Summer Holidays - More Camping Fun!

As I was such a good boy when we went practice camping, Mummy and daddy took me back country camping for the first time ever this summer. We went a few times and each time we went further into the mountains and trees. We camped next to the most amazing alpine lakes and it was so peaceful. Just daddy, mummy and me.... 

We spent all our time swimming in the lakes and exploring. There were so many new smells – it was almost overwhelming! I even went mountain biking again.... well mummy and daddy did. I ran along with them, setting the pace.




Daddy and I played hide-and-seek but I kept giving myself away because I couldn't resist the temptation to peek and see where daddy was.














I even practiced my diving skills by leaping off a 5' wall into a lake. I think mummy and daddy were a little perplexed when I launched myself in the first time but then they saw how much fun it was and threw tennis balls into the water again and again so that I could jump in after them.

At night time, daddy made a big camp fire and put a warm blanket down for me to lay next to it. It was very cozy. I have to admit that I was a bit scared at night. Without the fire, it was dark and I could smell and hear a lot of strange animals although I couldn't see them. It didn't bother mummy and daddy but I think that was because their ears and nose don't work as well as mine. I always stayed very close to the tent.




Luckily I was allowed to sleep in the tent, in between mummy and daddy. At first I was cold but mummy wrapped me up in blankets and I was very cozy. I still couldn't sleep at night though because I could hear all the night activity. So I spent most of the time wriggling about and keeping mummy and daddy awake too.









After one camping trip, my Milo wagon would not start! We were in the middle of the Sierra Mountains and there was nobody around to help us. Luckily daddy remembered seeing some lumberjacks the day before and he set off on his mountain bike to find them. It wasn't long before he came back with help. One of the lumberjacks brought a massive digger and I thought he was going to push us all the way home. Instead he connected
the two engines and kick started the Milo wagon. We were on our way in no time. 

Later that same day we went to Donner Lake and played another of my favorite games: fetch the stick from the lake. After a few goes I got a bit bored and decided to swim out towards the middle of the lake with the stick. The next thing I know, a complete stranger jumped into the water next to me and took my stick away! Then another complete stranger grabbed me by the collar and hoisted me up in the air and into a speedboat. I thought I was being dog-napped! When I looked around, I had swum a lot further than I realized. Daddy was swimming out after me and mummy was in a small boat shouting instructions to the strangers. I don't know what all the fuss was about but I sure was glad to be rescued and back on dry land. Boy were daddy and I tired after all that aquatic exercise - he had to have a beer and I slept for a whole day!!

Summer Holidays - Mountain Biking Madness

What a fun day we all had today - mountain biking around a lake!

I wanted to have a go too but while I can reach the handlebars if I sit on the saddle, my hind legs are way too short to reach the pedals.

So instead, I ran around after daddy as he rode on his mountain bike. 

Summer Holidays - Camping Practice

We had a super night camping out in the wilderness with the raccoons and bears. This is the first time that I have been camping and it was a practice run to see if I liked it. And I do!! I was really well behaved – mummy and daddy didn't need to tie me up as I stayed close to them and the tent the whole time. 

I slept in the tent with them and didn't bark once. I spooned mummy all night and took up half her camping mattress so she had to sleep on the ground! This was despite the fact that I had my own little sleeping bag with a blanket to cover me. It was pretty cold last night - the temperature has been dropping to 4 degrees at night up in the Sierras. After all, we were at 6,000'!

I woke up very early this morning and made sure the campsite was still in order for mummy and daddy. 

It was only 7 degrees when we had breakfast this morning. I had kibble and steak, followed by sausages and baked beans. Yum!!

After my one night's camping, we all went back to the cabin for a good nights sleep (especially mummy!). If the weather permits, we might head out again to another location so in the meantime, I am getting in as much sleep as possible in preparation!

Summer Holidays - Reservoir Dog

Woo Hoo! I love road trips! What a wheeze driving along in daddy's car, sniffing up all the smells whizzing by in the air! The air goes by so fast that I have to squint. Not to mention it makes my jowls wobble!

I can't decide whether it is best to hang out in the back of the car and let the air rush into my face or just sit sedately next to daddy in the front of the car, and sniff with sophistication. 

On the way, we stopped to take pictures of ourselves. Mummy and Daddy took turns posing with me.

Eventually we arrived at a great big reservoir, where daddy and I swam after each other. I can actually swim a lot faster than daddy as I have twice as many legs but I let him think he is the alpha swimmer.

When we get tired of chasing each other we just swim around in the lovely fresh water. Sometimes I will pretend daddy is an island and try and climb on top of him. He doesn't find this game nearly as entertaining as I do.

  

At the end of our swim, we sat together on the rocks, sunbathing and drying off before we did a road trip back home. What a fabulous day!