The Big Fuzzy Wet Blur

Two big surprises on our hike today.  1.) The cows have arrived for their summer grazing, and 2.) we (Maddie) ran into a shocked Dachshund.  I've never seen a dog with short little legs run so fast, and all Maddie wanted to do was say HI! Unfortunately, in my trying to get on with our hike I didn't not stop to take photos of either new encounter.

This has been the hike that we have been taking since the weather has turned for the better here in SW Colorado.  It is a great hot-weather hike because of the irrigation ditch that meanders through the forest.  It's a good source for a dog that likes water to cool her shaggy body in, and then that same dog takes huge pleasure in shaking all over the person who is with her ... me.  Very refreshing indeed!

Here is a small sampling of our many water crossings this morning.

Maddie is in constant motion and she loves to run and move very fast! Here she's getting ready to dive into the irrigation ditch.  The routine also calls for her to then run past me at lightening speed just to make sure that I know how cold the water is this time of year.  (snow melt cold)

Bridges are for sissies!

I tried to take a photo of her crossing this little foot bridge, but she jumped it.  See her tail feathers in the bottom right hand corner and no wet paw prints on the bridge?

Here's the Big Fuzzy Wet Blur blazing the trail (or blazing up the trail - I'm not really sure).

A brief moment of almost stillness, and believe me when I say that, it's practically killing her.  Too much to see and sniff to just be sitting here to get her Big Fuzzy Wet photo taken.

This is Maddie checking to make sure I'm coming.  It's not exactly like I'm a slow walker, but no way was I designed to keep up with the Big Fuzzy Wet Blur!