Jump in with booties and winter jacket is the way to go when your family travels across the Southwest in late December.
We drove to Stonewall, Tx and stayed the night in a nice tuscan style
cabin with heater and woodburning fireplace by the bed. (absolute
charming B & B) They lent us an extra dog bed that Bud loved and
and I used the old bed. As the fire burned, the logs moved during the
night and I got scared. I asked mom to move my bed next to hers and
then I felt safe that nothing would fall on me. I made some new
friends, Sophie, a standard poodle at the owner's home, and two dog
friends next door.
The cabin had a little kitchenette to keep our food and they gave my
family quiche and fresh fruit for breakfast. The bathroom had a jacuzzi
tub which my mom and dad enjoyed.
The next morning we were off to Marfa, TX through the Fort Davis
mountains. Tell the TX DOT to put real grass or stepping stone in the
pet rest area; we both got stickers in our paws that hurt my parents
when they pulled them out. Once in Marfa we walked the streets with our
family and looked at the Galleries. The temperature was warm and the
wind was still. I played with some new dogs at the Arcon Inn B&B,
and met many dog friendly people around town.
We headed out of town to Valentine, TX to see the only Prada store
around. It was closed; it is always closed. They call it art. But I
did not see anyone named art around.
We drove on to Truth or Consequences, NM and I lay by my parents who
were soaking in the hot springs. It is too hot for me. We left the
desert and headed into the mountain and played in my first snow. It was
cold, fluffy, and perfect. I rolled and dove in the snow. We met
another dog who came to play in the snow in the middle of the
National Forest. Wild time.
On the way back to Texas after Christmas we drove the northern route through Sedona, Flagstaff, Winslow, AZ, and Santa Fe, NM. It was getting cold and snowy. In Santa Fe we rented a house for New Years celebration. I love the snow and rolled in it every chance that I could get. I could plunge my head in the snow, eat the snow, and even catch the snow as a ball, but it broke apart in my mouth.
My momma found some pet friendly snow trails for us to go snowshoeing or cross country skiing with dogs (5K trail in the Enchanted Forest), but we did not have a 4x4 vehicle and the volvo had little clearance in the snow. We did not get to go.
We walked around the square in Santa Fe during New Years Eve. There was an ice sculpture of Santa's sleigh and eight reindeers. Don't lick the ice sculptures. The streets were still lit up with Christmas lights.
Bud and I both wore jackets, and Bud had dog boots. He hated the cold. In the morning he refused to walk in the snow and only pottied under the porch cover with no snow.
When we were walking back to the casita from the square, one of Bud's four booties fell off. He refused to put his bare paw down. Momma had to go back down the street at night and find Bud's missing booty. Thankfully she found it and wrapped it tightly around Bud's leg. I can imagine seeing them carrying Bud back or him limping on three legs four blocks back home.
We stayed at the warm house as our parents ventured out to celebrate the changing of the year. Not many places available or the prices were too high. All they wanted was a drink and dinner. So they went to one of the most expensive hotel close by and sat at the bar. They meet a Flamingo guitar musician, Daniel ?, at the bar who was playing at the restaurant. He was from NM and a famous musician to many, but not to us. He gave them a CD for free, and they stayed at the bar until the new Year started, and walked back to our casita. They had a wonderful time.
