The Mount Si Black Lab [woof!]

[zoroastr]

A story and a question...

 

A couple of times a week I like to use Mt. Si for conditioning runs. Yesterday, as I often do, I parked at the Little Si trailhead then walked the couple of miles of road over to the main parking lot so I could traverse the hill and end up back at my car.

Arrivng at the main trailhead, I was met by that large black lab that can frequently be seen loitering in the parking lot, sniffing people, mooching bits of Power Bar, getting petted, and generally being charming. For whatever reason, the doggie decided to join me on my run. I had no food for him, so I thought he'd return to the parking lot after a few minutes. Instead, he went all the way to the top with me, pausing occasionally to sniff other dogs' nether-regions, check out side trails, and to make sure I was still following behind [never try to keep up with a dog; when you weigh 60 pounds and have four legs, you can cover ground!]. Although I took an instant liking to my canine companion, I have to admit I laughed at the sight of his wild, panicked thrashing as he struggled up the still snow-fillled gully on the Haystack. Seeing that he'd never make it, I turned us around and headed back down.

So, even after topping out and picking a completely different trail for the descent, the dog stayed with me. He took a short nap at the Little Si parking lot while I changed out of my hiking clothes, then I drove him back to the main traihead where we met. I had to really punch the accelerator to get away from him as he ran behind the car, but he finally gave up when I hit 60 mph....

 

QUESTIONS:

1. Who OWNS this damned mutt? He's been there for years.

 

2. How many times a day does he do SI? [we'll probably never know...]

 

3. How does he select his hiking partners? All I did was pet him like you do with dogs that seem friendly...maybe that's what starts the following behavior.

 

4. If you know this dog, do you know if he can find his own way between the trailheads? If I hadn't have given him a ride back, would he just have waited to hook up with someone hiking back over the hill?

 

...if you see him, give Blackie a pet for me.

Edited February 14, 2007 by zoroastr

[spicoli11]

This happened to me in mexico...but the dog was a german shepard that had aggressive tendencys at points during the hike. We called him garcon and i'm glad I don't have to hike with him anymore.

[DirtyHarry]

Poor dog's owner probably ditched him at the trailhead. He probably thought you were his new owner because you let him go on a run with you. Then you ditched him too. Asshole.

[rob]

He lives near the trailhead, at the property nearest the th with the trailers (or so I've heard). I see him nearly every time, though he's never followed me to the top. He must know I'm a cat person.

 

He's the sweetest dog ever.

[Kevin_Matlock]

Poor dog's owner probably ditched him at the trailhead. He probably thought you were his new owner because you let him go on a run with you. Then you ditched him too. Asshole.

 

He's "always" up there?

[hopalong]

Blackie sounds like my Brother Hippie.

[coug4]

Yep, he's been there for years. No idea how old he is but I've heard do-gooders have taken him to the pound a couple of times. I too understand he's owned by the trailer owner. My question is What's his name?

[DirtyHarry]

There's an Index dog too. Some kind of Border Collie / Shepard. Maybe not as ubiquitous as the exit 38 lab though.

[dogboy]

A couple of years ago, there was a notice at the trailhead from his owners. The dog's name is Eddie, he lives nearby and he knows what he's doing. The notice was asking people not to try and "rescue" him.

[rob]

There's an Index dog too. Some kind of Border Collie / Shepard. Maybe not as ubiquitous as the exit 38 lab though.

 

Crap, the snaffle keep getting bigger and bigger

 

OMG, snaffle = new world order??

[wfinley]

When I was growing up there was a rather famous dog that lived near us on a country road in rural Virginia. Every morning he's walk out to the road and 'hitch hike' - or rather stand on the side of the road until someone in a pick up truck slowed and stopped. Then he'd hop in the truck and ride 7 miles to the country store where he'd hang out all day getting pet and fed pork rinds. (During hunting season he'd get a little more though.) Then come evening he'd jump in the back of a random pickup truck and catch a ride home. He did it for years!

[Couloir]

When I was growing up there was a rather famous dog that lived near us on a country road in rural Virginia. Every morning he's walk out to the road and 'hitch hike' - or rather stand on the side of the road until someone in a pick up truck slowed and stopped. Then he'd hop in the truck and ride 7 miles to the country store where he'd hang out all day getting pet and fed pork rinds. (During hunting season he'd get a little more though.) Then come evening he'd jump in the back of a random pickup truck and catch a ride home. He did it for years!

That's a great story!