Iron Mountain
We hiked Iron Mountain this morning because we needed some exercise. Brandy didn’t want to leave the parking lot, because she kept looking for the friends and their dog, Ruca, that we hike with on weekends. I kept tugging on her leash until we got to the beginning (west end) of the trees where I just gave up and took her off leash. She stood there looking back at the parking lot. I walked almost to the east end of the trees and she disappeared from sight. I waited about a minute, then started back toward the west end to see where she went. I had walked just a little bit and then saw her running to me. When she got to me, she stopped and again looked back for them. I kept walking and she finally realized that they weren’t coming and decided to go with me.
We took a breakfast break at the top at a picnic table, enjoying the view to the west. Another hiker and dog arrived shortly at the top. Brandy was lying on the table and as the dog approached her, she growled slightly causing the dog to veer off.
After we finished eating, we climbed up on the boulders at the peak, looking out to the east trying to identify the distant peaks. I took a few pictures of Brandy on top of a boulder surveying the valleys and peaks below us. Shortly, I heard soft dog growls behind me while simultaneously hearing the hiker saying something that I didn’t understand. I noticed that Brandy wasn’t close to me, quickly turned around, and, thinking that Brandy was being rude, admonished her. The hiker said that the dogs were playing and it was then I recognized Brandy’s play growl. The dogs played briefly, then the hiker and dog descended.
We continued enjoying the view for a few more minutes, then we descended. About a quarter of a mile later, we caught up with the hiker and dog as the hiker had stopped to make a cell phone call. Brandy quickly engaged the dog in play, running up and down the trail making clouds of dust. The hiker completed his call and continued on his descent. We followed a short distance behind and occasionally Brandy would run ahead of the hiker, sometimes briefly playing with the other dog. We got close enough to talk and soon we were all hiking together. Brandy’s new friend was Toby, a Mini Aussie.
We took a brief water break at the saddle, then continued down as a pack. We expect to schedule another hike with Toby and his dad in a week or so. Still, Brandy really misses Ruca.