Early on the gorgeous summer morning of July 10, 2013, Lupe and SPHP set out on their 2nd Annual Great Dingo Vacation. Unlike 2012, this time they were alone. Once on the road, SPHP could hardly remember ever feeling so free. Although SPHP had told everyone that Lupe was headed for the Beartooths and Canadian Rockies, the truth was that Lupe and SPHP could have gone anywhere and done anything in the next 3 or 4 weeks and no one would have been the wiser.
SPHP turned off the cell phone shortly after leaving town. It and the radio would not be turned on again until dingo vacation was over. SPHP had the windows on the G6 partly down so Lupe could sniff the wonderful cool morning air. Lupe was riding shotgun and kept a close eye out for cows to bark at. It was plenty noisy in the G6 with the frantic dingo sounding off every 30 seconds. There were big beautiful clouds over the Black Hills, but the clouds were smaller by the time Lupe was crossing into Wyoming on I-90.
The plan for the first day was to head to the glorious Bighorn Mountains in N central Wyoming. There was plenty of time to get there. In 2012, when Lanis had been along, SPHP had wanted to see some new territory and had Lanis turn N on Hwy 14/16 at Gillette, WY to go see Spotted Horse. There had proven to be just one little store there, but there was a spotted horse! SPHP thought it would be fun for Lupe to go see it again this year.
Lupe and SPHP took the northern route into the Bighorns on Hwy 14A through Ranchester and Dayton up to Burgess Junction. Near Burgess Junction, SPHP turned N on a gravel road for a couple of miles. The road led to the North Tongue River and SPHP parked the G6 near it. A huge gorgeous field of wildflowers stretched unbroken upstream. Young Lupe, only 2.5 years old, had arrived at the Elysian Fields of Puppy Happiness!
Lupe & SPHP roamed upstream. Lupe sometimes got into the crystal clear North Tongue River to cool off and drink. Colorful butterflies flitted through the air, dragonflies zoomed around, and bees buzzed among the infinity of blossoms. Lupe raced, bounded and sniffed her way through the Elysian Fields of Puppy Happiness.
SPHP wandered up onto a nearby small ridge and followed it to a forested hill. Lupe and SPHP climbed up onto the rocks from where there was a view of the surrounding open fields, forests and mountains. Black and brown cows grazed near the river below. The scene was typical of the beauty of the Bighorns. It was great to be alive and free!
The afternoon wore on. Sadly Lupe’s time in the Elysian Fields of Puppy Happiness drew to an end. SPHP headed the G6 W on Hwy 14A from Burgess Junction. Just E of Bald Mountain near the W end of the Bighorns, SPHP turned the G6 onto a side road. The only clouds were far on the western horizon. Very fortunately, the weather was going to be clear this evening.
Despite not really being very well equipped for it, SPHP managed to lug 2 sleeping bags, and a pillow or two up to the summit of Bald Mountain (10,042 ft.). From there, Lupe and SPHP continued on along the gently rounded ridge to the slightly lower SW part of the mountain.
There Lupe & SPHP spent the evening with a sweeping view from the E around to the S and W. Lupe and SPHP searched the mountain. SPHP almost despaired of finding them, and then suddenly stumbled upon the names. Very happily, SPHP fixed them.
After the sun went down, SPHP persuaded Lupe to lay down in a sleeping bag for a little while. That wouldn’t last. The stars came out and the universe was on display. Far below and away on the prairies to the S and W, gradually the distant lights of little Wyoming towns started to shine too. A sliver of a moon was about to set in the W.
There was no tent. Lupe was going to spend the night under the stars. Her amazement and excitement eventually proved uncontainable. She slept well for a few hours and then SPHP awoke to suddenly realize she was gone. Lupe hadn’t gone far though, SPHP soon heard the tinkle of the little tag on her collar as she ran around beneath the stars. Lupe could not be persuaded to lay down again. SPHP tried to sleep.
For hours, SPHP dozed fitfully, while listening every few minutes for the tinkle of the little tag on Lupe’s collar. Lupe raced back and forth in the darkness sniffing at top speed the open ground on top of Bald Mountain. She returned to check in with SPHP every 10 or 15 minutes.
Lupe and SPHP were at nearly 10,000 feet. The Milky Way blazed spectacularly above as the rest of the universe sped away as it has been doing for billions of years. The silence and solitude of being totally alone on a high mountain were primal and magnificent. Sometime in the wee hours of the night, Lupe was finally willing to lay down on her sleeping bag and SPHP passed out.
A chilly breeze was blowing in the morning. The fuzzy white heads at the tops of the stems on some kind of plant that covered the area were waving in the breeze, somewhat like dandelions whose seeds didn’t fly away. The effect was beautiful. SPHP looked for the place of names again and found it. SPHP added Lupe’s name to the collection. Then Lupe and SPHP returned to the summit of Bald Mountain, an easy stroll up a gentle rise to the east.
After a pause at the top of Bald Mountain to absorb the glory of the scene spreading out in every direction, Lupe & SPHP headed down to the G6, a tiny red dot below.
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