Lupe – Page 147 – The (Mostly) True Adventures of Lupe

Lupe’s 9th Birthday (12-14-19)

What? Another birthday? SPHP said it was true! It had been so long since Lupe’s last birthday, she had almost forgotten about them. The American Dingo was excited! Eager to see what sort of birthday this would be, she rushed outside. The morning was frosty, gray, and cold. Not too surprising when your birthday comes in practically the middle of December.

Morning patrol in the back yard. A quiet, almost foggy, gray day.

Well, no matter. Snow and a little crisp air wouldn’t interfere with a few attempts to catch the good old flying disc! As usual, the main obstacle to success was SPHP’s poor aim, but Lupe was often fast and agile enough to make up for it. No doubt about it, she was still SPHP’s star receiver!

Returning with the flying disc after another successful catch.

The initial shock and excitement of having a birthday died down as the day shot by without much else happening. Shortly after dark, though, it was time to go! Lupe has celebrated her birthday with an evening party at Grandma’s house every since year since she turned 1. This year wasn’t going to be any different!

On the way there, SPHP stopped by Storybook Island. Lupe couldn’t go in, but she could see thousands and thousands of beautiful Christmas lights, and hear the festive music.

Just outside Storybook Island in Rapid City. The whole place, only a tiny fraction of which is seen here, was all lit up for the Christmas Lights of Night celebration!

*It would be even better, if they would let me in!*

At Grandma’s house, Lupe couldn’t wait to burst in the door and race up the stairs to tell Grandma the fabulous news about her birthday being this very day! Grandma was so glad to see Lupe, and congratulated her on being 9 years old!

*Oh, Grandma! Can you believe it? I’m 9 years old! Isn’t that great?*

Lupe’s birthday parties have always been small, but this one was going to be one of the smallest. Grandma and SPHP were the only guests. Lupe happily posed with Grandma to commemorate the grand occasion.

With Grandma, who has been hostess for all of Lupe’s birthday parties.

SPHP had brought a pizza to share with Grandma. Lupe wasn’t offered any, but kept a watchful eye while the pizza dwindled, because she knew what would come next. That’s right! A trip to the cul-de-sac with SPHP!

*A trip to the cul-de-sac is the greatest thing! Usually there are deer, sometimes wild turkeys or bunnies!*

When enough of the pizza had vanished, Lupe and SPHP headed out. It had been cold and gray all day. Now it was snowing and foggy. That didn’t diminish Lupe’s enthusiasm in the least. There were Christmas lights to see along the way.

By a splendid little Christmas tree on the way to the cul-de-sac.

Every year the “Most Beautiful Christmas Tree” had always been close to the cul-de-sac, but it wasn’t there this time! A huge disappointment! Actually, the big tree was still there, but for the first time ever on Lupe’s birthday, it stood dark and forlorn as snow drifted down upon it. Oh, unhappy change! It was hard to believe it wasn’t as it had always been!

To tell the truth, lots of strange things had been happening at Grandma’s house over the past year, too. Rooms full of furniture were suddenly empty. New carpet, paint, and various projects tackled inside and out. Grandma’s house had hardly ever changed until Lupe turned 8. Now the Carolina Dog didn’t know what to expect from one visit to the next.

Upon getting back from the cul-de-sac, Lupe decided she’d better take a look at the latest project. Down in the basement, a new wall was being put up. Sure enough, more progress had been made on it in just the past day or two. The wall was looking great, all ready for tape and texture.

Inspecting the new basement wall, the most recent project in progress at Grandma’s house.

The scary part of Lupe’s birthday celebration had been delayed as long as possible. Returning upstairs to join Grandma, Lupe watched as SPHP brought out the cake and presents.

Lupe’s birthday cake featured 3 snow-capped mountains and 9 candles.

*Look at all this! A little courage, and I’m going to be a rich Dingo moments from now!*

Cake and presents were fine and dandy, but their appearance meant the dreaded trial by fire was about to begin! Every year the trial got worse. SPHP lit 9 candles. The flaming cake was a terrible sight to behold! Lupe had to muster all the courage she could to remain sitting next to the raging inferno all the way through Grandma and SPHP singing “Happy Birthday!” to her.

*Please hurry! Get to the end of the singing!*

When the song was over, SPHP blew out the candles so Lupe’s birthday wishes would come true. Simply by blowing out those sinister candles, one wish had undoubtedly already been granted. In an instant, the solemn mood changed to one of joy! Presents! Lupe had 4 of them. She sniffed each one before SPHP opened them for her.

A big package of Good”n”Fun treats! 3 Kong SqueakAir balls! A 12 pack of Purina Busy Rib Hides! They were all great favorites, but that final 4th present was divine! Ah, that one Lupe sniffed with the most intense interest of all. Something scrumptious was in there!

Oh, yeah! A T-bone steak! Weren’t Grandma and SPHP sorry now that they had stuffed themselves with that lousy pizza? You can bet they were! The birthday Dingo was going to be the only one living high on the cow tonight!

*Will I have to pay luxury tax? I’d rather not.*

*I’m eating this piece of evidence tonight!*

Lupe tried to have patience while SPHP broiled her T-bone steak for her. She would have preferred to have dispensed with the broiling process entirely, but had to admit it came out all nice and brown on the outside, and red and juicy on the inside. SPHP cut off the biggest, tenderest parts of the T-bone meat and served them to the lucky birthday girl.

While Lupe made short work of it, SPHP wrapped the actual T-bone, still with a considerable amount of meat and gristle clinging to it, in a plastic bag. Lupe’s best ever midnight snack when she got home!

Cake! Ice cream! Grandma and SPHP both had some. Although Lupe could have had some, too, the luscious T-bone seemed to suffice for her.

So the party ended, with nearly all of Lupe’s birthday traditions from 9 years in a row once again full-filled. After thanking and saying good-bye to Grandma, SPHP and the birthday Dingo headed out the door.

The night was still, dark, and cold. No longer snowing, just fog. Would Lupe like to go to the cul-de-sac again? The question was unexpected, but the American Dingo was eager to make a second trip.

Near the cul-de-sac was a surprise. The Most Beautiful Christmas Tree was back! Not in all its former glory, but it was there. Only the bottom half was gaily decorated with lights, the top half remained in the gloom of night. Lupe went on to the cul-de-sac, but passed by the tree again a few minutes later on the way back. SPHP stopped to let her admire it.

The Most Beautiful Christmas Tree had returned!

By the festive colored lights once more.

Time to go. During the silent march back to Grandma’s house where the G6 waited to take Lupe home, SPHP couldn’t dispel the notion that the Most Beautiful Christmas Tree had made one last valiant and successful effort to say good-bye to Lupe tonight.

For it was good-bye. Early in 2020, the Year of Perfect Vision, everything was going to change. Grandma was getting too old and weary to keep up with the demands of living alone. Her big house with the sprawling yard full of deers and wild turkeys by the red rock canyon which Lupe had so enjoyed visiting hundreds of times was going to be for sale!

Oh, Lupe would see it all again, quite a few times before that happened. One day soon, though, Grandma would be gone to a place where Lupe couldn’t visit her anymore. Then all of Grandma’s old treasures would disappear, more projects would get completed, the for sale sign would go up. Long before Lupe’s next birthday, the special home where Grandma had lived for decades would be someone else’s to enjoy.

9 birthdays at Grandma’s house. This was the last. Sniffing along the edge of the canyon, watching the squirrels and deer, all these countless trips to the cul-de-sac would be history before long, too. Unless some special effort was made, Lupe would never see the Most Beautiful Christmas Tree on her birthday again.

SPHP spoke none of this. At home, a scrumptious T-bone midnight snack awaited. No sense in making Lupe sad. Not on her Happy 9th Birthday!

With Grandma on Lupe’s 1st birthday. 12-14-11.

By the Most Beautiful Christmas Tree, 12-14-19

Links:

Lupe’s 8th Birthday (12-14-18)

Double Digit Dingo! – Lupe’s 10th Birthday (12-14-20)

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Black Mountain, Bighorn Mountains, Wyoming (7-3-19)

Day 8 of Lupe’s 1st 2019 Dingo Vacation to the Bighorn Mountains of Wyoming!

Squirrels, deer, elk and even a moose! Nothing like a frenzied barking spree to start a day off right! The dawn patrol drive along USFS Road No. 16 to the start of No. 222 was one Dingo delight after another. The Carolina Dog’s response had been overwhelmingly enthusiastic!

At the start of USFS Road No. 222. Photo looks SSE.

100 yards on No. 222, and the road curved E (L) revealing a stream ford. The G6 was done. No matter. Black Mountain (9,489 ft.) was less than a mile due E.

*We’ll take it on paw from here! Only 2 miles to **Black Mountain** at most, even as the trail goes!* Photo looks E.

6:15 AM, 45ºF, USFS Road No. 222 – The stream, a minor tributary of the Little Tongue River, was an easy rock hop. On the other side, a broad, straight, level trail went S (R). The road went NE (L). No signs. Which way? SPHP checked the topo map.

Stick with the road, Loopster!

Lupe passed by a couple of occupied dispersed camping sites as No. 222 started uphill. Before long, the road leveled out and curved E. The sky had been mostly cloudy on the drive over here. Now fog in the treetops lent an air of mystery.

A mere 7 minutes after rock-hopping the first stream, Lupe came to the Little Tongue River. It wasn’t any bigger, just another rock hop.

*We’ve barely started, and here we are at the **Little Tongue River** already!* Photo looks E.

After crossing the Little Tongue River, USFS Road No. 222 curved SE (R) proceeding up the river valley, although not close to the stream. Even if there hadn’t been the 2 fords, the road was too rough in spots for the G6. High clearance vehicles wouldn’t have had any problem, though.

The fog thickened as Lupe steadily gained elevation. Not good, but she kept going. About 0.67 mile from the Little Tongue River ford, the road ended at a circle around a single large pine. The American Dingo had reached the start of Trail No. 011.

At the turnaround circle at the end of USFS Road No. 222. Photo looks NW.

*Even though it’s foggy, let’s keep going! Maybe we’ll climb out of it?* Loop at the start of Trail No. 011. Photo looks E.

Trail No. 011 was easy to follow. Wide and well-beaten, the trail went E. As Looper trotted along it, the sky brightened. The fog soon dissipated. Good news, but at least so far, the forest still hid any views.

Before too long, No. 011 began a series of long switchbacks higher. The rate of climb increased. Higher up, the switchbacks shortened as they brought Lupe farther N.

Loop must have been within 150 to 200 feet of the top when the terrain finally leveled out. A level stretch on a shoulder of the mountain SE of the summit led to a much rockier region and the first views of the day. The best was of Cloud Peak (13,167 ft.) far to the SSE.

At one of the first good viewpoints. **Cloud Peak** (L). Photo looks SSE.

**Black Tooth Mountain (13,005 ft.)** (Center) and **Cloud Peak** (just R of Center). Photo looks SSE with help from the telephoto lens.

Approaching the summit region, Lupe came to a wall of rock. Staying S of this wall, the trail went NW to an outhouse. A sharp bend E near the outhouse led to a rough ramp constructed of flat rocks. At the upper end of the ramp, the trail bent sharply back to the NW again, but this time on the NE side of the wall of rock.

Approaching the wall of rock as Lupe reaches Black Mountain’s summit region. Photo looks NW.

Heading up the rough ramp. Photo looks E.

On the NE side of the wall of rock. Photo looks N.

The last section of Trail No. 011 was quite short, but the most fun of all! Heading generally NW, the trail skirted along the NE side of the wall of rock. Lupe could see a huge amount of territory! Off to the E, foothills of the Bighorn Range overlooked an ocean of clouds hiding the prairies of NE Wyoming.

Getting close to the top. Photo looks NW.

At the very end, a little switchback led up onto the summit block. The old Black Mountain fire lookout was just ahead! A huge boulder right next to it appeared to be the true summit of Black Mountain (9,489 ft.). Lupe leapt up onto it to claim her peakbagging success!

On the summit block approaching the fire lookout. Photo looks NW.

Perched atop **Black Mountain**. Photo looks NW.

The Dingo guru of Black Mountain lost in meditation. Photo looks NE.

The Black Mountain fire lookout appeared to have been abandoned for many years. The entrance to the balcony surrounding it was chained off. Slipping under the chain, Lupe took a look around. The balcony boards were weathered, but firm, except at the far corner where several boards were broken.

To the N and W, a huge expanse of the Bighorn National Forest was in sight, but Loop saw no other sharp peaks. Twin Buttes (8,235 ft.) looked small and insignificant from here.

View to the W. Lots of forest, but no sharp peaks.

**Twin Buttes** (R). Photo looks NW with help from the telephoto lens.

The ocean of clouds washing up against the foothills to the E made it seem as if the Bighorn Range guarded the edge of a continent. Nothing could be seen of the prairies below the billowing white sea. A much higher layer of clouds wasn’t as thick or continuous.

On the summit rock with a view of the foothills. Photo looks E.

Looking back down the trail from the summit. Photo looks SE.

Gazing across the ocean of clouds. Photo looks E with help from the telephoto lens.

For a while, Lupe and SPHP sat together by the chain at the entrance to the fire lookout balcony. The sun shone weakly through the thin layer of high clouds. A chilly 5-10 mph NW breeze sprang up. 6 miles to the S, Lookout Mountain (10,147 ft.), where Lupe had been only yesterday, appeared slightly higher, but not very dramatic – just a big ridge.

SPHP still wondered if the 2 higher peaks beyond it had been correctly identified as Dome Peak (10,828 ft.) and the Sheridan County High Point (11,020 ft.)?

The most impressive attractions, of course, were Cloud Peak (13,167 ft.) and Black Tooth Mountain (13,005 ft.), which appeared close together much farther SSE.

**Lookout Mountain** (Foreground) with possibly the **Sheridan County High Point** (L) and **Dome Peak** (R) beyond it. Photo looks S with help from the telephoto lens.

**Black Tooth Mountain** (R) and **Cloud Peak** (far R). Photo looks SSE with help from the telephoto lens.

Exploring the summit region, Lupe discovered a survey marker on rock formations outside of a cable serving as a handrail along Trail 011. The marker was stamped “Black Mtn. No. 2”. An arrow pointed toward the true summit and fire lookout. However, only a small metal bar stuck up out of the summit boulder. If another survey marker was still around, it must have been hidden under the fire lookout.

Loop standing close to where she discovered the Black Mtn. No. 2 survey marker. Photo looks SE.

A happy hour raced by. Despite the early morning fog, the luck of the Dingo had held long enough for Lupe to get to see the world from Black Mountain. Not even 9:00 AM yet! Still plenty of time to visit another peak or two, if she got going. Black Mountain had been fun, and with such a good trail all the way to the top, pretty easy, too. However, it was time to hit the trail again.

Looking down Trail No. 011 from Black Mountain’s summit boulder. Photo looks E.

The descent was super easy. Lupe did a little more sight-seeing while still up in rocky region. Down in the forest, she sniffed and explored. Near the end, she plopped down in the Little Tongue River to cool off.

Checking out the views on the way down. Photo looks SSE.

And that turned out to be it for this Dingo Vacation. Lupe’s luck ran out. Despite plans to visit Freeze Out Point (8,305 ft.) next, it didn’t happen. Minutes after reaching the G6 (9:49 AM) fog came sweeping up from the E. Sea level was rising. No point in staying. It seemed likely to last.

The clouds were 3,000 feet thick. A strange day for July! Down below the murk, it was so cool that SPHP let the heater add a little warmth to the G6. The high plains of Wyoming were the lushest SPHP had ever seen them this time of year. Hills were yellow with blossoms.

Loop had a grand time barking ferociously at cows and horses along I-90, but arrived home looking dejected. The excitement was over. Her fun in the Bighorn Mountains had been cut short. What a grand time it had all been!

The American Dingo needn’t have worried. Lupe’s 2019 adventures in the Bighorn Mountains weren’t over yet! Before July was out, she would return. The best was yet to come!

*Oh, I hope you return to join me on my next Dingo Vacation to the Bighorn Mountains! We have a couple of splendid mighty peaks to climb!* Relaxing in the **Little Tongue River** on the way back from Black Mountain, 7-3-19

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