Disneyland for Dogs

7.26.14-7.29.14

Jon heard the call of the Wild; I heard the sound of a creme soda opening.

Regardless of what we heard, we both knew it was time for a weekend mountain getaway.

I tried to tell the dogs that we were going to dog disneyland (aka: Big Lake, Arizona); but Bronx is a lumbering idiot and Kali only has word recognition for "fetch," "ball," and "goose." I tried to get her amped up by repeating the word "fetch" like 15 times, but she was soon disappointed as we drove past the dog park and on to the highway. She felt that I had somehow tricked her into a 3 and a half hour drive. Its not my fault your cerebral cortex is not as developed as mine, Kali.

Seriously, how precious is this?

Husbeast with the furbaby.

Pasta salad, a cold creme soda (aka: Nectar of the gods), Taylor Swift, and two Mutts. 

The only thing that would have made this trip better is if I won the lottery.

The scenery on the way up was absolutely beautiful. 

We left early in the morning as opposed to the evening so it was the first time I had actually seen the landscape.

Arizona, you're alright.

Of course it started to rain on the way up.

I, in my infinite wisdom, had NOT checked the weather report prior to packing. 

I just looked at the clouds and KNEW it was going to rain the ENTIRE time we were there.

and I only had one measly sweatjacket.

So we finally get to our campground in Camp Rainbow and its freezing. It was about 50 degrees and its still raining. Jon pulled out some serious husbeast moves to pitch this tent in the rain. Take a peek into that tent. That is a REAL PILLOWTOP MATTRESS, folks. You can keep that inflatable crap.

#glamping

#whatdoesthatevenmean??

The next morning went a little like this:

Wake up. Photograph weird tree mushroom. Think of childhood cartoon FernGully.

Just kidding.

But that is one marvelous tree fungus.

Our campsite was secluded in the back with no one behind us so we went straight out into the unknown on a nature hike.

Let me tell you, plastic rain ponchos are the best things that have ever been invented.

We found this meadow and you could see where the elk had laid down the night before, which was totally awesome.

There was dew on the charred skeletons of trees that made the outskirts look jeweled in the early hour light.

Flowers were blooming and I felt like I had stepped into Narnia.

I was about ready to tell Jon that I was looking into a career change and decided that I would make an excellent forest nymph.

#nomorecubicals

I would love to build a tiny house and live up in the mountains.

I'll follow in Henry David Thoreau's footsteps.

I told Jon that building a tinyhouse is a good idea and the dogs agree with me...

So technically, it's 3 against 1.

I seriously love how much Kali loves Jon.

It just makes me laugh.

Can you even handle the cuteness in this photo?

I am about to warn you.

I don't have a lot going on in my life;

so I am either going to drone on and on about office life, or my dogs.

Just be grateful it's the dogs.

I tried bank fishing for the first time.

This was my view from the office.

Look at how big Bronx is!

You can't even tell he is still a puppy.

He is the one on the right with the stupid ear.

We call it a lazy ear.

I think I am getting better at this whole photography thing.

I captured this pretty artsy leaf.

I'm a big fan of Aspen trees.

Pups went on their first voluntary swim.

Apparently, Jon hucking them into a stream doesn't count.

Jon is apparently a crawdad catching master.

 

 They are kind of terrifying. We caught almost 20 of these little lake lobsters.

I'm getting good at this camping thing.

After a lifetime of fishing, Jon finally caught his first rainbow trout bank fishing;

Mainly because bank fishing is kind of boring and Jon could never sit still long enough until he had a sedentary wife.

The views were so spectacular. It was unreal.

It was basically like I was in Ireland, except for the part where I wasn't.

Here is the best thing about camping at Big Lake, there is pluming.

As in, you get to use a REAL flush toilet and you have access to wash thine bad self.

You pay the hillbilly man 5 bucks and you get a decently warm shower.

Seriously though, the man was full blown hillbilly.

Until I met this man, I could only dream of what backwoods actually meant.

Look at how precious my dogs are.

Bronx is such a stud.

A 9 month old, shoe-eating, burly, man-dog, border collie mutt stud.

I don't really need shoes, anyway.

 Going to Big Lake is like participating in all things American, with Arizona pride.

When you go to Big Lake, you basically become a demigod.

.... or maybe just a fisherman.

It's pretty easy to get the two confused.

I'd like you all to know that I did catch a fish.

Check out my first rainbow trout.

I'd like to point out that I did catch him all by myself, from baiting my line, to casting, to reeling, to banking. 

There were minimal tantrums involved.

If Jon says otherwise, he is a dirty cheat and a scoundrel.

Campingly,