I'm always searching for places that I can go off trail and

Black and white border collie standing on a green hillside with a forest below and a snow-patched mountain in the background under a partly cloudy sky

I'm always searching for places that I can go off trail and not encounter anybody, and have quite a few that the border collies and I visit every summer. My favorite spots are when you weave your way up through the spruce and fir forest and up across timberline. Beau and Hayley always stay pretty close to me no matter where we are. Mollie always liked to wander and explore, and Jess is following in her footsteps. It's amazing how much ground they could cover in the alpine. I get a good feeling just watching little Jess enjoying the wide open space and freedom, acting like a real dog, a mountain dog.

Two of my three border collies are very ball motivated. (Beau and Jess; Hayley is more interested in herding the other border collies) I usually have a ball along in my backpack for them. You can see by their eyes in the video above it is a game that exercises some of their herding instincts. At home it makes Jess’s day when I let her in to move the chickens around in their yard. I have to keep her on some sort of control - with a leash or an ecollar, since her excitement at doing some herding can get away with her, and she is young and very strong

View from behind a black border collie looking toward another border collie standing on a patch of snow in a mountainous alpine landscape with rocky slopes and evergreen trees

Small white flowers with yellow centers growing closely together among green leaves and moss on rocky ground

(click on photos below for larger image . . . - Esc or clicking outside of image will close it)

small cluster of tubular flowers in shades of pink, purple, and blue hanging from a stem with green leaves covered in water droplets

Tree trunk with green moss growing on its bark and a small plant with green leaves emerging from the forest floor covered in pine needles

Dense forest scene with tall spruce and fir trees, fallen logs, and lush green undergrowth

Dense forest with tall spruce and fir trees surrounded by green moss and small plants on the forest floor

black curly-coated dog wearing a pack standing in a forested area with evergreen trees and a tree stump nearby

Moss-covered tree stump and roots on a forest floor with pine needles and some greenery, with a dog's face partially visible on the right side

Dense spruce and fir forest with a small evergreen tree in the foreground and a forest floor covered in grass and fallen logs

black and white border collie wearing a backpack standing on a green forest floor with tall evergreen trees surrounding

Black and white border collie wearing a small backpack sitting on a large lichen-covered rock with a forest of tall evergreen trees in the background under a cloudy sky

Young evergreen tree surrounded by fallen logs and green grass in a forested area

Black and white border collie lying at the entrance of a small blue and red tent set on green grass near dense evergreen trees, with a backpack and another dog partially visible nearby

Base of a moss-covered tree trunk with an opening at the root and a small green plant growing nearby among fallen pine needles

June 2024 backpacking

Dense forest scene with various evergreen trees and green moss covering the forest floor, fallen logs scattered around

Red and teal tent pitched in a lush green meadow surrounded by tall pine trees with a snow-capped mountain under a partly cloudy blue sky in the background

Backpack suspended in mid-air between tall pine trees under a partly cloudy blue sky above a grassy forest floor

Rolling green hills dotted with evergreen trees under a dramatic sky filled with thick clouds and patches of blue

Two black and white border collies standing on a grassy hillside dotted with yellow wildflowers with rugged, snow-dusted mountains under a partly cloudy sky in the background

black and white dog sitting in a green meadow with yellow wildflowers, overlooking snow-patched rocky mountains under a partly cloudy blue sky

small white flowers with yellow centers growing among green leaves and dry grass

Border collie standing in a green alpine meadow dotted with small white flowers, with a rocky hillside and patches of snow in the background

Purple wildflowers growing among green plants and rocks with a mountainous landscape in the background under a partly cloudy sky

Black dog standing on a rocky alpine slope covered with green plants and wildflowers, overlooking mountainous terrain under a partly cloudy sky

Man in a cowboy hat and plaid shirt standing with a walking stick on a rocky mountain slope covered in grass and wildflowers, overlooking distant peaks under a partly cloudy sky with two dogs resting nearby

Mountain landscape with green shrubs and grass in the foreground, rocky peaks partially covered in snow in the background, and a partly cloudy blue sky above

Rolling green hills dotted with small clusters of trees under a partly cloudy blue sky with distant mountains on the horizon

Border collie standing on a grassy alpine hillside with mountains and a blue sky with scattered clouds in the background

black and white border collie sitting on a rock in a forested area wearing a small backpack

Mountain creek flowing through a lush forest with patches of melting snow on the banks and green vegetation surrounding the water

Grassy alpine hillside dotted with small white flowers under a partly cloudy blue sky, with rugged mountain peaks in the background

Rolling green hills with scattered evergreen trees under a partly cloudy blue sky, with distant mountains on the horizon

Border collie standing alert on a green alpine meadow with tall pine trees and snow-capped mountains in the background under a partly cloudy blue sky

clear night sky filled with countless stars and a faint view of the Milky Way above a dark mountain silhouette

Star-filled night sky with the Milky Way visible above dark silhouettes of tall pine trees

Black and white border collie standing on rocky terrain with a blurred mountainous landscape in the background

Black and white border collie resting with head on grass surrounded by small yellow flowers and a wooden stick nearby

A bumblebee hovering near two purple and white columbine flowers with a blurred green background

Two delicate purple and white wildflowers with yellow centers surrounded by green grass and foliage

Three border collies on a green alpine meadow with dense spruce forest and snow-patched mountains under a cloudy sky at sunset

small wildflowers with white and pale yellow petals growing near water and grass

A man wearing a cowboy hat and dark clothing stands near a small campfire in a forest clearing, with a black and white border collie nearby and a sunlit mountain covered in trees in the background

A black and white border collie lying on grass in front of a small blue and red tent, surrounded by green trees and forest vegetation

Large rugged rock formations towering above a dense forest of evergreen trees under a partly cloudy sky

Sunlit rock faces with patches of shade towering above a dense forest of evergreen trees

Large sunlit rock formation with steep, smooth surfaces surrounded by dense green pine trees

Large rocky cliff face with scattered pine trees at the base, bathed in soft sunlight

Mountain peak with patches of snow above a dense green forest under a cloudy sky

Cloud-covered mountain with patches of snow above a dense forest of evergreen trees

Dense forest of spruce and fir trees covering rolling hills with sunlight casting shadows across the trees

Tall green pine trees growing on a rocky hillside under a bright blue sky with scattered white clouds

Tall green spruce and fir trees on a rocky forested slope under a partly cloudy blue sky

Two black border collies in a mountainous landscape with patches of snow, surrounded by evergreen trees and rocky terrain under a partly cloudy sky

close-up of a delicate flower with lavender purple petals and long slender stems against a soft green and pink blurred background

view over the ears of a black dog looking down a mountain slope covered with patches of snow, rocks, shrubs, and evergreen trees, with another black dog standing ahead on the snow

View from behind a black border collie looking down a steep rocky hillside with patches of snow and a second black border collie standing further down near a forested area and mountain slopes

A grassy and rocky hillside partially covered with evergreen trees under a bright blue sky with white clouds

Small patch of melting snow surrounded by green grass and dense evergreen trees under a partly cloudy sky

Close-up of moss-covered rocks and evergreen branches in a forested area

Black and white border collie with blue eyes resting on the ground next to a patch of melting snow in a forested area

Two black and white dogs standing in and near a shallow creek surrounded by spring snow patches and tall evergreen trees under a partly cloudy sky

Patch of snow on the forest floor surrounded by tall green spruce and fir trees under a clear blue sky

Small purple wildflower with green leaves growing at the base of a large rock covered in lichen, surrounded by gravel and moss

Cluster of small white wildflowers with yellow and occasional pink centers among green leaves and stems

close-up of a delicate purple and white flower with a fuzzy texture on the petals and a blurred natural background

Small white and pink flowers with yellow centers growing among green leaves and moss on rocky ground

Two black and white dogs standing on a large rock amid alpine terrain with green moss and rocks under a blue sky with white clouds

delicate purple and white flower with elongated petals surrounded by green leaves and pine needles

delicate purple wildflower with slender petals growing among green foliage

black and white border collie sitting attentively among green plants and wildflowers in a forested area

black and white border collie sitting alert on a moss-covered rock in a forest clearing with tall slender trees and green vegetation

purple and white wildflower with yellow stamens and a single closed bud against a blurred natural background

Cluster of small bell-shaped flowers transitioning in color from pink to blue, surrounded by green leaves with water droplets

Root base of a moss-covered tree with a hollow opening and small green plants growing nearby on the forest floor covered with pine needles

Dense forest scene with tall spruce and fir trees and green undergrowth, including fallen logs on the forest floor

Clusters of small white and pale yellow wildflowers with green leaves growing on a forest floor near a blurred background of rocks and water

Dense forest with tall spruce and fir trees, low green undergrowth, scattered rocks, and a small curved pine bush near the center

a black dog with a curly coat wearing a small backpack standing on a forest floor with pine trees and vegetation in the background

moss-covered tree stump in a forest with brown needle-covered ground and part of a black and white dog's face visible on the right

Small evergreen tree surrounded by taller pine trees in a forest with scattered fallen logs and ground covered in dry leaves and greenery

border collie wearing a black pack standing on green forest floor among tall evergreen trees

black and white border collie wearing a black backpack sitting on a mossy rock in a grassy forest clearing with tall evergreen trees in the background

hiker with a large backpack standing on a grassy meadow next to a black and white border collie, with tall evergreen trees and snow patch-covered mountain peaks in the background

small evergreen tree surrounded by fallen large weathered logs on green forest floor with other trees and vegetation in background

Black and white border collie lying at the entrance of a small teal and red tent in a forest clearing with a backpack nearby

Red and blue tent set up on a grassy alpine meadow surrounded by tall evergreen trees with snow patches visible on distant mountain peaks under a partly cloudy sky

Small stream flowing through a grassy area with yellow wildflowers and green leaves along the bank

Black backpack suspended midair against a forest backdrop with green trees and a blue sky with scattered clouds

Two tall evergreen trees on a green hillside with snow patches on a mountain in the background under a cloudy sky

rolling green hills covered with scattered evergreen trees under a sky filled with large, dramatic clouds

Two black and white border collies on a grassy alpine hillside with yellow wildflowers, backed by rugged mountain peaks under a partly cloudy sky

Black and white border collie sitting in a green alpine meadow dotted with yellow wildflowers, looking towards rugged mountains under a blue sky with scattered clouds

small white wildflowers with yellow centers growing among green leaves and dry grass on the ground

A border collie standing in a green alpine meadow dotted with small white flowers near a rocky hillside with patches of snow

Rocky mountain slope with patches of green vegetation and clusters of small purple wildflowers under a partly cloudy sky

Black border collie standing on a rocky alpine hillside with yellow and purple wildflowers, looking towards snow-capped mountains under a partly cloudy blue sky

Older man with a walking stick standing on a rocky mountain slope with green grass and yellow wildflowers under a partly cloudy blue sky, accompanied by two border collies resting on the hillside

black and white border collie lying on grass in front of a partially open blue and red tent with pine trees in the background

Man wearing a cowboy hat and red plaid shirt standing on a wildflower-covered mountain slope with a walking stick, snow-capped peaks and a partly cloudy blue sky in the background

A grassy hillside with a black and white dog standing among low vegetation, with dense fir forested slopes and a tall mountain partially covered in snow under a blue sky with clouds

Mountain peak partially covered with patches of snow and low-hanging clouds above dense evergreen forest

Sunlight casting shadows on a green mountain slope with patches of lingering snow above a dense spruce and fir forest

Evergreen trees in foreground with steep rocky mountain slopes above, patchy snow on the mountains, and low clouds drifting around the peaks

Dense evergreen forest covering rolling hills with patches of sunlight filtering through the trees

More journal notes: (not always sequential)

July 1st, 2024:

I just made reservations to stop in Cody, Wyoming overnight on the way to camping at the edge of the Beartooth plateau. This time I am staying in a room so that I can take my time and visit the Buffalo Bill Western Art and Natural History and Plains Indian Museum in Cody. It also breaks up the long drive, so I don't have to rush up there and set up my tent before dark.

When I was married my family took many vacations in Yellowstone, and we would also often spend a night in Cody to visit the museum. On most trips my ex-wife Janet and I would go over and do some dancing at Cassie's, a dinner place and dance hall on the west edge of town. I still remember the band they had one night played a western version of Simon and Garfunkel's Sound of Silence with a steel guitar; the perfect song for the landscape of Wyoming, especially in winter.

Janet and I had some good nights dancing at Cassie's. I've said this many times before, and it's ancient history by now, but the heartache I had to deal with when she dumped me was a turning point in my life. Over time though the lonesome and deep pain became familiar and comfortable, and actually a part of who I was. All the dancing I eventually learned to do with beautiful women at the dance halls was a way to suppress that feeling for a while. And I think that's why I came to love high wide open spaces with just me and the dogs even more. It allowed me to open up the emptiness inside, and accept the healing from the beauty and mystery from up there, which certainly was life changing.

aerial view of mountainous terrain with winding yellow roads and scattered patches of snow and vegetation

topographic map showing detailed elevation contours, lakes, trails, and roads around a mountainous area with a campground marked at Island Lake

June 29th, 2024:

Saturday, working in the yard, preparing the soil to replace the grass that the chickens have turned to bare ground. At least they killed the thistles that always come up every year. First thing I will do is fence it from them, then spread annual rye seed and cover it with straw, to be watered every six hours until it comes up. Little Jess likes nothing more than to lie in a patch of grass, so I am going to get that going for her in the back. Right now I have to let her into the front to sit beneath the oak tree in the grass, with Beau and Hayley. (supervised, behind a fence I put in four years ago).

The backdrop of this is that just knowing I will be out this Saturday night dancing puts me in a good mood. Excitement, spontaneity, and the renewal of music will make me feel alive and rich in heart. That is no small thing.

June 22nd, 2024:

Today I finally got motivated to begin organizing and decluttering the garage, after thinking about it for quite some time but nothing more. I spent several hours out there, and it is like a step back in time; going through all my old backpacking gear, and the kids' toys from 40 years ago. A lot of stuff goes into the charity pile, the rest I rebox and put a label on the front with the date I reboxed it. Eventually it will all go.

I found a collection of old cd’s that I stored photos on from 20+ years ago. I took one from 2004 inside and loaded it on the pc. It was from backpacking down in the San Juan mountains of Colorado with my border collies Ben and Maggie. The photo below of Ben was on it. What a beautiful and wild spirited dog he was. I still miss him, and Maggie.

The photos from that trip were from when I was suddenly alone after a long marriage in the house where my daughters grew up which was now very quiet. I immersed myself in wilderness trips with the dogs, letting the freedom of high country Colorado wash away the broken heart I was living through. There is plenty to deal with when the one love of your life decided she needed to move on and felt she had found something better. It’s pretty hard to compete when you are old and familiar trying to hold your own against something new and exciting.

But of course the blame is not only on her; we had grown apart; I can see there were plenty of mistakes I made, and a lot of things I would do differently. When I tried to reverse course so we could stay together it was too late. Since then I have learned that all relationships eventually can turn stale. You have to work extra hard at that point to try to keep some common interests, stay friends, and try to make the relationship exciting.

Actually I knew that what she and I had while out dancing was pretty special. We might have had our own interests during the week but would get together on Saturday and have a good time out dancing together. Not many couples that had been married that long did that sort of thing. I actually thought it might keep us together.

At least I did not leave it behind. After a couple of years I started going out again, which gets me to where I am now, something to do in old age. It is pretty satisfying when the women I dance with thank me for the experience.

I will always be proud of how I dealt with the difficulty of that transition 20 plus years ago. Exercise and wandering in mountain air with the dogs, instead of alcohol and staying behind closed doors. Then eventually opening my heart to the healing power of music and dance with sweethearted women.

Life goes on. We accept choices made and adapt.

black and white border collie standing on a rock with snow-covered mountain and forest in the background

Ben, fall 2003 backpacking, San Juan Mountains Colorado

thin, leafless tree branch with multiple smaller twigs extending from it on a white background

June 26th, 2024:

Last night after dropping in at the Mercury swing dance, I drove down to South Broadway to see Jenny Dont and the Spurs at the HiDive. They were already playing when I got there, but it is a small place and I found a spot right next to the stage. Jenny Dont drew a decent crowd for a Tuesday Night. I am crazy about this band; they are so good. This is the second time I have seen them live. Jenny has amazing vocals, and the band is so tight and talented that it got me aching to be on a dance floor circling counterclockwise to their music. (I am pretty sure I could stay on a fast triple step beat with this song; what a thrill to find a lady to match it, but there are plenty that go to the Rose that could!) It sure has me in the mood to put my boots and hat on and show up at the Rose tonight, and maybe tomorrow night, to do some honky tonk dancing! (#lifeisshort, #yolo) Denver is a good town to live in, if you love music and country, swing, and blues dance! (my town!)

#jennydontandthespurs #denverhidive #honkytonkmusic #honkytonk. #countrymusic #triplestep #grizzlyrose #lifeisshort #yolo.

June 26th, 2024:

Nothing like early morning walks when a summer breeze is blowing along the river!

June 25th, 2024:

I am always talking a bit like a lone wolf, that I have never gotten close to anybody since my wife dumped me ages ago. Full disclosure, that is not entirely true. My friend Tricia and I went on hikes, horseback rides, backpacking high in Colorado, staying in cabins in Colorado and Wyoming, snorkeling in the Southern Caribbean, and camping in the canyon country of Utah, over many years.

I have good memories of the times with Tricia. We all have our ways, and I certainly have mine. Tricia was easy going and put up with me. (and the border collies)

Some of the best that come to mind was sitting next to a campfire high on Hatch Point Mesa in Utah on a February night, chatting in the midst of perfect quiet and a sky full of stars. Also hiking several miles to the Grand Gallery in Utah, not seeing another person, and coming on what might be the most magnificent panel of rock art on Earth.

A very good memory was when we met in Bonaire in the Southern Caribbean for a snorkeling vacation. I had already been there a week solo, and was so thrilled to see her come off the plane. (That was just after the 2017 Houston hurricane, where we had to fly through). In the mornings we would sit on our upper deck that had a view of the ocean and drink our coffee, then after snorkeling all day we would walk to town and eat fish and chips and have some ice cream. (that was when I was not so crazy strict about my diet, and enjoyed caffeine in the morning and sugar in the ice cream (very much)).

Tricia and I got together this spring for a walk at the botanic gardens, which was too early; not many plants were blooming yet. Then we went to have lunch at a Thai place on Colorado boulevard we always go to. I told her how good it felt to connect with her again.

Here are some photos of me and Tricia over the years: (She is beautiful, isn't she?)

Person standing on a snowy rocky hill holding a walking stick, overlooking a town partially covered in snow with hills in the background

Collage of outdoor scenes including a stream with snow-capped mountains and forest, a person sitting inside a rustic cabin with a wood stove, a person with two dogs in a rocky desert landscape, a woman with a black and white dog on a snowy mountain overlook

Three images showing desert hiking scenes with red rock formations, including a person standing under a large natural rock arch, a lone hiker on a rounded rock hill, and a person with a backpack standing near desert shrubs with snow-capped mountains in the

Woman standing on sandy shore next to a red kayak in one photo, and the same woman sitting on a rocky mountain ledge holding a black and white dog on a leash with snowy peaks in the background in the other photo

Collage of six photos showing a starry night sky over mountains, close-up of white and yellow wildflowers, a woman reading outside a log cabin, a woman with a backpack sitting on a rock looking at mountainous landscape, a valley with green shrubs and

Collage of seven images including two people in cars surrounded by curious camels, a narrow red rock canyon with a person walking inside, a solar eclipse, a group of people watching a sunset in a field, a person crouching petting a small donkey, and a person

Collage of five photos featuring a natural red rock arch and canyon walls, a person snorkeling underwater near the surface, a black fish with yellow markings swimming in blue water, and two snorkelers swimming underwater

Black and white border collie resting on the ground among small yellow flowers and green grass

June 2024 backpacking

Two purple and white columbine flowers with yellow centers surrounded by green grass and foliage

“Wherever you go, go with all your heart"