Giant cactus and attack cactus and a lake that’s so far down the hill that I’d have to take a flying leap into it.

I’m all worn out from the dog hotel anyway. I had fun that you don’t know anything about.

Don’t even think about trying to take me on that new trail. I’ll be busy. Taking a nap.

Click here to find more mischievous pets.

36 Comments

Posted by Bongo on March 18, 2013 in Bongo, dogs, humor

Tags: Cactus, Hiking, jumping cholla, Outdoors, Pets, Photography, Recreation, saguaro, Saguaro Lake, Trail

On the Trail Again

06 Mar

Finally! Today I was able to get my leash and put it into my person’s hand and take her for a walk. It’s been a week – well, except for one day that I took my younger person. I guess my person is getting better at chasing that bug away now so she can go with me.

I had so much to catch up with out on my trails. I had to find out which of my buddies had been by and which of them had left me messages. I bet some of them were worried when I didn’t answer for so long. Well, I sent them all messages so they know I’m back.

I was so busy sniffing that I almost didn’t notice when my person got her camera out. It’s that flower season time of year.

Wait a minute. What are these doing blooming? I thought I’d managed to get away with no Manzanita blossoms this year.