Bombarded by news feeds that shrill, “The sky is falling, the sky is falling!”, even a stoic like me, grows morose occasionally. There are so many behaviors that baffle me, so many inexplicable points of view that make me wonder why mankind assumes it is superior to the rest of the animal kingdom. From my vantage point, man is simply less tolerant and more lethal.
To reset my equanimity I generally put some distance between me and the world by hiking or biking off the beaten path. Just a mile from my front door lies the Santa Ana River, a mile-wide, rock-strewn, paradise where I can wander for hours and the girls can sniff, chase, and roll in whatever disgusting thing they can find. There’s not much that the $#!t-eating grin of a happy dog can’t cure.
In the cool of the morning, we set off with a full hydration pack, a trekking stick with the rubber tip removed, and a small canister of pepper gel. Why the defensive weapons, you ask? Well, the local news source had published a story of a man and his gentle Labrador Retriever being attacked by a couple of pit bulls, only a mile away from our sanctuary. The owner of the dogs stuck around long enough for the Sheriff to show up, but he gave a false address so animal control wasn’t able to take any action. The article included a photo of the man’s vehicle, which included a license plate, so I would imagine he will eventually be tracked down. Sadly, his dogs will suffer for his ignorance.
At any rate, with the violence of the world on my mind, we set off. Taking comfort in the fact that the dogs have had their rattlesnake vaccines, I allowed them to explore off trail, knowing they are not clever enough to catch anything. The farther we got from civilization, the more my mind relaxed. There was ample evidence that others wander “my” trails, sneaker prints, paw prints, motorcycle tire tracks, but little trash. Two girls, wearing matching team running jerseys, greeted me pleasantly as they loped by, and a lone motorcyclist sped down a distant trail, but otherwise, we were alone with our thoughts.
And soon enough those thoughts turned to breakfast; and so our footsteps turned towards home, mind and body restored.
judyrutrider 
Fortunately , Judy , you have vast spaces around to hike and forget the madness of the world . Madness but also misery ,I think .
I like the photo of your dog Sadie on the rock !
Love ❤
Michel
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Much of the misery in this world is brought on by people choosing to believe the worst about others. If they would consider the good qualities in others, and recognize their own shortcomings, I think they would find their lives would be far happier.
Yes, Sadie is most cooperative when I ask her to jump up on the rock. She’s always eager to please.
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I’m a homebody. I feel in my home the way you do on your trails–safe and at peace. Adventure is as close as the kitchen. 🙂
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I agree, I feel guilty that this situation is impacting my life so little. Wearing a mask to the grocery store, working only two days a week, not really a hardship in my view. I do feel for the folks who have kids and who have to see to it those kids are educated. Teachers should be getting a whole lot more respect from now on.
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I agree. It’s a pretty ideal situation for introverts so the impact on me has been minimal. I try not to feel too guilty, and do my part for those who are suffering from want or loneliness. 🙂
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And I appreciate your efforts!
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Fantastic way to restore with Sadie for company! I desperately wish I was there doing the same!
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I’d love the company. Should you develop a bit of wanderlust, I have a guest house.
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You are so fortunate to have such a beautiful “backyard” to find your equanimity! Here’s hoping that we can all find a little breathing room to help clear our heads and hearts. Would rattlesnake vaccine work to protect against the venom of the current POTUS???
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LOL My vet thinks the vaccine is of questionable value against snakes, so I doubt it would any more effective against his vitriol.
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Where you live sounds absolutely amazing! I didn’t know dogs got rattlesnake vaccinations but I guess when you live in the desert there are bound to be a few. I would so love to live in an area so beautiful.
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I don’t know where you live but you might be surprised to learn that rattlesnakes live in your wild places too. They have a very broad range. While some people are terrified of them, I’ve learned that they are conscientious about giving fair warning and so, are easily avoided. Dogs often get bitten when they look for a cool place to rest, under a bush or rock, and find a snake has already claimed the spot. The vaccination isn’t fool proof but it does seem to allow a couple of hours to seek medical treatment. When I asked my vet about the efficacy of the vaccine, he said he had treated two dogs, one that had been vaccinated and one that hadn’t. They both survived. So, maybe I wasted $80.
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I live in Connecticut. I have never checked to see if we have them here. All I know is that your expansive landscape is something I have never seen before and is on my bucket list!
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