Rescue Pack . . . coming to the rescue!

My adventure begins with a leisurely drive up Weber Canyon to Trapper's Loop and a turnoff at Snow Basin. The fall foliage is beginning to turn into vibrant colors of gold, orange, reds, and hues of all three! In contrast with the pines, they make for a beautiful setting to play 'Hide & Seek' with my friends group from "American Rescue Dogs". Polly has been trying to get me out on one of the training sessions for the past year! I finally gave in - and had such a great time.

Let me just preface the previous remark by saying that the fearless leader of this group began by calling me a "victim" and not a "hider"! This and the fact that my friend had sent me two emails that I opened up early this morning - 1. a quiz to test your 'belief system' & 2. a silly video about in-bred deer hunters who hold branches up to their heads and end up being mistaken for deer - and SHOT! Okay. . .is she sending me a message? Anyway, after I meet everyone in the group (including the dogs) I'm sure glad people 'make nice' by shaking hands! I get shuffled into a little red truck and we head back down the road to our hiding area. Now, I'm wondering what my outcome will be as she points me in the direction she would like me to take -- across the road, down the ravine, up to the dead tree, north along the side of the mountain, while climbing higher, and just about parallel to where they had seen a MONSTER Moose as they drove up this morning! Fine. . .I don't see the Moose in the field; has it gone back up into the high country?

As the starting gun fires, I take off for my trek. Now no one says this is a race, but I'm thinking I should get to my spot post-haste, so that I can settle in before the bloodhounds are released. I stumble; I fall, I'm gasping and snorting up the mountain! I get just about as far as I think I can go & radio in on the GPS. "No", Vicky says, "go a little further north".

What have I got myself into? I pick myself up (Yes folks! I'm laying prostrate sideways on the mountain)! I guess I didn't take into consideration that a 'victim' must hike into the area of demise and then hunker down in a thicket of trees 'til the dogs find them. I had been instructed to bring a book, a sketch/writing pad, handwork - anything that I would like to spend time doing. Further in, I finally see the meadow I'm suppose to be seeing far below! I drop across the stump of a fallen tree -- I wonder if anyone heard it fall? I wonder if anyone heard ME fall?! I again radio in and they check my coordinates. I begin surveying my injuries, as I lay there bruised and bleeding. YES! I am truly a VICTIM! I look up into the sky - is it a bird, a plane? Maybe they'll send in Air Support!

As I sit there in the quiet solitude, I am amazed at how beautiful it is. Noises that you hear only in Nature are all around. The wind whistling thru the pines; a bird pecking away at the bark of a nearby tree; branches creaking and rubbin as the wind blows thru them. Oh & Looky there - I see Chip n' Dale (not the dancers) chasing one another up and down the trees! After a half hour or longer, I hear footsteps behind and above me. Crikey! Please let it be "Man & His Best Friend" and not that MOOSE! Yes - it's my guys to the rescue. They seem as happy & excited to find me, as I am to see them! After doggy kisses from Clyde (the dog) and treats for reward, we pick ourselves up & head back down the hill -- did I say HILL? We get picked up on the road and driven down by the Lodge. Oh good - almost everyone is back - are we done?!

[to be continued]