This could only end badly . . . . .

[Rick C]

Walking up Mist Creek in Kananaskis Country on Canada Day . . . . . an inviting bog appeared out of the mist and drizzle . . . . . . very deceptive, until one stepped into it.

Keeper and Abby . . .



. . . . . and the end of the cleanup, later at home, Abby gets a final towelling off.



But that was only the start of the trouble of our trek up Mist Creek. A little later, moving higher, the thunder and lightning arrived, followed by buckets and buckets and buckets of rain, forcing a retreat.

As we came through the same boggy area on the descent, with the rain pelting us, Keeper, below, suddenly snaps to alert, listening intently to the shrubs . . . . which caused me to get a little nervous twitch as well. This scene, with close set shrubbery that will later carry berries, is primo Grizzly ambushing country . . . . but nothing emerged to slaughter us and we retreated in good order.



Below, another day, another walk and we were underneath a hawk nest when momma and poppa began circling low and giving us dirty looks:



And other things at Abby & Keeper's photo blog at www.goldentales.ca/new.htm

Rick C
www.goldentales.ca

[Jim Hall]

ahh the old muddy dog in the bog lol been there bought the towlels


the hawk shot is magnificent

[clm]

I bet you were surprised when you realized what a dirty little bog that was.
Have you met grizzlies in your travels with the dogs before? Do the dogs discourage those big brutes at all? I'd love to see one, but not that close. I would have been concerned with Keeper snapping to attention too.
Great pic of the hawk. Certainly didn't look happy to see you.

Cindy

[Frenchy]

omg , Keeper and Abby look so satiesfied in their mud bath

[Rick C]

Originally Posted by clm

I bet you were surprised when you realized what a dirty little bog that was.
Have you met grizzlies in your travels with the dogs before? Do the dogs discourage those big brutes at all? I'd love to see one, but not that close. I would have been concerned with Keeper snapping to attention too.
Great pic of the hawk. Certainly didn't look happy to see you.

Cindy

Here are a couple of grizzlies not too far from that spot . . . . we'd hiked the 17.4 km. around Upper Kananaskis Lake and then spotted these two as we were driving away . . . a couple of summers ago. There was a fatal grizzly attack on that trail a few summers ago.



We had a black bear come out behind us a few years ago. I saw it and kept walking, with a wary eye over my shoulder, and Abby and Keeper, who were on leashes, saw nothing.

Two springs ago a cougar came out behind us on a snowy walk. I didn't see a thing but some people a ways behind me said it crossed the road about 20 feet behind me. We had been walking down a winter-closed highway in the mountains. I think Keeper might have actually seen that one because there were some rock chips coming down a cliff and she was looking up and hopping up and down. There were about 30 Big Horn sheep up the cliff a ways. It was spring and melting so I simply assumed the rocks were breaking off in the warm weather. Maybe Keeper saw the cougar and maybe she didn't, but it was right in the spot the people said it came out behind us and it had to have been within a minute of that moment.

I tend to chatter to the dogs and occasionally whistle as we're walking . . . . so long as no one gets surprised, everyone is safe.

About 15 years ago, my father and I were rampaging on mountain bikes through the woods on a backcountry trail near Shark Mountain, on the way to Marvel Lake. We stopped on a bridge to have a snack and we saw a bear, unaware of our presence, walking towards us in the woods. Finally, we made some noise so it could see us. It went jolting back into the woods and we saw it take a massive dive off a cliff and subsequent bellyflop into the Spray River, right where it forms Spray Lakes. Sploosh!!! Then it swam to the other side and ran off.

Rick C
www.goldentales.ca

[ancientgirl]

Look how happy they are all dirty!

[14+kitties]

Y'know they say mud helps keep you looking young. I bet that's how the pups keep their good looks!! Would not have wanted the clean up duties though.
I always love looking at your pics. The hawk is amazing !

[Lukka'sma]

That mud bath must have been one of those moments that makes you go hmmmmmmm!!

As always your photos are magnificent Rick, but your captions are every bit as interesting to me as the photography.

[hazelrunpack]

Lovely stinky mud!!! They must've been in seventh heaven! (You, probably less so )

Great pics and captions, Rick!

[angeldogs]

love the mud pic.great pics.and that must be awsome to see all that wild life.

[loopoo]

breathtakingly beautiful pics as always i love looking at all of them that pic of you towelling off abby is too cute

[JanM]

HA - Amber would love that dirty mud - she's my mud puppy disguised as a Golden Retriever

Beautiful pictures as usual!

[allymack]

Those are great shots Rick! i really love the one of the hawk, its amazing!

[Ford Girl]

Awww, you found the secret dog bog. As much as its a pain to clean them, it is fun to watch them just be dirty dogs.

Love the shots!!

[rainbow]

LOL.....they look quite happy in the mud.

I love the grizzly bear and hawk pics.

[wdawson]

great pics as always.....but where are the pics of the car interior

[growler~GateKeeper]

Good thing mud washes off fur fairly easily I bet Keeper & Abby appreciated the cool mud bath while it lasted.

Hehe I think Ford Girl's Dazy would like to join Keeper & Abby for the next dip in the bog

Awesome shot of the hawk

Great shots of the bears

[Rick C]

Originally Posted by growler

Good thing mud washes off fur fairly easily

Nooooooo . . . . . . . boggy mud like that actually doesn't wash off that easily.

It didn't fall off in the buckets of rain that came down on the way back. They wouldn't jump in the river for me since, well, it was raining buckets and they didn't see the point.

So, we got home where it was also raining buckets and got out the hose and had a good hosing down in the buckets of rain.

And they still have bits of that grainy muddy crap sticking to them.

But that's hardly the first bog Abby has been in.



. . . . . and not her first cleanup (15 below zero and she got muddy doing some digging somehow):




Price of fame.

Rick C
www.goldentales.ca

[clm]

So your dogs aren't perfect after all. We don't usually get to see those puppies all messy. That muck does look like it would be a pain to get out. I'm glad Bentley can't get into anything like that.

Cindy

[Lukka'sma]

How's the interior of the Durango? I just cringe to think

[Rick C]

Originally Posted by Lukka'sma

How's the interior of the Durango? I just cringe to think

It wasn't very good to begin with . . . . so, no change.

I've had the inside of the Durango piled to the ceiling with grass clippings and it makes a run to the dump most Saturday's with our (bagged) garbage. Lots of abuse.

Carol had just shampooed it because it was a little too ripe inside even for myself.

We're not animals but the dogs are and the Durango is where they ride.

We have a Grand Cherokee in which they get an occasional ride as well as a Chrysler 300 C hot rod (ostentatious I know) where they are banned!!

Rick C
www.goldentales.ca

[Ford Girl]

Originally Posted by growler

:
Hehe I think Ford Girl's Dazy would like to join Keeper & Abby for the next dip in the bog

Absolutly!!! She would love love love to join these two in the bog, the darker, deeper, blacker the better!

Originally Posted by Rick C

Nooooooo . . . . . . . boggy mud like that actually doesn't wash off that easily.

I agree, this stuff will stain your clothes!!! Its so thick and rich and goopy, it does take a hose to wash it off and some sun to dry it all up!! There is mud and then there's bog.

[growler~GateKeeper]

Originally Posted by Rick C

Nooooooo . . . . . . . boggy mud like that actually doesn't wash off that easily.

Ah well, I've never met a bog that up close & personal before, so now I know they're not the right place to go for a deep cleansing mud bath

[Judith22]

Great pictures what beautiful dogs.

[Dog Dancer]

Ah Rick good to see the camera is still working. The dogs look so happy as always. Great shots. Love your stories.