Blue Highways (with apologies to William Least Heat Moon)

We traveled long and far yesterday. The humans decided we would take a different way going back. Today we were leaving the interstate and heading on blue highways through the mountains to the deserts of Utah. It would take longer but there would be better scenery. The green mountains were a sharp contrast to the grasslands we left behind. We climbed up the highway towards the headwaters of the South Platte. The humans stopped to take pictures and I found a critter hole to dig. Getting back into the car, a deer ran across the road right in front of me. I wanted to chase her into the glade of aspen. The aspen glimmered in the soft breeze and morning sunshine. All is right in the world.

We stopped again at a high overlook of a salt marsh valley. It was spectacular! We headed down to the headwaters of the Arkansas river. Along the roadside verge, I watched a  continuing mix of yellow, purple and white flowers. We'd climb and cross a pass, sometimes stopping sometimes pressing on.

The forests evolved to grasslands between mountain ridges. We passed a very lonely cemetery in a glacier cut valley. It made me feel sad. There were thunderheads over the buckskin hills that were dotted with green pines. It was all very nice. We stopped for lunch at a little brewery in Del Norte. I got leftovers. The male human got a Burnt Toast Ale. He seemed to like it. One time we stopped at an overlook of the headwaters of the Rio Grande. It was spectacular with rocky spires against the green forrest. The little seven line ground squirrels ran from me. I so wanted to chase them but the humans wouldn't let me off leash. 

We drove and drove on the two lane roads and the grasslands turned to desert after we crossed the continental divide. I slept through much of that. We marveled at Mesa Verde. As the land got drier, the greens evolved to first gold and then the red soil. The small towns were a mix of strong and dying businesses; some evocative of a time long since passed. We drove and drove. I think everyone was tired of being in the car. We finally got to own little house for the night in a really small town in Utah. The male human took me for a little walk but I got bitten by a fire ant on my right rear pad. It hurt like hell! The humans tried to make me feel better. We had a nice dinner down the street. My foot started to feel better. We sat outside in the soft warm air sharing a drink and marveled at all the stars. The humans held hands. I love my pack!