Moab, UT 2013

Monday, June 3, 2013

Best Buddies

Sorry I haven’t blogged. We have been on the road for 5 straight days trying to make it to Moab, UT as soon as possible.

As many of you are aware, Sire has bone cancer and we want him to spend his remaining days with us doing what he loves best. That is hiking here in Moab.

This first blog will be a synopsis of our past week and a half all in one. I will try to blog as normal from this point on, now that we are settled.

Bayou in LA

On May 24, 2013 we pulled out of our driveway and headed straight towards Utah. It took 5 full days of driving 8 hours a day.

The first night we made it from West Palm Beach, FL to Tallahassee RV Park. We hit the road again in the AM and made it to the Bayou Wilderness RV Park in LA. (What a beautiful place), and amazing Cajun food.

Again we hit the road early and then landed in Wichita Falls, TX for the night. From TX we drove to Albuquerque, NM. I have

My cousins

cousins that reside there. They came to the RV park to visit us that night. It was great to see all of them. We wished we could have stayed longer but we needed to move on for Sire.

From NM we drove very intensely, real long, and didn’t stop until we finally reached Moab, UT.

On the way up Ken's Lake

We checked in around 5pm and laid low for the night. Moab has a population of 5023 and sits around 4025 feet in elevation.

The first day we arrived we took leisurely and set up house. The boys, Sire and Beaux, were pleased that we finally stopped moving. The cats, Sir Lancelot and King Arthur, were also thrilled the motor was finally shut down so they could come out from under the couch.

Our view from the RV

The first thing we did, the next morning was to be introduced to the local vet. After taking Sire to a Veterinary Specialist at home, they informed us that the vet in Moab graduated from the U of CO, which is ranked #2 in the country for cancer treatment of animals.

Doctor Sorensen was right out of a movie. Standing over 6 feet tall and wearing bib overalls with a scruffy beard and messy hair, he was as patient and kind as he was burly. He cares for every kind of animal you can imagine. Cows, horses, sheep, llamas, buffalo, chickens, dogs, cats, reptiles, birds, bulls, and on and on.

We showed him our oncologist’s reports and x-rays from home and he sat with us for over an hour. Just talking and explaining what we were to expect to happen as the cancer endures.  His wife also works in the office and she offered hugs and tissues to both of us, as we would periodically cry.  Dr. Sorensen is so compassionate and caring that even though the next time we see him wont be so pleasant, we are so very glad to have meet him. He gave us his personal phone # and said if need be, he would come to the RV for Sire. We left crying, but confident that we were doing the right thing and offering Sire the best we could. (I’m actually crying as I am typing this, sorry)!

Back at the RV after everyone was relaxed and regrouped, we took the boys out on a mini hike. We went to Sire's favorite trail. Its called Mill's Creek Trail.

It is challenging in some places and is extremely undemanding in others. It has walks in and out of the trees and we cross the river several times. We climb rocks as big as a car at certain times throughout the trek. There is a lot of sand, being the rocks are composed of sandstone, and there is a lot of sun at certain points.

Beaux the rock climber, who knew?

The temperatures here can reach well above one hundred at times, and although people say – ‘oh but, it’s a dry heat’, try sticking your head in a 115 degree oven and tell me its not hot! LOL. Right now, this week it’s only in the 90’s but its windy season so sand blows everywhere.

We took the guys about 1 mile in and turned around so we wouldn’t wear out Sire. They had fun and both were full of good energy.

Sire did well, and Beaux, never hiking before, followed every step Sire made. It was adorable.

The boys

The next day we decided to go Ken’s Lake. Another favorite, easy trail. There is a tributary to the CO River on this trail, which makes it easy for us. Carrying a gallon of water weighs 8.333 pounds.


  
Tommy and I each wear Camelbaks, which are backpacks, filled with 3 liters of water. In order to make sure the dogs are hydrated, which is always a concern, they can drink from the river as we go along. We let them play in the icy cold water for as long as they want before moving on.

Old movie set

If you’ve followed my blogs before some of the pictures will look repetitive because Ken’s Lake is where we found and old movie set 3 years ago. It is in a cave and you can still see remnants of lighting fixtures along with chicken wire and fake petroglyphs. 

We hike often to find different petroglyphs and pictographs. The difference between the two are simply that petroglyphs are etched into the rock. Pictographs are drawn or painted onto the rock. Depending on which Indian tribe makes the drawings depends on which is which. (Next week we plan on hiking with 2 other couples to try and find this ‘mystical’ snake petroglyph, that is 17 feet long and few have found. It is an 8-mile hike so we have to build ourselves up to it.)

Beaux

Sire

After our hike up to the caves everyone was ready to return home. 

We cook almost every night at the campground, and for all who know us; this is a just short of miraculous because at home we cook, maybe, 2x’s a month. I love cooking at home and the animals’ love that we stay with them.

We have been back to Mill’s Creek Trail 2 other times and Ken’s Lake one other time with the dogs and it seems to be just enough for them to enjoy being outdoors and exploring.

Beaux, the wonder dog

Yesterday we took Beaux alone, to Negro Bill’s Trail. We left Sire home to rest in peace without Beaux jumping all over him all day. Plus we have done this trail before and know that it is demanding, and at times in the canyon extremely hot, with no air movement.

It is 2 miles in and 2 miles out. It is 2 miles of up and down and climbing rock after rock and walking along cliffs and in thick hot red sand. The trail ascends just over 400 feet within the two miles.  The good news is, we cross the river 9 times. Beaux became skilled on jumping from rock to rock in the water. Tommy would saturate him with the icy snowmelt to take his body temperature down every time we crossed. Beaux very much surprised us. He kept up.

At the end of the trail there is an arch called Morning Glory. It is spectacular and worth the effort to get there. Once there we relaxed under the arch and ate our ‘celebratory’ apples, as we always do. We pack one red apple and one green apple every time we hike somewhere with a destination. When we reach our goal, Tommy eats the red, and I the green. Why? We don’t know, but we started this 4 years ago and just continue to do it.

There were 3 people descending from the arch when we arrived. It was really fascinating to watch. When they reached the ground and all their equipment was gathered they also rested. We chatted with them for a while and asked if they can teach us how to do that. They said they would love to but were taking a group of 14-17 yr. olds out on an adventure for 24 days. Rafting, canoeing, kayaking, camping, rock climbing, repelling, and hiking. How cool is that summer camp?

Oh, on Saturday night we went to the Rodeo here in town. It is on our campground property, which makes it easy to access without parking problems. We simply walk to the arena.

I tried posting a video of a bull rider that was knocked out and then tossed by the bull he tried to break. He was like a rag doll. (It did not work, or I am not 100% sure how do it on this Apple computer, sorry.)When he left the arena in an ambulance he was still unconscience, but we have since been told his is absolutely fine. These cowboys are NUTS!!!

more flowers, suprised?

Okay, that’s our first week and a half here. Sire is really doing well. He tires easily but his pain meds seem to be working wonderfully. Thanks for reading. And please follow me. As always, double click on the pictures for a bigger view, and a slide show.