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A Day in the Life of the Aerodynamic Chow

My Camping Trip to Hole-in-the-Rock, Utah

So originally I was not gonna come with mom and everyone on the trip to Hole-in-the-Rock, cuz everyone said it might be too hot and hard for me, as a big part of the hike we were set to do would be really steep. Too steep for a dog to manage on his own, for sure! But I did just fine-- I'm super fit and athletic and I only weigh 45 pounds so my human friends helped me over the rocks that were too high.

It was definitely pretty hard. Probably the most grueling trip I've ever been on (and I've had a lot of adventures!) but I made it just fine in the end, and all the stronger!

The drive took about 8 hours. I slept through most of it. Whitney says I am the most excellent car-dog, cuz I am so quiet that she forgets that I am sitting in the back seat. I'm not even really all THAT interested in looking out the window. I do, sometimes, but I don't hang my head out the window like a lot of my other doggie friends like to do. I don't want to get hit in the eye with a fast moving particulate-- I've got the brains to know that! Did I mention that I don't go running out onto frozen lakes either? Not to brag or anything, but my mom says I've got more common sense than most humans!

We made a few stops to get gas and whatever, and then there was 50 miles of wide open dirt road to traverse in Whitney's little Malibu Maxx (we don't believe in SUV's). The humans all had their bikes attached to the back of the car on a small bike rack that kept falling down, so they were getting out of the car every 5 miles to re-attach the bike rack that kept sliding down. I helped by staring at them as if to say "I'd help too if I had opposable thumbs!"

On the way, Steve asked what kind of clothes he should buy because he would like to be more fashionable in the future. If I could talk I would have given him tons of good advice. They don't call me the Metrosexual for nothing. Hm. What WOULD I wear if I was a human? Probably carharts. In the reddish-brown color that is the same color as my fur. And maybe a striped scarf. Thrown over one shoulder, of course.

Anyway, it was seriously, the desert. 50 miles out into the middle of nowhere. We did get some rain though. And some interesting wind. We arrived at the point where our car wouldn't go any further (it was some serious slick rock) so we got out the bikes and I ran along, and my mom was babying me and offering me water every 2 seconds but I've decided I don't like drinking out of my portable water dish so I ran the 6 miles through the desert with no water really. I'm just as fast as a human on a bike in cold weather but man it was hot! I kept a good pace though. and the views were very cool!

We arrived at Hole in the Rock-- I kid you not it was a cliff! lots of climbing down and up rocks. I was worried that my humans weren't gonna catch me when they told me to jump! But they did. I even tried to get down some rocks too. Kinda slippery but my balance is great!! And then there was WATER. miles and miles and miles and miles of crystal clear water!.. We swam. and swam. I love to swim. I even swim for fun. Whitney said I am such a good dog cuz I swim laps on my own for fun, and not just to follow people around the lake.

But there was one time when me and Norell were swimming, and I went to the left and Norell went to the right and I nearly had a panic attack cuz we ended up so far away from each other on different rocks. I THINK I could have just swam over there but what if she decided to go somewhere else and I just ended up alone in the middle of the lake??? Oh my god I was stressed.

Of course, it was all good though. We stayed very late at the lake. So late that it was dark by the time we climbed back up the cliff and we needed a flashlight to get back to the car! We were kind of unprepared cuz Norell's headlamp ran outta batteries and Whitney had a bike light that half worked (you hadda hold down the on button the whole time) but it saved us! We saw a RATTLESNAKE in the middle of the path. I mean. I didn't know whether I shoulda been scared but some of the humans sure were, so I was really obedient and came when called so I wouldn't stress them out more. Steve wasn't scared though. He knew what was going on.

We slept that night. very well, cuz we were tired. The next day we went back to the lake! Really fun! But grueling. It was so hot and my feed were so sore that I had to wear my boots. I was too tired to even move by the end of the day. That's a first for me!