[at-l] My first overnite hike

[fosterp599 at bellsouth.net (fosterp599@bellsouth.net)]

Hi, my name is Roo.  I am a two year old black lab, I've been living with a young man named Trey but have recently moved in with an older couple.  The old man is sometimes called Dad and I've also heard him called Pilgrim.  He is not as much fun as Trey.

The old man took me to the Sipsey Wilderness for my first hike, it was more fun than anything that I have done.  I had to carry a saddle pack with my food, dish and water.  I loved walking the length of logs.  I learned to drink from running water, I thought that water was always in stainless steel bowls.  We saw a few humans and no other dogs on the trail in.
The old man set up camp on Bee Branch, I had never seen a tent but I knew instantly that it was a portable doghouse.  I had my supper out of a zip-lock bag and water from an oleo bowl.  We sat around a fire for a while, the old man did some sipping and I had some treats.  Then he said that it was time to go to bed, he opened up my dog house and would you believe he crawled into the doghouse with me.  I liked sleeping with my back against his back.

At daylight, I got him out of his sleeping bag, it took some doing but I was persistant.  We had breakfast and then broke camp.  On the way back to the trail head, we met a couple of humans with a little yap-yap dog.  The old man held my collar until we were about a hundred yards past them.  As soon as he released me I ran back to them and rolled up the yap-yap.  The old man was mad at me but it was well worth it.

I slept all the way from the trail head to home.  I have adopted the Old Man as my new #1 human.